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Starting school, a parent's primer Starting school can be exciting and, perhaps, a little scary – and that’s just for parents. Schools are big and busy. “There are so many people and there’s room for everyone,” said one child starting school. Two senior education researchers at Charles Sturt University have developed guidelines to help parents, teachers and children as they start school.
 “Starting school is an important milestone in the lives of children and families. If children have a successful start to school, they are likely to stay connected to school and regard it as a positive place to be,” says Professor Sue Dockett, who is Professor of Early Childhood Education at Charles Sturt University (CSU).Drawing on over 12 years of research, Professors Dockett and Bob Perry, who are both with the University’s Murray School of Education, have developed guidelines for parents and teachers on how to help all involved feel competent and confident as children start school.
Their research has influenced ‘transition to school’ programs introduced around NSW, including Wollongong, Cobar, Queanbeyan, Gundagai and Taree, as well as other Australian states and overseas.
When to start?
The professors are often asked, “At what age should my child start school?”
Professor Perry says children eagerly anticipate school – they are looking for change. “Schools need to be different to their pre-school and childcare experiences. We – parents, teachers and communities – can help by supporting these children in these changes,” he says.
In NSW, children can enter kindergarten as young as four-and-a-half years of age. In Victoria, they need to be slightly older.
 Professor Perry points to the importance of communication between parents, preschool and childcare educators and others in deciding whether to send children as soon as they are eligible or to hold younger children in preschool or childcare for an extra year.“What we all need to think about are the relationships that are needed to ensure that we all know what is going to happen. The key is reciprocal communication,” says Professor Perry.
“Decisions about sending a child to school will be made by the adults in the family but should be done in consultation with the professionals who know the child and the family. Children must also be included in these discussions.”
Professor Dockett also recognizes that parents may need support in the transition of their children into school.
“Some parents cannot just drop their child on their first day, stay a few minutes and go without some emotional response, especially if it is their youngest child. Like their children, parents might benefit from making friends among other parents in similar circumstances. Support such as parent ‘coffee groups’ may only be required for a few months, but they can offer the initial emotional support needed by these parents,” says Professor Dockett.
“For many, it is also a major change in the parents’ lives. For example, the transition of the child to school may allow both parents to work in full-time or part-time employment.”
Enter the community
Communities have recently become more active in recognizing and supporting the needs of children and their parents at the start of school.
Brochures outlining local community resources, ‘starting school’ community picnics and information sources such as the Transition to School website for the NSW Illawarra region have all been introduced by communities to help families in the transition to school.
State governments have also shown greater interest in supporting transition to school programs, with Professors Dockett and Perry asked to advise on programs funded by the NSW, South Australian, Queensland and Victorian governments. Most recently, the Wodonga Schools network on the NSW-Victorian border has been involved in developing a range of local programs.
 “These programs are aimed at providing a better atmosphere for the child starting school, rather than expecting the child to conform to existing practices in the school,” says Professor Perry. ends Author: Wes Ward Publication Date: 06 Jan 2009
Editor's Note: Sue Dockett is Professor of Early Childhood Education at CSU and Patron of the NSW Early Childhood Education Council, while Professor Bob Perry is Sub Dean (Research and Scholarship) in CSU’s Faculty of Education. Their guidelines on transition to school for parents, teachers and children are online. Media Note: For interviews with and print-quality photos of Professors Sue Dockett and Bob Perry, contact CSU Media. Related Images:  |
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