Starting Prep at St Mary’s
St Mary’s Primary School Hastings is a warm, welcoming place where every child is supported to feel safe, confident and excited about learning from their very first day of Prep.
We understand that starting school is a big milestone, so we have a carefully planned transition program that allows children to settle in gradually and successfully.
How the transition works:
- Prep students begin with two half-days, giving them time to become familiar with their classroom, teacher and new friends.
- For the first month, children attend school four days a week, with Wednesdays off, providing a gentle balance between school and home as they adjust to school routines.
- After this settling-in period, students move confidently into full-time schooling.
Learning through play and connection
In the early weeks, learning is strongly play-based, supporting children to:
- build friendships and social skills
- develop independence and confidence
- explore their new learning spaces
- learn school routines, expectations and transitions
Through purposeful play, hands-on experiences and explicit teaching of routines, students learn what it means to be part of our school community in a way that feels safe, joyful and developmentally appropriate.
Our Buddy Program
Each Prep student is paired with a Year 5/6 Buddy, who helps them feel welcomed and supported as they settle into school life. Buddies spend time together during the early weeks of school, helping with routines, offering reassurance and building positive connections across the school. This special relationship supports our Prep students to feel safe and known, while also fostering leadership, responsibility and care in our older students.
At St Mary’s, we work in close partnership with families to ensure each child feels known, valued and ready to thrive — because starting school should be a positive and happy beginning to a lifelong love of learning.