Reception

For our youngest students in Reception and Year 1, please wait in the Reception/YR1 courtyard, rather than the corridors.

At 3.30 pm, students attending OSHC will be taken to the OSHC bench, in front of Year 1B. Here they will be supervised by OSHC staff.

At 3.30 pm students without a parent in the courtyard will be taken to the Junior Primary Kiss and Drop. Students will be supervised by teachers. Students can move to their cars when called by teachers.

If your child has not been collected by 3.45 pm, they will be placed under the supervision of Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) staff. If you would like to book your child into OSHC, please collect a form from the Prep Office or contact OSHC, T: 08 8276 0390 or E: tmaurici@westminster.sa.edu.au

If someone else is collecting your child after school, please speak to the teacher in the morning or inform the teacher via email.

We realise that occasionally pick-up arrangements can change during the day and would encourage you to email or phone the class teacher before 1.00 pm (please leave a message if the phone is not answered). We ask that you contact the teacher as early in the day as possible. If the change to expected routine happens late in the day, calling the Prep Office on 08 8276 0219 would be best.

When children arrive at School, they are expected to independently…

Change their reader and put their reader into their green reading folder (from late in Term One).

Place their Library book in the return trolley on Library Day.

Hand any tuck money to the teacher in a marked envelope. A $2 limit applies.

Place their lunch box and water bottle in their locker.

Put their bag away.

Select a quiet activity to play in the classroom or play on the playground under teacher supervision.

Junior Primary Students are Independent Learners. It is important for your child to take responsibility for their own belongings. We encourage each child to unpack and care for their own property. It is a great feeling for children when they are able to look after themselves. Encouragement and praise helps enormously!

Little things can help, including:

• Have you named all of your child’s belongings?
• Please ensure that all items are named. This includes hats, socks and shoes.
• Is your child wearing shoelaces?
• If so, please ensure your child can tie these independently.
• What do I pack in the lunch box?
• Pack a healthy and nutritious snack for recess and lunch. Your child will use a lot of energy across the day.
• At recess and lunch times, please ensure your child can open his or her own containers and packets. Get them to practice at home.
• Please only fill drink bottles with water.
• If your child does not eat the complete contents of their lunchbox, please do not worry. Inform the teacher and the teacher can gently monitor the eating habits of your child.
• If you have ordered a lunch order, this will be delivered to your child at lunch time.

Readers will be sent home after our Parent Reading Workshop later in Term One.

We encourage all students to read aloud for at least 10 minutes after school. We do not call this a ‘homework task’. Daily practice encourages children to make reading a part of their daily routine. Frequent reading helps to reinforce skills learnt in class and it further strengthens student abilities. We want our students to foster a love of reading with a passion for life-long learning.

Please take the time to sit with your child and to listen as they read. Remember to make this a positive experience.

When reading with your child:

Create a quiet and calm environment. Do not rush reading, remain positive around books.

Sit next to your child

Never read a book cold. Discuss and question the text before you begin.

Discuss the text during and after reading. Questioning helps to strengthen comprehension skills.

Explore real world texts and foster a love of reading.

Read for pleasure in front of your child. You are your child’s best teacher!

Please ask your child to record his/her reading daily in the diary.

 We encourage students to explore classroom learning beyond classroom walls and to share discoveries with the class.

Your child may wish to further practice their mathematical skills using digital technologies. If so, we recommend using Matific. Student logins will be sent home.

At Westminster School we believe in educating the whole person. We want our students to be optimistic, resilient and positive people so that they can strive, thrive and flourish at School, at home and in the big wide world.

Students will participate in health and wellbeing lessons to support the development of their social and emotional capabilities. Students will participate in mindfulness and meditation activities, and they will be exposed to opportunities to strengthen their self-awareness and well-being within Assemblies and House Meetings.

Students will participate in The Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum (KS:CPC). This is a comprehensive program designed to educate children and young people about safety, abuse recognition, and respectful relationships from birth to Year 12.

For further information about the health and wellbeing lessons at Westminster, please speak with your child’s teacher.

In class we often discuss the importance of a healthy lunchbox, rubbish minimisation and recycling. We encourage your child to consider this when filling his/her lunch box. Please speak with your child’s teacher should you notice that food is not being consumed at school.

With the exception of packaged birthday treats, distributed in class, students are not permitted to share foods at School. If bringing birthday treats to school, please speak with your class teacher about potential allergies.

Lunch orders need to be placed via the QKR application by 9.30 am. You are also able to cancel orders before this time if needed. Lunch orders will be handed out by a teacher in the lunch break.

Tuck money for the canteen is capped at $2.00.