As part of our Set for School programme, we have been enjoying regular visits to our local primary school, Puhinui Primary, to help our tamariki become familiar with what ‘big school’ is like.
We take a small group at a time and walk together from our centre to Puhinui Primary and back. These visits give our tamariki the opportunity to explore the school environment, see different classrooms, meet teachers and experience some of the routines they will be part of when they start school.
These visits are also a great way to encourage and excite our tamariki about starting school. They can see where they may learn, play and make new friends, helping to make the idea of going to ‘big school’ feel more familiar and less daunting.
Our tamariki really enjoy these visits. They love exploring the different classroom settings and seeing what happens at school. Sometimes, we even get to see children who have graduated from Lambie Drive and are now attending the school. It is always lovely to see our tamariki reconnect with their old friends and see how much they have grown.
By providing these experiences, we are helping our tamariki build confidence, familiarity and positive connections, supporting a smooth and confident transition from early childhood education to primary school.