Queen of Apostles Primary School Stafford has been praised by prospective parents for helping to foster 'Communities of Faith, Hope, and Love'—this year’s Catholic Education Week (21-27 July) theme—before students have even started school. The Brisbane Catholic Education school’s success lies in its innovative Pre-Prep program which fosters connection and belonging among future scholars and their families.
Launched in 2023 under the leadership of Queen of Apostles Primary School Principal Troy Parsons, the unique program, which runs throughout Term 2 and 3, takes a holistic approach focusing on the academic, social, emotional, and spiritual development of future students.
“The aim of the Ready Set Play Pre-Prep at Q of A program is to nurture a sense of connection and belonging among our future scholars and their families,” said Principal Troy Parsons.
“The program welcomes all local families and immerses kindergarten aged children in play-based learning.
“Through song, movement, and rhyming, children develop foundational, literacy, and social skills in a joyful and engaging way.
“The structured play activities are designed to mirror a typical morning in Prep, helping our future scholars become familiar with the school environment and routines.”
Troy underscores the importance of transitioning the whole family into the school environment.
“Our Pre-Prep program actively engages parents through informative sessions on child development and practical tips for supporting their child's educational journey,” Troy said.
“This collaborative approach ensures families are well-prepared to navigate the transition into formal schooling.
“The program ensures our future students are already comfortable with their surroundings and routines, making for a smooth start to their schooling experience where we can hit the ground running.
“We also invite families to various events throughout the year, including how whole school mass, school assemblies, and cultural and sporting events, further enhancing our future families connection to our school community.”
Mother Jenny Gomes said “The program made the transition to school so easy” for her son Quillan, now in Prep.
“We were very grateful for the early exposure to school,” she said.
“Ready Set Play was a gentle and engaging way to help our child transition.
“The activities were fun and engaging, giving the children the chance to participate as much or as little as they wanted.
“Even though Quillan was shy during the first few sessions, on his first day of Prep, he confidently hugged and joined the class without any fuss, which I believe was because he was already familiar with the environment and the routine.
“Plus, meeting other families early on gave us a head start on building our community.
“From day one, we already knew a lot of faces and names.”
Queen of Apostles Stafford invites families to discover their Pre-Prep program.
For more information about Queen of Apostles Primary School Stafford or to enrol click here.
About Catholic Education Week:
Celebrated annually in Week 3 of Term 3 (21-27 July), Catholic Education Week is an opportunity for all 312 Catholic schools in Queensland to celebrate and promote their distinctive mission and ethos.
Catholic education strives to make a difference in the lives of those in our schools and the wider community by challenging young people to live out the message of Jesus and to reach their full potential as compassionate, contributing, life-giving members of society.