With the Primary One registration process starting in July, you may be thinking about everything you have to do before your child enters primary school. Going from preschool to Primary school can be daunting for both the child and their parents, with many things to do and new challenges to face.There may seem to be countless tasks parents will have to undertake, from the Primary One registration to equipping their child with everything necessary for Primary school. If you’re worrying about how to prepare your child for Primary school, here are some tips that can help make the transition easier for you and your kids!
Tip 1: Be Familiar With The Registration Process
If your child turns six years old before 2 January of the following year, they will be required to take part in the Primary One registration process of the current year! There are seven phases of the registration process, with Phase 1 being the earliest phase and Phase 3 being the last phase. There is a higher chance that your child can clinch a spot in the primary school of your choice if they fall into the categories included in the earlier phases. These are a few steps you can take to be included in the earlier phases:
Join the school alumni organisation earlier than 30 June in the year prior to registration
Enroll your child into a MOE kindergarten affiliated with the Primary school of your choice
Join the school as a parent volunteer by 1 July the year prior to registering and complete 40 hours of volunteer work by the current year of registration
There are many other criteria that could allow you to fall into the categories for earlier phases, as well as different start and end dates for each phase of registration. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the various phases of the registration process as soon as possible so you can have time to decide on the steps you would like to take!
Tip 2: Practice Skills Needed In School With Your
Child
The transition from preschool to Primary school may be difficult for your child because they will be faced with doing new things that they have never done before. If a child has to carry out a new task by themselves, in a new environment, it may seem terrifying to them! A good way to ease your child’s transition into Primary school would be to practice with them the skills that they would need before they actually start school. Some skills that you can practice with them could be:
Buying food for themselves. Let them practice ordering food for themselves when you eat out
If your child will have to make their way home themselves using public transport, practice taking the bus or train with them to familiarise themselves with the route
Prepare a timetable for your child to follow throughout the day so that you can get your child used to sticking with a routine for a whole day, and also get them used to waking up at certain timings
If your child is familiar with the new tasks that they will have to face before they enter Primary school, they will be able to carry out the tasks with confidence and ease! Most Primary schools have an orientation day before the school year starts. After attending the orientation day with your child, you could also ask them if they have any questions or worries about their new school, and address them early so your child can go into their new school without fear!
Tip 3: Get Your Child Good School Supplies
Having the proper school supplies before going to school ensures that your child will be well prepared to start school. When getting school supplies for your child, you should look to purchase the ones which are likely to more long lasting and are useful for your child. Here are some supplies you may want to get:
A backpack that is durable and comfortable, so that the bag can safely last your child throughout the school year, and be easy for them to carry around
A file with multiple pockets to store their homework and important forms in, to keep their bag and their work organised
Comfortable and sturdy school shoes that can last an active child for the whole year!
While you look to buy ergonomic and durable school supplies for your children, you can also bring them out school supply shopping, and allow them to pick out the designs they like best. Let your child choose a notebook with a colourful design, or stationary with their favourite cartoon character on it! The supplies you get your child can be useful to them while getting them excited about school. This way, your child is sure to use that homework planner you got them, and love using it the entire time!
Tip 4: Test Your Child’s Abilities With An Online Assessment
Knowing your child will be able to keep up with their classes can give you peace of mind when sending them off to their very first year of Primary school. You can easily find out what literacy milestone your child is at with our quick online assessment quiz, and see how well your child will be able to cope at school! If you would like to have an even more in-depth review of your child’s literacy skills, you can also book an assessment with our teachers. To ease your child’s transition from preschool to Primary school and ensure that they are equipped with the proper literacy skills required of them in Primary school, you can also register your child for our K2 to P1 Bridging Programme, which will provide them with a great foundation to enter Primary school! Click here to visit our website to book an assessment or register your child for our Bridging Programme!