That’s the view of one teacher helping to prepare them for Big School in 2019, Allison West of Gunnedah Public School.

She said its Earlybirds program – two half-days per week – had been “really well-attended so far, so I think we’ll have a really great group that will hit the ground running next year”.

“They’ve all been super confident, which we love, and they will be so ready when they start next year … They will be an excellent group,” Miss West said.

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Public schools in the Gunnedah, Quirindi and Tamworth areas will have about 1300 new kindergartners in 2019, according to a NSW Department of Education spokesman.

He said Gunnedah South Public School looked set to have about 80 of those.

Transition program co-ordinator Judy McGowan said the school tried to prepare families by holding open days, and part- then full-day transition sessions.

“It’s great for the children to familiarise themselves with the school and the teachers … and a few of our routines,” she said.

“We get to know them, spend a lot of time with them and, if any children have special needs, we work with them with early intervention and their parents to make sure they get the very best possible school start.”

Both teachers said they looked for independence in a child; skills such as being able to put on and remove a jumper, open food containers and organise the contents of their bag.

And while it “does show” if a new Kinder kid hasn’t taken part in orientation activities, Mrs McGowan said, there was a more important factor in a smooth transition.

“We can tell more of a difference with children who haven’t attended preschool on regular basis,” she said.

The department spokesman said public schools liked parents to enrol their children early and join in with orientation activities, but welcomed enrolments right up to the start of the new school year.

Enrolment numbers would be finalised at the February census, he said.