“We run a pretty a pretty strict transition program towards the end of term four,” Principal Trish Perry said. “The kids come for half days and full days, they know the teacher and everything.”
The tears came from the parents who said goodbye to their little ones at the school gate.
Lancaster has 35 students this year, with five of them being the new preps: Leila, Ethan, Sammy, Lenoard and Braxton.
Prep, Grade 1 and Grade 2 teacher Kerri Cormer said the preps had spent their first week learning letters and numbers and settling into their routine.
“We've been doing a little bit of literacy in the morning. Then we've been doing a little bit of maths, just learning how to write our numbers,” Ms Cormer said.
“We've done the numbers to five, then we have been learning the days of the week. And then in the afternoon, I've just been giving them a bit of downtime.”
At lunchtime Ms Cormer fought a losing battle to wrangle all the kids to sit and eat their lunch before rushing off to the playground. When she managed to get a couple to sit down to eat, someone else would sneak off to play.
Special member of “staff” — toy poodle Otto — supervised proceedings as he lay enjoying the sun. Grade 5 and 6 teacher Belinda Turpin brings Otto to school daily to help entertain and comfort students, and he is undoubtedly the kids’ favourite member of staff.
But the preps aren’t the only new addition. Lancaster Primary School is introducing a new state-funded before and after school care program in 2022, and parents are welcome to get in contact with the school to inquire about the service.
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