2024/2025
New Entrant Foundation Years
Transitions are important, and a child’s first transition to school is one of the biggest milestones of their life and needs to be approached with thought and compassion.
We have a unique opportunity as an area school to ensure that we manage these transitions carefully and compassionately. New entrants to school are welcome to start on weeks 1 and 5 of each term. These fixed entry points allow a much easier transition for children and allow us to plan ahead for their entry into our kura.
In our Foundation classes we aim to blur the boundaries between our ECEs and ourselves, with lots of self-directed activity and teachers who are responsive to students' readiness and desire to learn the "formal" skills of school. As with all areas of our primary school, we are guided by the needs of the individual learner, academically and emotionally.
New Entrant Transition Timeline
School visits are from 8.45 - 10.00am on a Wednesday morning.
Please come straight to the Foundation class and introduce yourself and your child to the teachers and then join in! These are the recommended visit dates.
We have found that three visits are sufficient for most students to ensure a smooth transition. We are able to develop longer transition plans and more visits - please let us know if this is something you would like to explore.
2025 Intakes
Note: Enrolment forms should be completed and handed in before attending the group enrolment appointment. Please ring and confirm your attendance to the appointment.
Term 1, Week 6
Students starting here would be Year 2 in 2026.
Group enrolment appointment date:
Tuesday February 11th 2.30pm.
Visits
- Wednesday February 19th, 2025
- Wednesday February 26th, 2025
- Wednesday March 5th, 2025
Term 2, Week 1
Students starting here would be Year 2 in 2026.
Group enrolment appointment date:
Tuesday March 18th 2.30pm.
Visits
- Wednesday March 26th 2025
- Wednesday April 2nd 2025
- Wednesday April 9th 2025
Term 2, Week 6
Students starting here would be Year 1 in 2026.
Group enrolment appointment date:
Tuesday 6th May 2.30pm.
Visits
- Wednesday 14th May 2025
- Wednesday 21st May 2025
- Wednesday 228th May 2025
Term 3, Week 1
Students starting here would be Year 1 in 2026.
Group enrolment appointment date:
Tuesday 3rd June 2.30pm.
Visits
- Wednesday June 11th 2025
- Wednesday June 18th 2025
- Wednesday June 25th 2025
Term 3, Week 6
Students starting here would be Year 1 in 2026.
Group enrolment appointment date:
Tuesday 22nd July 2.30pm.
Visits
- Wednesday 30st July 2025
- Wednesday 6th August 2025
- Wednesday 13th August 2025
Term 4, Week 1
We do not recommend students start in Term 4 but we recognise your right to do so. Please ring and make an appointment to discuss options for your child.
Students starting here would be Year 1 in 2026.
Group enrolment appointment date:
Tuesday 26th August 2.30pm.
Visits
- Wednesday 43rd September 2025
- Wednesday 10th September 2025
- Wednesday 17th September 2025
2026 Intakes
Term 1, Week 1
Students starting here would be Year 1 in 2026.
Group enrolment appointment date:
Tuesday 11th November 2.30pm.
Visits
- Wednesday 19th November 2025
- Wednesday 26th November 2025
- Wednesday 3rd December 2025
There are 4 steps to successfully transitioning your new entrant child to Mercury Bay Area School.
Mercury Bay Area School has cohort intakes for our new entrants, which means that students are able to enter in Week 1 and 6 of each term. To enrol your child as a new entrant at Mercury Bay Area School, you will need to follow the steps below. You will need to begin this process at least a term in advance of your child starting at school. Children cannot attend school before they are 5 years of age.
1. Fill out an enrolment pack
2. Make an appointment with the DP
Make an appointment with the Deputy Principal. It’s never too early to have this appointment - we keep the details and you can still delay your child’s entry to school if your circumstances change.
We do need the paperwork before we can make the appointment. At this appointment we will discuss the cohort entry points, school visits timeline and your hopes for your child’s transition to school.
3. Communicate with your ECE provider
If your child is attending ECE, you will need to communicate with them about when you are intending to transition to school.
You have until your child is 6 to make this transition and we (your ECE providers and Mercury Bay Area School) are happy to talk to you about this decision.
Communication is really important as our ECE’s have people wanting places but they don’t want you to make the transition to school until you and your child are ready.
4. Attend school visits
Attend the school visits. These are really important for your child and for the rest of the children in the class your child will be going into. For us, these are an essential step in the enrolment process.
Our preference is that new entrants will have at least 3 school visits before they begin school officially. Some students may need more visits, and possibly some need less, but we have found that 3 or 4 seems to be the right number for most children.
School Visits
Most parents like to stay the whole time for the first visit. From the second visit we would like you to:
Help your child find an activity to do
Give them a kiss and tell them you will be back at 10.00am to go on the playground (weather permitting!)
Children act differently when their parents are in the room. We understand that you may be feeling anxious about leaving them and they may be anxious about you leaving, but we do need the opportunity to see how they settle without you. This is part of the transitioning process. We know this is a bit scary, but we promise we will support you and your child through this exciting time!