In 2007, all Queensland schools began offering a full time preparatory (Prep) year of schooling. This replaced the previous part time preschool program and coincided with raising the starting age for Year 1 enrolment by six months. Children are eligible for enrolment in Prep if they turn 5 by 30th June in the year in which they enrol. This brings Queensland's education system into line with other states and is supported by research showing that children perform better at school if they are older and experience an appropriate curriculum in the Prep year. Thus, Prep is the first year of the Early Phase of Learning which spans from Prep to Year 3.

The school's enrolment management plan outlines the procedures for enrolling in Prep. The enrolment management committee meets in late September and makes offers for Prep for the following year. It is very important to make contact with the school if you are considering enrolling here. We can then ensure you are kept up to date regarding orientation days, information nights and school activities.

At Mount Samson we have a new purpose-built double Prep building with its own toilet block. In 2008 we are operating two classes. Each class has a teacher who is assisted by a teacher aide.

The following procedures will apply to prep:

• The children attend 5 days per week with the same hours as the rest of the school.
• The children receive specialist lessons in PE, music and library.
• At Mount Samson our uniform policy includes prep students.
• The school's responsible behaviour plan applies to prep children.
• The ratio for excursions for prep is one adult per 5 children 1:5.
• Prep children are eligible to use school transport where appropriate (bus).
• Prep children can access the Outside School Hours Care (OSHC).
• The prep teachers conduct interviews with each family prior to the child commencing.
• Parents are requested to sign children in and out from the classroom at the beginning and end of each day.

The Prep year curriculum is designed to prepare children adequately for school. The Early Years Curriculum Guidelines set out five learning areas:

• Social and Personal Learning
• Health and Physical Understanding
• Language Learning and Communication
• Early Mathematical Understanding
• Language Learning and COmmunication

The delivery of the program is very much child-centred and teachers create contexts for learning and development through:

• Play
• Real-life situations
• Investigations
• Routines and transitions
• Focused learning and teaching

The importance of a good prep program cannot be understated. Children will develop social skills, build fine and gross motor strength, and develop a thorough understanding of early literacy and numeracy. The intent is that when they transition to Year 1, they are ready to start school.

Your child’s Prep teacher can answer many of the detailed questions regarding how the Prep Year works at Mount Samson. Some of the frequently asked questions (FAQs) are answered below.

What do you teach in Prep?

The five learning areas of social and personal learning, health and physical
understanding, language learning and communication, early mathematical
understanding and active learning processes are covered in the prep curriculum.

How do you teach it?

The children learn through play, real-life situations, investigations, routines and
transitions and focused learning and teaching. The program is designed to cater for each child’s interests and abilities.

How is this beneficial for my child?

Many things which can be taken for granted are necessary for a child to perform well at school. Social conventions, turn taking, listening, oral language and speech, self reliance and initiative, fine and gross motor skills, and positional language are very important if a child is to cope with the early years of school. We often assume a child can do these things. Prep is designed to do all this essential preparation prior to Year 1.

What is the difference between what is taught in Year 1 and what is taught in Prep?

A Year 1 classroom will look more formal and traditional and specific content will be covered in literacy and numeracy. For example, specific sounds, spelling patterns and handwriting are covered in Year 1 in a whole class context. In Prep children will be encouraged to look at words, recognise sounds within them and understand conventions such as writing from left to right. It is acknowledged that some children will be quite advanced in certain areas and the child-centred nature of Prep allows them to explore these areas further.

How do we know this approach works?

The prep curriculum is heavily underpinned by research which demonstrates that
this approach improves readiness for school. Our own experience (Prep began at Mount Samson in 2007) also supports this approach.

Please contact the school for more information on enrolling your child in Prep.