The Starting School eBook
A gentle guide to navigating your child’s transition to school.
Starting school is a big step - not just for children but for families too.
There’s excitement, uncertainty, practical questions, emotional moments and often a quiet wondering: Are we doing enough? Are we doing this right?
The Starting School Book was written to sit beside you during that transition.
It’s not about pushing children to be ‘school ready’, ticking off milestones or rushing independence before it’s developmentally appropriate. Instead, it offers thoughtful guidance to help your child feel safe, settled and supported as they begin their foundation year of primary school - and it’s here to help you feel more confident and seen along the way.
What’s included in The Starting School eBook:
This 100 page guide is packed with practical, supportive resources to help your family navigate the transition into primary school with confidence and care.
You’ll receive 14 pages of printable resources, including a 10-page social story that you can personalise for your child. These printables are designed to support emotional readiness, understanding school routines and ease worry around the early days of school.
The eBook also includes exclusive discount codes for school essentials such as lunchboxes, insulated lunch bags, backpacks and other school gear. Codes are provided for multiple trusted brands, with some offering up to 20% off, alongside direct links to school gear companies to make preparation easier.
What’s included in The Starting School eBook:
You’ll find links to over 20 children’s storybooks that support social and emotional school readiness and multiple suggestions for short, gentle tv shows to watch with your child as well as over 15 recommended books for caregivers. These resources focus on understanding children’s play, emotional wellbeing, social development, school readiness and supporting children who are neurodivergent or living with disability.
To further support families, the eBook also includes podcast recommendations covering school readiness, emotional development and navigating a child’s first days and weeks at school.
&…
The eBook includes a three-page checklist specifically for families preparing a child with a disability or additional needs for primary school, as well as questions for First Nations families to ask schools when their child is starting Foundation (Prep/Kindergarten).
All content relating to children beginning school with a disability or additional needs has been developed with input from people with lived experience and professional training.
All content relating to First Nations students has been created with the cultural knowledge and input of a proud Mutti Mutti woman working within a Foundation–Year 12 school setting.
This guide centres wellbeing and belonging - recognising that every child’s transition into school is unique - your family deserves thoughtful, informed support along the way.
This eBook has been shaped by the generosity and experience of our community. Your experiences sit alongside mine to give a broader scope of ‘firsts’ and ways of approaching those initial approaches to the primary school gates.
Over 23 parents and caregivers share their reflections, answer questions and offer practical suggestions based on their children’s own first days and weeks at school. These insights helped guide the questions included in this guide and the resources recommended throughout - all here for you!
Alongside professional perspectives, these lived experiences bring honesty and real-world context, reminding us all that no two school transitions look the same and that shared wisdom matters.
The Starting School eBook has been shaped by community voices
Q.
What happens after I purchase The Starting School eBook?
A.
Immediately after your purchase is confirmed, you will be taken to a super special webpage where you will be introduced to The Starting School eBook. Your downloadable eBook will also be immediately emailed to you (pls check spam if you don’t see it) & you’ll receive confirmation of purchase in the form of a receipt to your nominated email account. The receipt is a separate email.
This eBook is a MEGA tome of starting school goodness. It’s got 100 (uncompressed) pages in it! We recommend that you download & save over WIFI as the eBook may take a couple of minutes to load.
Come and say hello over on Instagram, where we share family meals and snacks, everyday adventures and thoughtful education around food - from how we buy and prepare it to how we talk about and enjoy it - alongside information about school and child development.
email: hayley.gathered@gmail.com