Bright Start to School

Our school readiness program, designed by our Early Childhood Teachers.

Children playing outdoors in the Daintree yard at Fairfield

The whole preschool year

Four phases, not one big leap.

Our Bright Start to School program has been thoughtfully designed by our Early Childhood Teachers to prepare your child for school. It runs across the whole preschool year in four phases, giving children time to grow into the skills, routines and expectations of school rather than meeting them all at once.

Watching every child grow

Progress you hear about in person, not on a form.

Throughout every phase, our Early Childhood Teachers observe and document each child's progress using developmental checklists, individual learning goals and mid-year developmental reports. We share this with you in person at our dedicated evening session: personalised feedback on your child's strengths, their development, and anything that may need further support, along with practical guidance for continuing school readiness at home.

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An educator and child working together indoors at Fairfield

The preschool year

What families ask about the year before school

Four questions about how the preschool year is structured.

A room at Edensor Park, with the art shelf and a wall of affirmation cards

Four phases, not one big leap

The preschool year in four parts, each building on the one before it.

Learn

Building strong foundations, with daily intentional teaching in literacy, phonics and numeracy extended through play.

Grow

Social and emotional development: the friendships, the feelings and the words for both.

Think & Do

Problem solving and independence, where children work things out rather than being shown.

Prepare

Becoming familiar with school routines, so the shape of a school day is not new in January.

Find Your Nearest Brighter Beginnings

With centres across Western Sydney, a Brighter Beginnings may be closer than you think. Explore our locations and find the centre that feels right for your family.

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Through the preschool year

What the four phases add up to by the time school starts.

Strong foundations
The Learn phase, where the year's groundwork is laid.
Social and emotional growth
The Grow phase, and the friendships and feelings that come with it.
Problem solving
The Think & Do phase, where children work things out rather than being shown.
Independence
Doing more without an adult beside them, on purpose.
School routines
The Prepare phase, where the shape of a school day stops being unfamiliar.
Progress in person
What you hear from educators through the year, rather than a report at the end of it.

The four phases

Learn, Grow, Think & Do, Prepare

Each phase builds on the one before it, across the whole preschool year.

1
Learn
Building strong foundations
Our educators plan daily intentional teaching experiences in literacy, phonics and numeracy, then extend that learning through play so children use the skills in real contexts rather than just recalling them.
Children are learning to:
- Recognise their own name
- Hear rhyme, syllables and beginning sounds in familiar words
- Link those sounds to the letters that make them
- Count objects and recognise numbers
- Explore shapes, patterns and early maths concepts
- Listen to stories and talk about what happened
2
Grow
Social and emotional development
Our program recognises that emotional competence is co-constructed rather than instructed. Educators respond to real social and emotional events as they arise: naming feelings, modelling regulation strategies and supporting children to resolve difficulties themselves. It is an approach consistent with the Early Years Learning Framework outcome that children develop a strong sense of wellbeing.
Children are learning to:
- Recognise and express feelings
- Manage emotions with educator support
- Share, take turns and work in groups
- Build positive friendships
- Ask for help when they need it
- Try new experiences with confidence
3
Think & Do
Problem-solving and independence
Our educators step back. Children are given tasks they can genuinely own (their belongings, their place at the table, their pack-away) and the time to work through problems rather than being rescued from them. Includes weekly Arkki STEM incursions, where children design, build and test their own ideas with a specialist educator.
Children are learning to:
- Design, build and experiment
- Problem-solve and think critically
- Work as part of a team
- Follow instructions and complete tasks in sequence
- Manage their own belongings: finding their name, their bag, their locker, their sunscreen
- Prepare their place at the table, pack away and care for their environment
4
Prepare
Becoming familiar with school routines
A stronger focus begins from August. In the lead-up to Kindergarten, our educators change the shape of the day: longer group-learning sessions, lunchbox days, and routines that mirror what children will meet in a school classroom. Nothing about the first day should feel unfamiliar.
Children are learning to:
- Bring a lunchbox from home and open containers independently
- Care for their own drink bottle and belongings
- Participate in longer group-learning experiences
- Follow daily routines and transitions
- Practise early writing and name recognition
- Become familiar with Kindergarten expectations

A bright start begins here.

Each phase builds on the one before it, so children develop strong foundations and grow increasingly familiar with the learning, routines and responsibilities they'll meet at big school.

Staying connected

Part of Their Day, Even When You’re Not There

Through OWNA, families can stay connected with their child’s day at Brighter Beginnings. Educators share daily updates, important information and messages, helping you stay informed while your child is in our care.

You’ll also find centre information and seasonal menus in one convenient place, so you know what’s happening and what your child has been offered throughout the day. OWNA is also used to securely complete enrolment when your family is ready.