Starting Kindergarten

Enrolment interview

Before your child begins, all families meet with our principal. This is a time to share:

• medical conditions or allergies
• learning support needs
• family circumstances that may affect your child’s start

We want every child to feel safe, supported and included in school life.

Our playgroup sessions are held on the last Tuesday of every month.
They help children starting primary school in 2027-28:

• create a sense of belonging at Carlton Public School
• build confidence and familiarity around staff, peers and schoolgrounds
• enjoy fun learning experiences and develop skills needed for school

Starting school can be a big change that we want to make easier with little steps towards success.

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Our orientation sessions help children:

• meet some teachers and classmates
• explore classrooms and playgrounds
• develop confidence, independence and practise simple routines such as drop off and pick up, following teacher instructions, sitting on the carpet

Parents and carers join information sessions to learn about daily schedules, uniforms, lunches and communication. If you need an interpreter, let us know.

Getting ready at home

You can help your child get ready by encouraging independence and routines. Try:

• packing and unpacking their school bag
• dressing themselves and practising hygiene
• following simple routines and instructions at home

For more advice, see the Getting ready for primary school guide.

Learning and development

At Carlton Public School, Kindergarten follows the NSW curriculum. We build early skills in literacy, by listening to songs and stories, learning sounds to support independent reading and writing and exploring language features that make reading and writing more interesting. Early numeracy skills are developed through hands on experiences that teach students to trust the count and see connected ideas within mathematics. Our school also has a special language program for all students. Children get a chance to learn about a different culture and language through talking, listening, and creative arts. We also learn about the world through interesting topics that include health, science and technology, history, and geography. This helps students understand different subjects and how they connect to everyday life.

Children learn routines such as arriving at school, saying goodbye to their families, greeting their friends and teachers, lining up and moving around the school safely. They also learn about what is expected during crunch & sip, lunch and recess breaks, and develop skills to be engaged learners. Teachers guide children as they settle in, but practising independence and daily routines at home also helps.

At the start of the year, all Kindergarten children take part in the Best Start Assessment. This is a friendly, one-on-one activity where teachers learn about your child and their literacy and numeracy skills. It is not a test and needs no preparation. This helps us develop individualised learning goals for your child and cater the learning to their needs so they can strive for success.