Preschool News: Term 2 Week 1
Dear Preschool Families,
It has been lovely to welcome the children back and to see everyone settling into the rhythm of Term 2. There has been a strong sense of connection across the week as children re-engage with the environment, their peers, and the routines of the day.
At the end of this week, new legislative reforms for early childhood education and care services will come into effect. These changes strengthen the focus on children’s safety, rights and wellbeing, and place clear expectations on services to demonstrate this in everyday practice. We will continue to share updates with you as we embed these requirements across our work.
Thank you to the families who have already returned the Images and Recordings Authorisation forms. Until all forms have been received and reviewed, we will pause the use of children’s photos on Storypark and in the newsletter. Once we have completed this process, we will communicate the next steps.
We kindly ask families not to take photos of children while in the preschool or on school grounds. This supports the privacy and safety of all children, particularly as we review updated authorisations in line with the new reforms.
On Monday, the preschool team held a coordination day where we focused on planning for the term ahead, including the development and review of risk assessments. A key part of this work is ensuring that children’s voices are reflected in our decisions. We are beginning to revisit group times and agreements, and will be working with the children to co-construct expectations that support a safe and enjoyable term. These will be shared with families as they are developed.
This term, we are planning to begin regular visits to Lane Cove Library on alternate Wednesdays. These will be routine excursions, and we have updated our risk assessments to support this. We will share more details soon. Families are welcome to join us on these outings. If you would like to attend, you will need to provide your Working With Children Check volunteer number, your date of birth for verification, and complete the foundation child safety training through GECKO. These requirements align with the current safety
reforms.
We are also looking forward to gradually exploring more of the wider school environment, including visits to the top playground, and in time, excursions to Kimberley Playground on Dorrit Street. As with all outings, we will assess readiness with the children and communicate with families before these begin.
As the weather begins to cool, please ensure your child has warm clothing, along with spare clothes. We are supporting many children with toileting, and having appropriate changes of clothing available helps the day run smoothly for everyone.
A reminder for families considering primary school for 2027: the information morning will be held on Wednesday 6 May from 10:00 to 11:00. If you are thinking about your child’s transition to school, or would like to discuss readiness, please feel free to get in touch. I am always happy to talk this through with you. Transition to school statements will be completed later in the year for children moving on to school in 2027.
That’s it for week 1!
Warmly,
Katrina, Lisa, Lida and Meeta