Growing Together: Our Partnership with Rainbow Street Public School
Where It All Began
Earlier this year, our Preschool children were excitedly talking about their older siblings and friends who had started “big school”. This sparked an idea about how we could help make the transition to school more familiar and exciting for our children and their families.
Following a meeting with James Richmond, R.ES1 Assistant Principal & Learning Support Coordinator at Rainbow Street Public School, we began exploring ways to build a partnership between our two communities.
A Special Easter Invitation
Our partnership began when James invited our children to Rainbow Street Public School’s Easter Hat Parade. The children toured the school, explored the playground and reunited with friends from Learn & Laugh who had started Kindergarten the previous year. They then joined the Kindergarten children in the Easter Hat Parade.
When we returned to the centre, the excitement was undeniable! The children couldn’t stop talking about their visit, and we knew we had something special to build on.
James also visited Learn & Laugh to speak with families about school readiness, helping them better understand what to consider when deciding whether their child was ready to start school. He also shared valuable insights with our Preschool educators about Kindergarten expectations, helping us strengthen the way we support children and families through this important transition.
Visiting Rainbow street school for the Easter Parade
Introducing Our Transition to School Program
Following the success of our first visit, we introduced a fortnightly transition program for nine of our Preschool children preparing to start school in February.
Every second Thursday, the children visited Rainbow Street Public School with three of our educators. They joined the same Kindergarten class each visit, allowing them to become familiar with the teachers, children and school environment.
Through games and activities, the children practised important skills such as following instructions, sharing, socialising, transitioning between activities and developing new physical skills. Our educators observed how each child responded to the school environment while remaining close by to provide reassurance and support.
One of the most beautiful aspects of the program was seeing the Kindergarten children become mentors for our Preschoolers. Having familiar faces around helped our children feel connected and understand that “big school” was not such an unfamiliar place after all.
Another fun visit to Rainbow street school in Randwick
Celebrating Creativity Together
The Finished artwork at the school exhibition
Our partnership continued to grow when Rainbow Street Public School invited us to participate in their Under the Sea Art Show.
Our Preschool children worked together to create a canvas for the exhibition, which they proudly brought to the school to display alongside the children’s artwork. Families were then able to visit the school in the evening, admire their children’s work and celebrate this growing connection between our two communities.
Looking Ahead
This partnership has been a wonderful experience for our children, families and educators. It has helped make the transition to school feel more familiar, supported families with their questions about school readiness and given our children opportunities to build confidence in a real school environment before taking that exciting next step.
We are incredibly grateful to James and the Rainbow Street Public School team for welcoming our children and working alongside us to create such a positive transition experience.
Most importantly, we have loved watching our Preschool children grow in confidence, independence and excitement for what comes next.
It is so exciting to get ready for big school
