school Readiness Program

Tailored for Brilliance

Our approach centers on truly personalised learning, adapting to your child's unique strengths, needs, and interests for optimal engagement and success. With a maximum of eight students per class, led by an experienced primary school teacher, we ensure abundant individualised attention and tailored support. This allows us to cultivate each child's potential, empowering them to thrive as they embark on their learning adventure.

Unlock Young Potential

As an award-winning teacher and parent, I've seen firsthand the incredible difference a strong start makes. Our school readiness program joyfully cultivates a broad range of essential skills to empower your child to confidently embrace their primary school adventure and achieve maximum success. We're dedicated to ensuring they walk into the classroom feeling truly prepared and excited for what's ahead.

Session Information

We currently offer weekly sessions on Wednesdays & Thursday mornings.

Sessions run from 9:30 to 11:30am and include a short crunch and sip break. Parents are asked to please provide a small fruit or vegetable snack - NO nuts or eggs.

Our thoughtfully designed two-hour duration aligns with modern research, which emphasises that sustained engagement in structured learning for this age group, typically over a two-hour period, is effective in building school readiness skills.

These sessions are perfectly suited for children aged 3.5 to 5 years old.

Our Super Skills

The key skills we LOVE to teach at Prep Mini Minds to prepare your child for school success!

Pre-Reading skills

We ignite a deep love of literacy by building crucial foundational skills that set children on a confident path to reading success. Our program systematically nurtures key pre-reading abilities, including phonological awareness (the vital ability to hear and manipulate sounds in words), essential vocabulary development, crucial print awareness (understanding print's meaning and direction), and robust letter knowledge (recognising and naming letters). A strong foundation in these interconnected skills is the most powerful predictor of future reading proficiency. Strengthened by evidence-based approaches from the PreLit program, our tailored activities help children make vital connections between sounds and letters, develop strong listening skills, and foster a genuine, lifelong excitement for books.

Pre-writing skills

Developing strong pre-writing skills is fundamental for a smooth transition to formal handwriting and sustained academic engagement. We focus on strengthening crucial fine motor skills – the small muscle movements in the hands and fingers essential for gripping pencils, manipulating tools, and forming shapes. Research highlights that robust fine motor development not only improves legibility but also significantly contributes to a child's writing stamina and overall confidence in expressing ideas on paper. Our program incorporates the highly engaging Casey Caterpillar Handwriting Program, which uses a memorable story-based approach to teach correct letter formation and directionality. Through playful activities, we build dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and muscular control vital for effortless and joyful writing.

numeracy skills

We cultivate strong foundational numeracy skills, recognising that early mathematical understanding is a key predictor of later academic success. Our engaging activities focus on developing number sense, including counting, quantity recognition, and basic operations, alongside spatial awareness, pattern recognition, and measurement concepts. We proudly integrate the Six Bricks methodology, a hands-on, play-based approach that helps children visualise mathematical problems, explore shapes, sequence, sort, and develop essential problem-solving abilities in a joyful and tangible way. This comprehensive approach ensures children build a solid understanding of numbers and the world around them, preparing them for confident mathematical exploration.

Social & emotional wellbeing

Fostering strong social and emotional wellbeing is at the heart of empowering confident learners. We create a nurturing environment where children develop crucial skills in emotional regulation, empathy, and positive relationship building. Through stories, collaborative play, and reflective discussions, children learn to understand and express their feelings, navigate social situations, and build resilience. Our focus is on helping each child develop a strong sense of self-worth and the confidence to form positive connections, ensuring they feel secure and connected as they step into school.

Communication & Language Skills

Beyond foundational literacy, developing robust communication and language skills is vital for children as they grow and learn. Our program fosters both receptive language, the ability to understand spoken messages, follow multi-step instructions, and grasp story concepts – and expressive language, empowering children to clearly articulate their thoughts, needs, and feelings using an expanding vocabulary and increasingly complex sentences. Children who can engage in conversations, listen actively, tell simple stories, and express themselves confidently are better equipped to participate in group settings, build friendships, and seek help when needed, laying a confident groundwork for their learning journey.

What is the cost of the program?

Our sessions follow a per-term pricing model, with each 2-hour session priced at $74.80 (inc. GST). We align with the NSW Department of Education school terms, so for example, a typical 10-week school term would result in a total cost of $748 (inc. GST). A non-refundable $100 deposit is required to secure your child's chosen day and time, which will be deducted from the total term fee. Full payment for the term is due one week prior to the start of the first session. Alternatively, we offer the convenience of two half payments – one at the beginning of the term and the second at the mid-term point. If you wish to use this option, please advise Lauren upon enrolment.
How many sessions a week does my child need?

While a single weekly session is usually effective for consistent progress, we're happy to discuss whether an additional class might be beneficial closer to school enrolment if your child would thrive with extra reinforcement.
What are your class sizes and teacher ratios?

Each Prep Mini Minds class is capped at 8 children, and every session is led by one highly experienced primary school teacher. This intimate setting allows us to provide truly personalised attention and support to every young learner.
Do parents stay during the session?

To help children develop independence and prepare for the school environment, parents drop off their child at the start of the session and return for pick-up at the end. We understand that separation can sometimes be tricky, and we're always ready to work with families to create a smooth transition plan if needed.
How long should my child attend, and when is the best time to start?

To gain the most benefit and deeply embed foundational skills, we generally recommend participation for a full academic year, as our curriculum builds progressively term by term. While we welcome children from 3.5 years old, Prep Mini Minds is typically ideal for children who will be commencing Primary School the following year, ensuring they experience the full breadth of our program right before their big transition.
Will Prep Mini Minds replace preschool or Kindergarten?

No, Prep Mini Minds is designed to enrich, rather than replace, your child's existing preschool or Kindergarten experience. We specifically aim to strengthen their skills within a focused, smaller group setting, solidifying key concepts and building confidence for their successful transition into primary school.
Do you offer trial classes?

As our program maintains small, highly tailored groups, we do not provide trial classes. Securing a place requires a full term's payment, which ensures continuity and a comprehensive learning journey for every child.
Can my child bring a friend to a session?

While our structured program doesn't accommodate casual visits, we genuinely appreciate referrals! If a friend enrols and commits to a full term based on your recommendation, we'd be delighted to offer you a special thank you. All enrolments are, of course, subject to current availability.
Will my child be bored at school after attending Prep Mini Minds?

Definitely not! Prep Mini Minds focuses on building core confidence and foundational skills, ensuring your child is excited, not over-prepared, for school. We offer a supportive glimpse into a Kindergarten classroom experience, cultivating a love for learning without covering the entire curriculum, so they remain eager for their school journey.
What does my child need to bring with them?

We ask children to bring a small bag with a drink bottle and a lunchbox containing a 'crunch and sip' snack. This snack should be a piece of fruit, vegetable, or yoghurt. To ensure the safety of all children, we also ask for no nut or egg products.
Do you offer make-up sessions?

As per our Cancellation Policy, if a cancellation is made due to sickness, holiday, or similar circumstances with at least 8 hours' notice, we will make every effort to rebook a group make-up session. This make-up session must occur within 14 days before or after the originally scheduled session and cannot be carried over into a new term.

We'd LOVE to hear from you!

For any enquiries or to learn more about our programs, feel free to contact us via phone, email or our contact form. We can't wait to support you in your child's educational journey.