1. Early Years (Kindergarten)
Information Evening

2. Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (continued)
Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity
Children build a secure attachment with one then more familiar educators.
Sense and respond to a feeling of belonging.
Confidently explore and engage with social and physical environments through relationships and play.
Demonstrate increasing awareness of the needs and rights of others.
Approach new safe situations with confidence.
Feel recognised and respected for who they are.
Show interest in other children and being part of a group.
Persist when faced with challenges and when first attempts are not successful.

3. Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (continued)
Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world
Begin to recognise that they have a right to belong to many communities.
Cooperates with others and negotiates roles and relationships in play episodes and group experiences.
Begin to show concern for others.
Are empowered to make choices and problem solve to meet their needs in particular contexts.
Use play to investigate, project and explore new ideas.
Participate with others to solve problems and contribute to group outcomes.

4. Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (continued)
Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
Demonstrate trust and confidence.
Share humour, happiness and satisfaction.
Make choices, accept challenges, make new discoveries, and celebrate their own efforts and achievements and those of others.
Show an increasing capacity to understand, self-regulate and manage their emotions in ways that reflect the feelings and needs of others.
Demonstrate spatial awareness and orient themselves, moving around and through their environments confidently and safely.
Show increasing independence and competence in personal hygiene, care and safety for themselves and others.

5. Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (continued)
Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners
Express wonder and interest in their environments.
Are curious and enthusiastic participants in their learning.
Use play to investigate, imagine and explore ideas.
Persists even when they find a task difficult.
Engage in learning relationships.
Use their senses to explore natural and built environments.
Transfer knowledge from one setting to another.
Make connections between experiences, concepts and processes.

6. Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (continued)
Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators
Contribute their ideas and experiences in play and small and large group discussions.
Listen to and respond to sounds and patterns in speech, stories and rhymes in context.
Engage in enjoyable reciprocal interactions using verbal and non-verbal language.
Begin to use images and approximations of letters and words to convey meaning.
Use symbols in play to represent and make meaning.
Recognise and engage with written and oral culturally constructed texts.
Begin to understand key literacy and numeracy concepts and processes, such as the sounds of language, letter-sound relationships, concepts of print and the ways that texts are structured.

7. Importance of Play
Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength.
Play is important to healthy brain development.
It is through play that children at a very early age engage and interact in the world around them.
Play allows children to create and explore a world they can master, conquering their fears while practicing adult roles.
Undirected play allows children to learn how to work in groups, to share, to negotiate, to resolve conflicts, and to learn self-advocacy skills.
When children drive their own play they practice decision-making skills, move at their own pace, discover their own areas of interest, and ultimately engage fully in the passions they wish to pursue.

8. Reading to your daughter
Study by The University of Melbourne and Department of Education and Early Childhood Development: “Reading to Young Children: A Head-Start in life”
Key Findings:
The frequency of reading to children at a young age has a direct casual effect on their schooling outcomes regardless of their family background and home environment.
Reading to children aged 4-5 everyday has a significant positive effect on their reading skills and cognitive skills (language and literacy, numeracy and cognition) later in life.
Children read to more frequently at age 4-5 achieve higher scores on the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests for both reading and Numeracy in Year 3 (ages 8-9)

9. Benefits of reading to your daughter
Builds a stronger relationship with you
Academic excellence
Basic speech skills
The basics of how to read a book
Better communication skills
Master of language
More logical thinking
Acclimation to new experiences
The knowledge that reading is fun

10. Writing
When teaching your daughter to write her own name please make sure it is done correctly with Capital letter then lower case letters. Example Samantha, not SaMaNTHa
Font is called Sassoon Primary Infant
Copy of the alphabet both upper case and lower case for you to take home

11. Tripod Grip
Tripod grip is when the thumb, forefinger and middle finger form a triangle with the pinkie and ring finger supporting the middle finger
Some children naturally hold the pencil correctly, others will need some guidance

12. Information Monday 13 February: Specialist Classes commence
Monday 13 & Wednesday 15 February: Learning Conferences 4pm till 8pm (Sampford House in Senior School)
Monday 20 February; School Photo Day (if your daughter does not usually attend on a Monday if possible we would like her to still come along to have her photo taken)
Friday 24 February: Parent Welcome to 2017 Function 7.30pm till 9.30pm
Thursday 2 March: Non Nobis Solum, Casual Clothes day
Early Years Assembly K-1: Kindergarten girls will be attending each fortnight on a Friday from 2.30pm till 3pm
Friday 31 March: Easter Service 2.30pm till 3.10pm
Friday 31 March: End of Term 1

13. Junior Learning Resource Centre (JLRC)
Wonderful space with a focus on developing a love of reading, exploring and creating: - Puppet theatre - Craft supplies for making - Building equipment - … and of course lots of books!
Open each weekend after school from 3.20pm to 3.55pm. Parent or carer supervision is required for Early Years students
A library bag is essential for borrowing. This is different from the take home reading bags and can be any reusable bag a library book will fit into

14. Questions