At St Aidan’s, our mission statement is the cornerstone of everything we do. We endeavour to provide excellence in education in a caring, friendly environment where each individual, nurtured and shaped by the values of the Christian Faith, has the opportunity to achieve her full potential and develop a passion for life and learning. There is no better place to start this incredible journey than at St Aidan’s Prep.
The Prep Year at St Aidan’s is designed to ensure a seamless transition from an informal “play” environment of kindergarten/preschool to the more formal classroom education of Year 1. The girls all bring with them a sense of wonder and enthusiasm and at St Aidan’s we build on and extend these qualities.
St Aidan’s Prep:
- Provides a five day program
- Operates from 9.00am until 2.30pm
- Maximum class size of 22
The Environment
The first year of school life is very important. At this point, girls develop a self-concept of who they are as a learner. To allow for the development of positive self-esteem and confidence, girls entering the Prep experience a warm, flexible, caring, positive and happy environment. The child is the centre of all learning, encountering developmentally appropriate experiences that are stimulating and challenging.
St Aidan’s Prep maintains a balance between:
- Structure (requiring teacher direction)
- Free choice (individual self exploration of activities and friendships)
- Quiet times for relaxation and rest
Curriculum
The Prep Curriculum allows girls to participate at their individual developmental level. Throughout the year, the Key Learning Areas of English, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Study of Society and Environment are integrated through thematic units. All children are immersed in weekly letter and number familiarization activities. As children demonstrate developmental readiness, they are introduced to specific skills in numeracy and literacy. In this way, they are equipped to achieve their full learning potential as they move to Year 1 where the curriculum has been specifically designed to build upon the skills acquired in Prep.
The girls also have the added benefit of specialist lessons in:
- LOTE (Language other than English)
- Physical Education
- Music
- Library
Play
Indoor and Outdoor Play are a part of the Prep curriculum as children develop positive social interactions with peers and adults. As the year progresses, play becomes focussed on certain skills to provide the necessary scaffolding to ensure maximum learning potential.
Staffing
Prep has expert dedicated staff who form part of the Early Childhood Team at St Aidan’s from Prep to Year 3. St Aidan’s Prep works as part of the entire Junior School, planning and interacting as part of a team, rather than in isolation, ensuring the needs of all girls are met and preparation is made for their future learning. A full time Teacher Aide assists in supporting the children.
After School Care
Parents of Prep students have use of the After School Care Facility. Supervision is also provided from 8.30am- 9.00am and 2.30pm-3.00pm to assist in the drop off and pick up of older siblings.
Parents
The Prep classroom requires a partnership between children, teachers and parents. Open communication is encouraged, providing a learning environment for everyone. Parents are also welcome visitors to many aspects of the Prep program.