Back to School Checklist for Teachers 2027

Back to School Checklist for Teachers 2027

The weeks before Term 1 are a mix of excitement and mild panic. Whether you're a graduate teacher walking into your very first classroom or a veteran returning for another year, having a clear checklist makes the transition from holidays to school mode significantly less stressful.

This page is a practical, step-by-step back to school checklist designed specifically for Australian primary school teachers (Foundation to Year 6). It covers everything from the planning you can do in December and January, through to classroom setup, admin essentials, and first week activities that help you and your students start the year well.

Use it as a reference — tick things off as you go, skip what doesn't apply to your context, and come back to it each year. The first week sets the tone for the entire year, so investing time in preparation now pays off for months to come.

Term 1 2027 start dates vary by state. Check our Key Education Dates page or your state education department website (e.g. NSW Department of Education, Victorian Department of Education) for exact term dates, and plan your preparation timeline accordingly.

You don't need to spend your entire summer break thinking about school — but a few hours of planning in December or January can save days of scrambling in the last week before term. This is the thinking and planning phase, not the doing phase.

Curriculum and Program Planning

• Read the curriculum overview for your year level on the Australian Curriculum website — even if you taught it last year, refresh your understanding of the content descriptors and achievement standards. Changes happen.
• Review your scope and sequence — does your school have a whole-school scope and sequence? If so, check which units you'll be teaching in Term 1 across English, maths, science, HASS, and any integrated units.
• Draft your Term 1 program — you don't need a finished, polished program yet. Start with the big picture: what are you teaching in each subject area, roughly when, and what are the key assessments?
• Identify assessment tasks — map out when your first assessments will happen. Early baseline assessments (reading levels, maths screeners) should be scheduled in the first two weeks.
• Check for new curriculum resources — has your school adopted any new programs, textbooks, or digital resources over the break? Find out before you arrive.

Ordering and Preparing Resources

• Check your class list — if it's available, look at the number of students and start thinking about groupings, seating, and any students with known additional needs.
• Order resources early — if you need to order books, stationery, or materials through the school, submit requests before the rush. Popular items sell out.
• Prepare your digital resources — set up folders on your computer or school drive. Organise by term and subject. Download or bookmark resources you plan to use in the first few weeks.
• Browse TeachBuySell for ready-made resources — search for back to school packs, first week activities, and classroom setup bundles to save preparation time.

Tips for New Teachers

If this is your first year teaching, the holidays can feel overwhelming because you don't yet know what you don't know. Here's what to focus on:

• Don't try to plan the whole year — focus on the first two weeks. That's enough to start with.
• Talk to your year level team — if you can, reach out to colleagues in December or January. Ask what resources the school already has, what programs they use, and what the first week typically looks like.
• Visit your classroom — many schools allow teachers to access their rooms in the week before term. Go in, take stock of what's there, and start planning your layout.
• Prepare a relief teacher folder — yes, even before the year starts. Having an emergency plan ready from day one shows professionalism and saves stress if you're unexpectedly absent.

This is the hands-on phase. Most teachers head into school in the last week of the holidays (or during designated pupil-free days) to set up their rooms. Here's a practical checklist for getting your physical space ready.

Furniture and Layout

• Plan your desk arrangement — consider what style suits your teaching: rows for focused independent work, clusters for collaborative learning, a U-shape for whole-class discussion, or a combination. Think about sightlines to the board, traffic flow, and where you'll position yourself during lessons.
• Set up a teacher workspace — even a small, organised area with your essentials (planner, pens, sticky notes, class list) helps you stay on top of things.
• Create a meeting area — if space allows, designate a floor area where the class gathers for explicit teaching, read-alouds, and class discussions. This is essential for Foundation to Year 2 and valuable for upper primary too.
• Ensure all furniture is clean and functional — check that chairs are the right height, tables aren't wobbly, and any broken items are reported to maintenance.

Display Boards and Walls

• Set up your permanent displays — alphabet strip, number line, timetable, class rules placeholder (you'll co-create these with students). See our Classroom Display Ideas page for detailed inspiration.
• Prepare "blank canvas" boards — leave some display space intentionally empty for anchor charts and student work that will be added during the first weeks of term.
• Add a welcome display — a welcoming message or "About Our Class" board near the door sets a positive tone from the moment students walk in.
• Label everything — trays, shelves, book boxes, supply containers. Clear labels help students (and relief teachers) find things independently.

