Each Friday, for nine weeks, a group of pre-schoolers will spend two-and-a-half hours at the school becoming accustomed to the school day routine.

Held during term four the school has two groups of 16 pre-schoolers currently enjoying their specialist transition program.

The program’s co-ordinator teacher, Gai Scoles, said the school started its first transition program last year and due to its success it was decided to repeat the program for the 2016 kindergarten intake.

“Because of the size of the program our priority is to select students who have never gone to pre-school or have had limited exposure to preschool or have special needs,” she said.

“We know from experience that these pupils often find it harder to adjust to school life.

“The students who went through the transition program last year adjusted extremely well to kindergarten and there were fewer tears.”

The school still holds its traditional orientation times for all 2016 kindergarten students on three Tuesday afternoons for an hour so parents and staff at the school can meet each other as well as giving the new kinders a chance to spend time at the school.

But the transition program is only open to two groups of 16 students.

And there is no doubting how keen the pre-schoolers are to attend with some already wearing their new uniforms, which according to Ms Scoles are often put on early on the Friday morning showing a keenness they would love to see in all their students.

The pre-schoolers spend time in a classroom setting as well as in the playground with the other students.

“We run the sessions following the same routine as a kindergarten class; that way the pre-schoolers get a feel of what it’s like to be at school,” Ms Scoles said.

One important aspect of the transition program is the fact the pre-schoolers are on their own not accompanied by parents or carers.

“That’s what we want to see the pre-schoolers comfortable and confident on their own in the school setting,” she said.