Christa Pitman, Dean of Lower Primary
Transition to School
Lower Primary School
"Starting school is a momentous occasion in the life of all children. Even after many years, I know I remember my first day of school clearly and the mixture of emotions that came with it. Therefore, at St Mark’s, we aim to make a child’s first years of their education the very best foundation it can be."
When your child begins school, they will start in either the Year 0 or Year 1 class, depending on their birthday.
Our Transition to School programme has been developed over many years to enable children to have the very best possible start to school. As well as many visits throughout the term before they start school, we also support parents through information sessions and interviews prior to their child starting school. This allows us to learn more about each child, to understand their strengths and areas for development and to discuss your aspirations for your child. Through this programme, we aim for your child to feel confident and excited about the start of their learning journey as they start school.
On your child’s first day of school, they will be part of a Fly Up ceremony if they are moving up from our Preschool, and a Welcome to School ceremony if they are coming from another early childhood centre. This is a special ceremony, full of traditions and joy, where we welcome your child and your family with songs and prayers. Your child will have a buddy, receive their school and house badges, along with a handshake and certificate from our Principal, Mr Favel.
We are proud of our Transition to School programme and its effectiveness is evident in the confident and successful start that our students make to their schooling.
Creative and play-based learning experiences form much of our Year 0/1 curriculum along with building early numeracy and literacy skills. Our learning spaces and programmes encourage children to explore their curiosities and to build strong friendships as we foster the independence and positive self-esteem of each child.
A student transitioning to Lower Primary at the Fly Up Ceremony with Principal Kent Favel.
