Empowering School Readiness and Family Engagement
The Little Learners Program was created to bridge an important gap — ensuring that children, especially those from non-English-speaking backgrounds and under-resourced communities, have the foundational skills they need to thrive as they start school.
As both a Primary School and Early Childhood Teacher, I noticed that many young children were entering school without the basic life skills required for a confident and successful transition. Skills like fine motor coordination, basic literacy and numeracy, and social-emotional awareness are critical to a child’s early learning journey — yet too often, they’re missing.
To respond to this need, the Little Learners Program was designed for children aged 4 to 6 years, focusing on building readiness for school through engaging, play-based learning.
What We Focus On
Our program supports children to develop:
- Fine motor skills – holding a pencil, cutting with scissors, and building hand strength.
- Basic literacy – learning the alphabet, phonics, and early reading skills.
- Basic numeracy – recognising shapes, counting, and understanding numbers.
- Social-emotional skills – building self-regulation, confidence, and positive relationships.
Empowering Parents as Partners
A key feature of the program is active parent involvement. Many of our families come from non-English-speaking backgrounds, and we understand the challenges they may face in supporting their children’s education. That’s why the program includes parent sessions and resources that offer simple, practical strategies for reinforcing learning at home.
By empowering parents with tools and knowledge, we help ensure that children’s learning continues beyond the classroom — building stronger, more confident families.
One of the most rewarding parts of the term has been hearing from parents themselves.
A mother from a refugee background, with limited English, approached me and said simply:
“You’re doing great.”
Another shared,
“My daughter never used to like work — now she loves it.”
These words capture the heart of what the Little Learners Program is all about: connection, confidence, and community.
Collaboration with Hampden Public School
This term, we were thrilled to expand the program in partnership with Hampden Public School in Lakemba, where many students come from diverse cultural backgrounds and some have experienced refugee journeys. The school also provides targeted support for children with additional needs, making it a perfect fit for our inclusive, strengths-based approach.
Feedback from both parents and teachers has been overwhelmingly positive, with noticeable growth in children’s confidence, participation, and readiness for school.
One parent, Farzana, beautifully summed up the program’s impact:
“These programs are very important because at this age they don’t want to hold a pen, they have no attention and no focus. After coming here, at home she says, ‘Mummy, I want my pen, I want to do work.’”
Another mother added,
“This is so important – no pay, it’s free. Everyone wants this one.”
Looking Ahead
As we look to the future, our goal is to continue expanding the Little Learners Program to reach even more families and communities. Every child deserves the opportunity to enter school feeling capable, confident, and excited to learn — and every parent deserves to feel supported in helping their child succeed.
At Jannawi, we believe that when families and educators work together, children flourish — and programs like Little Learners make that vision a reality.
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