Mackay West State School is unique as it operates on three sites across two campuses.

It consists of a Prep Centre (Brooks Street), a Junior Campus (Bridge Road)

and a Senior Campus and SEU (Pinder Street).

Senior Campus: (07) 49 515 111

Junior Campus: (07) 49 573 851

Prep: (07) 49 511 820

S.E.U: (07) 49 573 482

Mackay West Prep Centre offers:

	A safe, supportive and caring learning environment.
	Experienced and professional teachers and teacher aides.
	Inclusion in whole school (P-7) Arts Council, Questacon, Anzac Day, parades, concert.
	Technology: ICT’s include computers and interactive whiteboard.
	Access to Junior Campus for Library, interactive whiteboard, tuckshop, lunch with Years1&2 and playground.
	Specialist lessons in Music and PE.
	Innovative outdoor learning environment.
	P-3 Early Childhood Philosophy

COLLECT AN ENROLMENT PACK FROM MACKAY WEST JUNIOR CAMPUS NOW

PREP INFORMATION EVENING – TBA

FOR ENROLMENT INFORMATION: 49 573851

Learning in Prep: What will your child do in Prep?

Prep teachers in state schools and most non-state schools use the Early Years Curriculum Guidelines. The guidelines are based on the play and inquiry-based approach to learning which builds on the best aspects of Queensland's successful preschool program.

Registered primary school teachers and previous state preschool teachers teach Prep. With their professional knowledge and expertise, these teachers are ideally qualified and well prepared to teach Prep.

A key feature of Prep is that it makes connections between school and children's experiences at home, kindy or childcare.

In Prep your child will have opportunities to learn in many different ways, for example through investigation and play.

Children are encouraged to develop independence and personal organisational skills. Working with other children and adults is also an important life skill that is part of the prep program.

In Prep, children will be:

	using blocks, creating collages and doing other activities that develop early mathematical concepts and skills
	drawing and painting to encourage oral language, reading and writing skills
	initiating and participating in dramatic play to build an understanding of the world around them
	writing stories and copying signs as part of their play
	playing and investigating independently, in pairs, small groups and as a whole class
	participating in outdoor activities
	actively making choices about what and how they learn
	investigating and learning how to find out about their interests
	planning with the teacher
	participating in music and language experiences.

These learning experiences will help children to:

	understand and use language to group, sort and describe objects and to communicate ideas, feelings and needs
	develop early literacy and numeracy skills
	develop independence and problem-solving skills
	learn how to cooperate with others
	develop physical coordination skills
	listen, respond to and give directions
	increase self-confidence.

Why is play important?
Children learn when they play. During play, they make decisions, solve problems, develop thinking skills, collaborate, communicate and develop a positive sense of self. As children grow older their play changes. It becomes more complex. The table below shows examples of the types of play you might see in a Prep classroom.
Types of Play	Examples
Socio-dramatic	Children setting up and running a flower shop.
Fantasy	Children creating props for space adventures.
Exploratory	Using blocks to investigate weight, height, number, shape and balance; looking through magnifying glasses to see how they work and the effect they have.
Manipulative	Doing puzzles, making necklaces or constructions.
Physical	Running, hopping, skipping, climbing, moving through obstacle courses.
Games with rules	Playing board and card games, outdoor games, child-created games with rules.
More information about the Early Years Curriculum Guidelines is also available from the Queensland Studies Authority