The weeks before Term 1 matter more than most parents realise. Families often scramble in the final days before school, hunting for hats, filling out medical forms, and wondering why their child suddenly cannot wake up on time. In reality, preparation for school success builds gradually through steady routines, completed paperwork, and age-appropriate practice, not through a last-minute rush.
This guide gives you a practical 6–8-week plan aligned to Australian state calendars, health requirements, and evidence-based routines. Whether your child is starting Foundation or transitioning to high school, you will find week-by-week checklists, independence-building strategies, and scripts for navigating tricky first days. Pick one small task each day, and by Day 1 your family will be ready.
Understand the Australian School Year So You Avoid Last-Minute Stress
Knowing your state's specific dates and requirements prevents avoidable stress and missed deadlines. Term dates and even terminology vary across Australia, where Kindergarten in New South Wales (NSW) is Foundation or Prep in Victoria, Reception in South Australia, and Pre-primary in Western Australia. Getting these basics clear early sets your family up for a smoother year.
Key Dates and Age Cut-Offs
For 2025, NSW public schools in the Eastern Division start Term 1 on 6 February, while Western Division schools begin on 13 February. Victorian government school students start Term 1 on Wednesday 29 January, with Term 4 running from 6 October to 19 December. Use your state's published term dates as anchors so you can plan backwards and avoid clashes with work or travel.
Starting-age rules differ by state. In NSW, children can start Kindergarten if they turn 5 by 31 July that year, with attendance compulsory by age 6. Victoria requires children to turn 5 by 30 April to start Foundation, while Queensland's Prep is the first compulsory year and children must be 5 by 30 June at enrolment. Always confirm cut-off dates with your chosen school, especially if your child is young for the year level.
Milestones to Lock In
Attend orientation sessions and parent information nights, typically held in late Term 4.
Purchase booklist items and confirm uniform shop hours and ordering cut-offs.
Set up canteen accounts and confirm Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) or bus routes.
Add NAPLAN (National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy) dates: 12–24 March 2025 for Years 3, 5, 7, and 9.
Note sport trials, band auditions, and any selective school or program application windows.
Create a one-page 'School Year at a Glance' document with key contacts, including the office, year coordinator, OSHC, and bus depot. Add all term dates and public holidays to your family calendar with alerts set two weeks and two days ahead, so you can plan uniforms, excursions, and care in advance.
Get Health Admin Right So Learning Starts Safely on Day One
Completing health paperwork now means learning can start on Day 1 without disruption. Many states require an Immunisation History Statement from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) at enrolment. In Victoria, schools must retain this statement for outbreak management, so organise it before orientation rather than the night before school starts.
Medical Planning
Download your AIR Immunisation History Statement through the Medicare app or myGov. If your child has allergies or asthma, make sure a current ASCIA (Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy) action plan is lodged with the school, together with clearly labelled, in-date medication that staff can reach quickly. Pack two epinephrine auto-injectors if prescribed, plus a spacer and reliever puffer for asthma. Show your child where their medication is stored and which adults they should tell if they feel unwell.
Safe Travel
Walk or drive your school route on a quiet weekend. Practise crossings, identify the drop-off and pick-up points, and locate any bus stops. Review 40 km/h school zones and kiss-and-ride etiquette with your child.
Active transport is gaining momentum. NSW launched a 10 million dollar Active Transport to School program in 2024 to lift participation beyond the current 25 percent. Check local council paths and consider buddying up with neighbours for walking groups so your child has company.
File copies of AIR statement, action plans, and emergency contacts together in a clearly labelled folder.
Pack a small medical kit with band-aids, a spare hat, SPF50+ sunscreen, and tissues.
Trial the commute at bell time to gauge real traffic conditions and adjust departure times.
Explain what your child should do if something goes wrong on the way to or from school, such as missing a bus stop or feeling unsafe. Practise simple scripts like 'I need help, can I call my parent?' and point out safe adults, such as crossing supervisors and office staff.
Reset Sleep and Screens So Brains Are Ready to Learn
Predictable home routines around sleep and screens directly improve attention, mood, and memory during school hours. The Sleep Health Foundation recommends 9–11 hours per night for children aged 6–13 and 8–10 hours for those 14–17. Most Australian children are not meeting these targets.
The Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines from the Department of Health cap recreational screen time at no more than two hours daily for ages 5–17, excluding schoolwork. Evening light delays melatonin production and shifts body clocks, so NSW Health guidance recommends avoiding screens for at least an hour before bedtime.
7-Day Routine Reset
Start shifting bedtime earlier by 10–15 minutes each night. Keep wake times within 30 minutes of the target, even on weekends. Add a simple evening launch routine: pack bag, lay out uniform, fill drink bottle, and note any special gear for tomorrow.
Set a household 'tech off' time 60 minutes before bed.
Charge all devices outside bedrooms to remove temptation.
Use two alarms, one for 'start wind-down' and one for 'lights out'.
Dim lights after dinner to cue the body for sleep.
A basic school-night flow might be dinner, play or sport, shower, screen-free wind-down, then lights out at a consistent time. Keep the pattern similar across weeknights so your child knows exactly what happens next and argues less about bedtime.
Organise School Gear Early So Mornings Run Smoothly
Getting uniforms, labels, and lunchboxes sorted early reduces lost property and saves morning chaos. Label everything, including hats, containers, and readers, and break in new school shoes gradually over two weeks to prevent blisters.
SunSmart Essentials
The Cancer Council's SunSmart Schools program guides sun safety policies nationally. Caps do not adequately protect the face, neck, and ears, so most schools now require broad-brim, bucket, or legionnaire hats. Many enforce 'no hat, play in the shade' during Terms 1, 3, and 4 or whenever UV levels reach 3 or higher.
Buy two hats so you can rotate them. Apply SPF50+ broad-spectrum sunscreen before school and teach your child about reapplication. Pack a roll-on sunscreen if the school permits supervised application.
Lunchboxes That Survive Summer
Aim for a balanced lunchbox with a main item, fruit or vegetables, a dairy or protein option, and water. Freeze a water or milk bottle to act as an ice brick in hotter weather. Talk to your child about school rules around swapping food and allergen-aware policies. Run a few practice days in the holidays where they eat only from their packed lunchbox, so you can see what comes home untouched.
Library and Borrowing Habits
Check your school's weekly library day and add it to the family schedule. Many schools require a dedicated book-borrowing bag to protect titles and reduce lost readers. Talk with your child about how books need extra care and choose a spot at home where library items are placed as soon as they return. A personalised, durable library bag helps prevent mix-ups and ensures books arrive home safely for the next borrower, which keeps the library well stocked for everyone.
Have two labelled hats, plus sport uniform and runners tested for comfort.
Put your child's name on every item, including separate lunchbox components.
Set a library borrowing routine and a lunchbox plan for very hot days.
Build Independence and Executive Function So School Days Run Smoothly
Children who can manage their own bags, food containers, and sun protection have smoother school days and fewer lost items. These skills reduce teacher intervention and build your child's confidence in new environments. They also strengthen executive function, the mental processes that help with planning, organising, and starting tasks.
Practical Skills to Teach Now
Create a short item list near the door and have your child pack their own bag each evening. Practise opening and closing lunchbox containers, unwrapping items, and repacking waste. Establish a sun safety habit loop, with hat on before recess and lunch and water at every break.
Match independence expectations to age and stage. A new five-year-old might focus on hat, drink bottle, and reader, while a Year 6 student can check timetables, pack devices, and monitor assignment due dates.
Self-Advocacy Scripts
Teach your child simple phrases they can use when they need help. 'Can you please show me again?' works when instructions are not clear. 'I am not sure where to go next, can you help me?' is useful during transitions. 'I need a break' or 'I feel unwell' helps them flag issues early before they escalate.
Support your child to pack their bag with minimal prompts for at least three nights before Day 1.
Practise bathroom routines, including locking doors, wiping properly, and hand hygiene.
Set a daily micro-job, such as checking the timetable for special gear or notes.
Prepare Emotionally So the First Week Feels Safe and Predictable
Predictable goodbyes and realistic expectations reduce first-week anxiety and after-school meltdowns. Walk into school together for the first few days if permitted. Review where to line up and where the bag goes. Agree on a short goodbye script, such as a hug, a five-count squeeze, or a wave, and then stick to it.
