• Ring or visit the school office to request an enrolment pack any time after your child turns 4 years old. Meet the Principal and arrange to have a look around the school. We recommend doing this at least 12 months before your child is due to start school. This helps the school with future planning for staffing and ensures a smooth and organised transition for you and your child.

• Fill in enrolment forms and leave your email address and contact phone number with the office. This will be passed on to our Assistant Principal, Sue McVey who is the leader of Wai syndicate. She currently oversees our transition programme.

• A term before the date that your child is due to begin school, the Assistant Principal will contact you to invite you to a New Entrant Parents meeting at the school. Here you will meet the New Entrant teacher, the Assistant Principal and other parents of children that will be starting at the same time. You are welcome to bring your child as well. At this meeting we will provide you with more information about what to expect, how you can help prepare your child for school and how our New Entrant class will operate.

• Intake and starting school date policy: We have 2 start dates per term . One at the beginning of each term, and one in week 5 or 6 of each term. Your child will start school in the intake nearest to their birth date.

• In the 6-8 weeks prior to your child’s start date, you will be emailed the dates that we would like your child to attend school visits. We offer 4 school visits. These will cover each part of the school day. In our experience, we have found that 4 visits work well and provide a great school transition for your child. During these visits your child will join in with part of the day’s programme. For the first visit, you are welcome to stay in the classroom – this will help your child to feel settled and secure. For the second visit we recommend that you allow your child some time alone in the classroom. We recommend leaving them totally for the final two visits.

• As part of the transition process, our Assistant Principal and your child’s New Entrant’s teacher also visit the local preschools that your child is attending. This gives us the chance to get to know your child in their own familiar environment and to talk to their current teachers.

• It is really important to us that you feel comfortable and happy at school, too. We encourage you to contact us if you have any questions.

School office: 06 8677160

Sue McVey: sue@wainuibeach.school.nz