For families
The Transition to School: Parent Initiative focuses on supporting families, because parental involvement is an important factor in the successful transition of young children to school. The booklets below provide useful information and ideas for families to use to support their child as they start primary school and beyond.
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Booklet 1: Setting the scene
Explores some of the changes children will experience, the skills they already possess to help them during transition, and some further ideas for activities and strategies parents and carers can use to help their children prepare for primary school.
Download Booklet 1 (PDF, 4.2MB)
Booklet 2: Getting ready
Explores the feelings and emotions about the changes involved in starting school. It assists parents and carers to understand how their child copes with change and provides strategies for helping children to make a positive transition.
Download Booklet 2 (PDF, 3.8MB)
Accompanying this booklet is a handy Starting school plan (PDF, 789KB) with suggestions to help
families prepare for school.
Booklet 3: Settling in
Provides strategies for parents and carers to assist their child to cope during challenges and difficult situations, and provides some ideas around where parents and carers can get more assistance if necessary.
Download Booklet 3 (PDF, 1.9MB)
Booklet 4: Looking forward
Provides information about social and emotional learning and how parents and carers can support their child’s development of these skills. This booklet also provides information on the importance of parents and carers working with the school to support their children’s ongoing social, emotional and academic development.
Download Booklet 4 (PDF, 3.1MB)
Accompanying this booklet is a handy Social and emotional learning planner (PDF, 935KB) which contains some ideas and strategies for how families can support children’s social and emotional skills.
KidsMatter Primary Information Sheets
The KidsMatter Primary information sheets that relate to the Booklets, and provide further useful information, include:
- Belonging at schools makes a difference (Booklet 4)
- Everyone needs a friend (Booklet 1)
- Getting in early for kids’ mental health (Booklet 3)
- Helping children cope (Booklet 3)
- Helping children cope with fears and worries (Booklet 3)
- Helping kids to choose wisely (Booklet 2)
- How come they’re so different (Booklets 1, 2 & 3)
- How thinking affects feelings (Booklet 3)
- Making sense of children’s emotions (Booklets 1, 2 & 3)
- Social and emotional learning: how it works (Booklet 4)
- Supporting children’s friendship skills – Suggestions for parents and carers (Booklet 1)
- Supporting children’s social development – Suggestions for parents and carers (Booklet 1)
- Understanding and managing feelings (Booklet 3)
- What makes a positive school community (Booklet 4)
- Why connect at school? (Booklet 4)
- Why feelings are important (Booklet 2)
Other resources
If you are seeking further information about transition to school, additional resources are available here.
Also see: KidsMatter Early Childhood resources | KidsMatter Primary resources
