Ready, set, Prep!
Five sessions in a classroom set up just like Prep, led by a school leader, a speech and language educator and a child and family specialist. Small groups, real classroom routines and experienced eyes on your child, so they walk into school confident and you start the year knowing exactly where they're at.
Starting school is one of the biggest steps of early childhood.
Most parents feel some mix of excitement and worry in the months before Prep. Those worries are usually spot on: they're the exact skills that help children settle well in Term 1. The good news is that every one of them can be practised.
And exactly how we answer them
Will they make friends?
We coach joining in, sharing, taking turns and sorting out playground moments, so friendships start well from week one.
What if big feelings take over?
Children learn and practise regulation strategies, their own inner compass, for the moments when there's no grown up right beside them.
Will they cope with the routines?
Mat time, lining up, the bell, packing away and putting a hand up for help, practised until they feel natural.
Are they on track with letters and numbers?
Literacy and numeracy stations built on speech, language and Sounds Write expertise: hearing sounds in words, early counting and patterns.
Will they manage on their own?
Pencil grip, scissors, lunch boxes, drink bottles and bags: the fine motor and independence skills Prep relies on every day.
Will I know what they need?
You'll receive a snapshot of your child's strengths and next steps, and talk it through one to one with one of us.
Three hours that feel just like a real Prep day
Every session follows the rhythm of a Prep classroom, so the first day of school feels familiar. Here's how a morning flows.
A classroom set up like Prep. Experts who know what Prep asks of children.
This isn't your child's future school, and it isn't a holiday care program. It's a purpose built Prep experience run independently by three educators who have spent decades welcoming children into school, leading learning diversity and supporting children who need a little extra.
Children come from kinders across the eastern suburbs, so everyone starts as the new friend. That's exactly the confidence they'll need on day one.
You're part of this too
The holidays before Prep are when the most growth can happen at home. We walk alongside you the whole way.
Three senior educators, one program
Together we bring more than 75 years across Victorian classrooms, school leadership, learning diversity, speech and language, and child and family development.
Jess Robertson
Founder of Journey Together and creator of The Connection Advantage Method. Masters qualified with 25+ years alongside children, families and schools. Featured on the Today Show and TEDx.
Felicity Cramp
Master of Education, completing her speech pathology degree. 25+ years across schools and early childhood as a learning diversity leader and intervention specialist. Sounds Write trained.
Peta Sanders
25+ years in primary schools, including leadership as assistant principal and learning diversity leader. Sounds Write trained, and knows exactly what Prep teachers hope to see in Term 1.
Five sessions this summer
Choose the morning or afternoon group. Your child attends the same group for all five sessions.
Venue: a school classroom in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, confirmed on enrolment.
- 15 hours of small group learning with three senior educators
- A free 15 minute call before you begin
- Three recorded parent Q&As answering your questions
- Weekly strategies for home through the holidays
- Your child's snapshot of strengths and next steps
- A 30 minute one to one conversation afterwards
- Access to The Big Step into School online modules
Enrol by Friday 13 November and enter code EARLYBIRD at checkout for the early bird rate. Families referred by their kinder or school can use their community code instead.
Secure your place Not sure yet? Book your free 15 minute call firstYour child's place is confirmed as soon as you enrol. Because each group is small and we prepare for every child before the first session, fees aren't refundable. If plans change, let us know and we'll do what we can to help, such as transferring the place to another family.
Four simple steps
Frequently asked
Who is the program for?
Children starting Prep in 2027, usually in their four year old kinder year now. It suits confident children who are ready to go, and children who might need a little more time to feel comfortable in a new place.
Is this run by my child's future school?
No. It's an independent program run by Journey Together and Flourish Intervention and Support, held in a school classroom set up just like Prep. Children come from many kinders and will start at many different schools.
Is this therapy or an assessment?
No. It's an educational program led by experienced educators. Our team's background means we notice a lot, so you'll receive a snapshot of your child's strengths and next steps, written for parents, to carry into Term 1.
My child is shy or anxious about new places. Will they be okay?
Those are often the children who benefit most. Small groups, three educators and the same group across all five sessions mean children have time to warm up. Tell us about your child on your free call and we'll plan for them.
Do children need to be toilet trained?
Children should be able to manage toileting with general reminders, as they will at school. If you have questions about your child, ask us on your free call.
How do the parent Q&As work?
Through December and January you can send us your questions, with or without your name. We record three Q&A sessions answering them all and share each recording with every family, so you can watch whenever suits.
What should my child bring?
A school style bag, a lunch box with snacks and lunch, a drink bottle and a hat. We'll send a full list on enrolment, along with the venue details.
What if we can't make one of the sessions?
Life with young children happens, and we understand. Sessions are planned as a set, so fees aren't refundable, but we'll share ideas from any missed session so your child can catch up at home.
Book your free 15 minute call
Tell us a little about your child and we'll be in touch to find a time. No pressure, just a conversation about your child and whether Ready, set, Prep! is the right fit.
In your message, share your child's first name, their kinder, whether the morning or afternoon group suits you, and the best time to call.
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An independent program by Journey Together and Flourish Intervention and Support.
