It’s Seal’s first day at Big School and she is so excited and just a little nervous!

Children journey along with Seal as she goes to Big School and discovers a world of timetables and activities. During this incursion children will enter the imaginary world of Wild Primary School and using puppets and dramatic skills they will develop social awareness techniques and develop the skills to cope with the anxiety associated with starting school. Each student will use a puppet in this engaging and active incursion to role play their part in Seal’s first day of school. It’s the perfect incursion for transition to school questions and answers.

Curriculum Suitability

Links to Early Years Learning & Development Outcomes

The Drama Toolbox’s “Ready, Set, School ! ” incursion addresses the following Early Years Learning and Development Outcomes (Birth to 5 years):

Outcome 1: IDENTITY

Children have a strong sense of identity, when they:

• Immerse in drama to interact and engage with others role playing school readiness and school transition.
• Use positive affirmations when faced with worries around attending Primary School
• cooperate and work collaboratively with others to role play the first day of school
• Understand the basic routines and expectations of Primary School

Outcome 2: COMMUNITY

Children are connected with and contribute to their world, when they:

• Understand the worries and anxieties felt by others starting school, eg travelling along with Seal attending the different routines of the day
• Understand the strengths and positive attributes others make to their environment, eg Turtles are kind and helpful friends in the playground, crocs are good older friends to have in the classroom

Outcome 3: WELLBEING

Children have a strong sense of wellbeing, when they:

• Understand the use of positive affirmations in dealing with worries, such as in the warm-up exercise in getting ready for the school day
• Share humour and achievement with other children, such as roleplaying the dancing and singing with whales
• Use physical activities such as roleplaying playground games with the crocs

Outcome 4: LEARNING

Children are confident and involved learners, when they:

• Use role play to understand the basic routines of a school day
• Engage in drama that shows different character strengths of others

Outcome 5: COMMUNICATION

Children are effective communicators, when they:

• use verbal and non-verbal language and movement to engage in the drama incursion on school transition.
• listen and respond to Seal’s instructions and commands.
• Engage in problem solving such as when Seal falls over during a playground game
• Articulate the differences between their playground friends, ie mouse is shy and frightened of loud noises.
• Are able to articulate the questions they have around school transition.