1. Make the most of Early Childhood

It is the most early years that the connections within the child’s brain are formed. These are the connections that build brain architecture - the foundation upon which all later learning, behaivour and health depend.

Because of this, what you do at home - nurturing your child, helping them develop those essential brain connections through play and interaction with you as parents is critical.

• Expose your child to a broad vocabulary and a love of reading.

Tips to expand your child’s vocabulary

• talk to them regularly
• drop the baby talk
• read books to them
• label household items
• share stories and ask questions
• encourage them to write and read on their own
• pay attention to their vocabulary and correct mistakes constructively

• repeat words and meanings multiple times so they fully understand the

• Be a positive role model about the importance of eductation

• Expose your children to stimulating environments

• Minimise your child’s exposure to stress

• Don’t forget to play

There is a deep need to set aside time for unstructured play. Playing is very important to their development!

2. Be you child’s best teacher

Your child loves you. What you do and say has a big influence on them.

Be respectful and constructive when dealing with your child’s school and its teachers.

Model a positive attitude about education.

Emphasise that maths is important and talk about it positively.

Be a positive role model to your children about self-discipline, well-being and resilience.

3. Don’t start you child school until they are ready

Don’t be in a hurry to send your children to school.

Not all children start school with the same skills and ability.

Don’t stress - all children progress through their learning differently.

Avoid the temptation to compare your children with other children.

Avoid repeating a year if possible.

4. Find the right school for your child

Start your school search closer to home.

How schools handle student behaviour and bullying is important.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions, especially of the principle and teaching staff.

Don’t use NAPLAN results as the only source of information about schools.

Find out about schools by talking to people who know the school and by visiting schools.

Don’t listen to gossip. Make your own informed decisions.

5. Partner closely with your child’s school

Develop a strong three-way partnership. There are two key roles parents play in this partnership. The first is to prepare, encourage and support your child so they are ready to learn from the moment they walk into school everyday. The second is to maintain an effective three-way communication with the school so you know how your child is progressing in the classroom and in their other school relationships. It’s also important that teachers know what’s happening in the home environment to maximise their efforts at being effective teachers.

Children who tend to have the best school experience turn up to school almost every day well rested, well fed and in a positive frame of mind about their education. They also have good social and emotional skills taught and modelled by their parents and loved ones at home. Knowing how to behave appropriately, demonstrating self-discipline, having the ability to delay gratification and showing resilience are all skills that help children get the most out of their school experience and life in general.

These fundamental ‘home curriculum’ skills need to be locked in to children so that they are ready to learn during the day at school. When children come home from school we need to reinforce what they have learnt at school, reinforce the value of education and make sure our children get a good night’s sleep so they’re ready for the next day.

6. Seek advice if your child has special needs

Seek assistance as soon as you think your child might need extra support.

Your child has a right to enrol at school.

Make sure you find out the schooling and care options available to your child.

Planning and coordinating educational decisions together with your child is important.

7. Set high expectations for your child

Set expectations for your child carefully and thoughtfully so they respond by stepping up, doing their best, working hard and ‘reaching’ for those expectations.

It’s important to explain that you are setting high expectations because you think your child is capable of achieving them and, in many cases, greater than your child probably thinks that they themselves can achieve. Explain that they’re stretch targets and will require hard work for your child to achieve. Natural talent will not be enough. Explain clearly that your expectation is that they work towards those goals and they you will be satisfied know your child worked as hard as they could to achieve them, even if they did’nt make it. Praise great progress and praise the journey of progress your child has been on. Praise the effort and praise the skill that they have been used even if they don’t quite hit the mark.

Make sure your child knows that falling short of your and their expectations is not failure. We want to get away from the idea that performance an all-or-nothing concept.

You want your child to enjoy the experience of learning, not just be focused on exam or assignment marks. Maximise the effort to meet those expectations and the enjoyment of the learning journey; minimise the stress if your child does not get there.

• Set high expectations with your child

• Praise your child’s effort more than the outcome.

• Motivate your child by helping them set ‘personal best’ goals.

• Use disappointment as a teaching moment for your child.

• Teach your child about keeping their school results in perspective.

• Help your child learn to handle stress and failure now, so they can manage both in adult life.

8. Understand the role of homework

• As children get older the more value there is in homework.

• Homework should be practise, practise, practise.

• There should be timely feedback, marking and discussion of homework.

• The right type and the right amount of homework is important.

• Oversee and support your child’s homework - don’t do it for them.

9. Stay informed about your child’s progress

Improvement in a child’s learning is the key academic outcome most parents expect from their child’s school. Improvement is important because, irrespective of where a child starts in any school year, what matters to the majority of parents is that their child keeps improving. How much improvement and how it’s measured is a subject of enormous debate.

We need to know how our children are doing at school so that we can play an effective role as partners in improving our children’s learning.

With regards to talking to your child about school… the tip is to ask them what conversations they had with their teachers, were there areas where they disagreed with their teacher or other students and what were they about? These are good questions to start a deep conversation.

Speak regulary with your child’s teacher.

School reports are a starting point.

5 questions to ask in parent-teacher interviews:

• How has my child’s education improved during the year?
• Where should my child be now?
• What does my child need to learn next?
• Is my child engaged in class and enjoying the subject?
• Is my child happy?

Use the ACARA website work samples and learning progressionsto compare the standard.

10. Understand NAPLAN

It’s the students gain/improvement over the years that matters.

Beware of coasting schools.

11. Guide your child through high school

Have fun during the years your children are at high school. Take advantage of all the opportunities the school offers. Enjoy sports carnivals, musical events, parent forums and school based programs like school development days. If you’re able to, help out on excursions, volunteer to work at the school canteen occasionally or regularly or maybe coach or offer to manage a sporting team.

Remember your child will have unique learning experiences and memories of high school. It will be a gift for you and your child to have some common experiences, so try not to let too many slip by.

Three key factors to help your child choose elective subjects:

• pursue subjects that reflect their strengths
• choose subjects that will keep them interested
• choose subjects that will keep them motivated

12. Manage your child’s use of technology

• Reduce your own screen time to set an example

• Set and enforce realistic, firm rules about screen time.

• Don’t allow screens in your child’s bedroom.

• Use parental controls to help manage your child’s screen time and their access to restricted content.

• Being bored has its benefits for children and adults.

Final Thoughts

Don’t be pressured to get parenting right all the time.

Take comfort in the face that children are quite resilient and despite out limitations and errors, they will most likely grow up and leave school as fully functional and well-adjusted adults.

Enjoy the experience of having a child at school.

Remember that ultimately, we want our children to leave school happy with what they have achieved, have had every opportunity to learn to their fullest potential and with their well-being and resilience supported and strengthened.