When can my child begin school?
We welcome your child from his/her second birthday. We can thus welcome him/her in our classes in February and, if his/her birthday is during the school year then we can definitely organize a school start in the middle of the year if a spot frees up, which happened regularly in July and August because of professional move for some parents.
In which grade will my child be?
We respect the grade repartition rules set by the “Vice Rectorat” in New Caledonia, which will enable your child to begin the french primary school (called CP grade) with other children of the same age. Each grade corresponds to a definite age group:
The TPS grade is for children from 2 to 3 years old, which corresponds to:
- For 2019: From June 1st 2016 to February 28th 2017
- For 2020: From June 1st 2017 to February 28th 2018
The PS grade is for children from 3 to 4 years old, which corresponds to:
- For 2019: From June 1st 2015 to May 31th 2016
- For 2020: From June 1st 2016 to May 31th 2017
The MS grade is for children from 4 to 5 years old, which corresponds to:
- For 2019: From June 1st 2014 to May 31th 2015
- For 2020: From June 1st 2015 to May 31th 2016
The GS grade is for children from 5 to 6 years old, which corresponds to:
- For 2019: From June 1st 2013 to May 31th 2014
- For 2020: From June 1st 2014 to May 31th 2015
A few tips before back to school time
A successful back-to-school period needs to be prepared. Separation is difficult both for you and your child, but your comportment will impact your child’s comportment.
One week before the beginning of school, find the right moments to talk to your child about it. Don’t hesitate to bring him to the school for quick visits, this will give him/her the opportunity of getting to know the premises, the teachers, and his/her future friends.
He/She can also participate in January and/or February holiday programs, which is a good occasion to discover and get acquainted with this new environment,
What do I do if my child is sick?
If he/she is not contagious and if your child is able to spend the day at school, he/she will be accepted in the classroom. However, giving medicine treatments at school is highly regulated. If it is necessary for your child to receive a treatment, you will have to fill in the “treatment file” and add a copy of the prescription.
In case of a contagious illness, we ask you to keep your child at home and then bring us a certificate declaring that he/she is not contagious anymore.
The first day, do not forget to give him/her a real breakfast and to pack his/her favorite teddy bear.
Can my child wear diapers at school?
We welcome children from the age of two, and children usually need diapers until 2 or 3 years old. Your child can thus perfectly wear diapers at school, this will be part of the teaching. We created a little toilet training contract (or “contrat prorete”) which includes advice and steps to follow to help you ease this transition.
Does my child need to take a nap?
For children staying in school the afternoon, taking a nap is very important! Two ventilated sleeping areas are equipped for napping and are supervised by a member of the teaching team. Waking up is individual and spread through the afternoon. For the oldest children who do not wish to sleep, this time is transformed into a “quiet time”.
We plan on having a trip, what do we do?
If you plan to be away for more than a week, we will ask you to fill a dedicated form.
And what about after Kindy School?
At the end of the GS, your child is ready to begin primary school (CP grade in the french system) and he/she will be accepted in both private or a public school.
My child does not speak french, is this an issue?
All teachers are perfectly capable of communicating with your child in English. And he/she will understand the teacher in French surprisingly quickly!
Do I need to pack a snack?
Morning and afternoon snacks are proposed to the children and provided by the school. Morning snack usually is a glass of juice and toasts whereas afternoon snacks is a glass of water and biscuits.
For a special occasion (birthday, leaving…) you can give your child a snack to share with his/her classmates.