After-School Soft Landing
Plan for a snack, water, and 15 minutes of quiet time before asking questions. Delay high-stakes topics like homework or behaviour notes until after this reset. Many children experience 'after-school restraint collapse', where they hold it together all day and then release emotions at home, so they need decompression time.
Use conversation starters that go beyond 'How was your day?'. Ask 'What made you smile today?', 'Which game did you play at recess?', or 'Who did you sit with at lunch?'. These questions invite specific stories and help you spot patterns in friendships and learning.
Protect Attendance Because Every Day of Learning Matters
Small absences compound faster than most parents expect. Missing one day of school each fortnight adds up to four weeks of lost learning per year. By Year 10, that is close to a full year lost overall, according to the Victorian Department of Education.
The Grattan Institute reported in 2025 that about 40 percent of Australian students now miss roughly a day each fortnight. Improving attendance is a national priority because early intervention matters most; patterns formed in primary school are much harder to break in later years.
If your child starts resisting school, treat it as a signal rather than simple defiance. Ask what feels hard, loop in the teacher early, and agree on small, achievable attendance goals while you work on the underlying issue together.
Protecting Attendance
Prioritise school days for appointments and use late-afternoon or evening slots whenever possible.
If illness is mild, ask whether your child can stay for core subjects, then leave early.
Notify absences promptly and ask what was covered so you can help your child catch up.
Set clear family non-negotiables, such as no travel in term time unless it is unavoidable.
Prepare Strategically for Private or Selective Entry Without Burning Out
For families targeting competitive-entry schools, understanding exam formats early allows for realistic preparation. ACER and Edutest are common external test providers, with sections typically covering reading comprehension, quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning, and writing prompts. Many independent and selective schools test between late Term 4 and Term 1, sometimes with separate scholarship and general entry rounds.
8–12 Week Ramp-Up
Schedule two or three focused practice blocks each week, rotating through verbal, numerical, comprehension, and writing tasks. Run a full timed practice every second week and log scores and error types. Broaden inputs through sustained reading and applied maths in real contexts like budgets, cooking, and measurement.
If you lack time to supervise or your child needs targeted feedback under timed conditions, consider structured support. Options include school-based preparation sessions, reputable online programs, or vetted tutoring that provides mock tests and systematic reviews without overwhelming your child.
To keep preparation sustainable, many families choose outside support that mirrors exam conditions, teaches efficient strategies, and keeps students motivated over several months of study. Structured small-group or one-to-one programs with clear lesson plans, timed mock exams, and systematic review homework lay the foundations for success, and partnering with specialist tutoring for private school entrance exams adds targeted feedback and accountability without parents having to design every task themselves.
Use an 8-Week Countdown So Preparation Stays Manageable
Weeks 8–7: Confirm state term dates, request your AIR statement, update medical plans, and lock in OSHC bookings. Start a simple weekly planner noting sport day, borrowing day, canteen day, and any regular after-school activities.
Weeks 6–5: Begin the sleep routine reset. Label uniforms, hats, and lunchboxes. Break in shoes gradually. Create a packing station with a checklist your child can use and rehearse packing together.
Weeks 4–3: Drive or walk the route at bell time. Trial lunchboxes in summer conditions and adjust food choices if items come home uneaten. Review your school's SunSmart expectations and practise putting on hat and sunscreen.
Weeks 2–1: Visit your local library and note the school borrowing day. Schedule a low-key playdate with a classmate if possible. Keep academics light, with daily read-alouds and quick real-life maths in cooking, shopping, or travel times.
Night Before: Pack bag, lay out uniform, and set two alarms. Confirm the meeting point for pick-up and allow extra time for Day 1 photos and slower goodbyes.
Put Your Plan Into Motion With Small, Consistent Steps
You do not need perfection; you need consistency. Short daily actions compound into confident, capable children who are ready for the school year. Use these checklists as your weekly agenda, share roles across the household, and revisit this countdown whenever you need a mid-year reset. Australian school systems and evidence-based routines are on your side. Pick one task today, schedule two 15-minute blocks this week, and watch the small steps add up to a strong start.
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