Learning Areas and Resources

• Set up your book corner or classroom library — organise books by genre, level, or topic. Make it inviting with cushions or a rug if you have them.
• Prepare learning centres (if applicable) — if you use literacy or maths rotations, set up the physical spaces and label the stations.
• Organise maths manipulatives — check that dice, counters, base-ten blocks, clocks, and other manipulatives are sorted, accessible, and in good condition. Replace anything that's missing or broken.
• Stock student supplies — pencils, erasers, glue sticks, scissors, rulers, crayons. Check what students are expected to bring and what the school provides.

Technology

• Test all technology — turn on your interactive whiteboard or projector, log in to your computer, check the internet connection, and test any classroom devices (iPads, Chromebooks, laptops).
• Update software and passwords — make sure your school login works, update any apps you use, and check that student devices are charged and ready.
• Set up your digital classroom — if you use Google Classroom, Seesaw, or another platform, create your class and test it before students arrive.
• Check the printer — know where the nearest printer is, how to use it, and whether it has paper and toner. Nothing derails a morning like a jammed printer.

The unglamorous but essential part of back to school. Getting your admin sorted in the first week means you can focus on teaching (rather than paperwork) for the rest of the term.

Class Information

• Print and check your class roll — confirm student names, spellings, and any known absences for the start of term.
• Review student files — read handover notes from the previous teacher, check for students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs), behaviour plans, medical conditions, or court orders.
• Note students with additional needs — allergies, asthma plans, anaphylaxis management plans, diabetes, and any physical or learning adjustments. Know where EpiPens and medication are stored.
• Set up your attendance system — whether it's a paper roll, school app, or digital system, make sure you know how to mark the roll correctly from day one.

Timetable and Scheduling

• Get your class timetable — know your daily structure including specialist lessons (PE, music, art, LOTE, library).
• Check the specialist timetable — know exactly when and where students need to be for specialist classes, and who the specialist teachers are.
• Note your playground duty roster — know your duty days, times, and zones before the first week.
• Check the staff meeting schedule — know when staff meetings, year level meetings, and professional learning sessions are held.
• Plan your weekly structure — map out when you'll teach each subject area across the week. Build in time for morning routines, transitions, and pack-up.

Communication and Documentation

• Set up your teacher planner — whether digital or paper, have a system ready for recording lessons, assessments, notes, and to-do lists.
• Prepare student name labels — for desks, trays, books, and any other items that need labelling. Many teachers print these in advance and laminate them.
• Create a class contact list — have parent/carer phone numbers and email addresses accessible in case of emergency.
• Prepare a student information sheet — a simple form for parents to update contact details, medical information, and any changes from the previous year. Send this home in the first week.

For Experienced Teachers Returning

If you've taught before, you know the drill — but here are a few things that experienced teachers sometimes overlook:

• Review what worked and what didn't last year — before you set up the same systems, ask yourself what you'd change. Small adjustments to routines, layout, or organisation can make a big difference.
• Update your resources — don't just reprint everything from last year. Check for updated curriculum documents, new school policies, and any changes to programs or assessments.
• Connect with new staff — if there are new teachers in your year level or school, introduce yourself and offer support. You remember what the first year was like.

These are the teaching resources you'll want ready before students walk through the door on day one. You don't need everything for the entire term — just the first week or two.

Print and Laminate

• Name tags or desk labels — for desks, book boxes, and trays
• Timetable display — a visual timetable for the classroom wall (include pictures for younger students)
• Alphabet and number displays — if your room doesn't already have these up
• Morning routine instructions — a visual display or slide showing what students do when they arrive. See our Morning Routine PowerPoint page for ready-made options.
• Classroom expectation posters — a placeholder set to display in the first few days (you'll co-create your own with students)

Literacy Resources

• Set up literacy rotations — if you use guided reading groups or literacy centres, prepare the physical setup and initial activities for each station. You won't know your groups yet, but have the structure ready.
• Prepare a read-aloud book — choose a great picture book for the first day. First day read-alouds that work well include books about starting school, being brave, or making friends.
• Print name activities — name writing practice sheets, name art activities, or "all about me" booklets for the first few days.
• Prepare a writing prompt — have a simple first writing task ready to get a baseline of each student's writing ability (e.g., "Write about your favourite holiday memory").

Maths Resources

• Organise maths manipulatives — sort and label containers of counters, dice, base-ten blocks, pattern blocks, and any other materials you'll use regularly.
• Prepare a maths baseline assessment — a short, low-stakes assessment to understand where each student is at the start of the year. This doesn't need to be formal — a few targeted questions across the key strands.
• Print a number chart or number line — for display and for student reference copies.

Morning Routine

• Design your morning routine — what do students do when they arrive? A consistent morning routine from day one helps establish expectations. Common elements include: unpack bags, hand in notes, choose a morning activity, sit at desks for morning meeting.
• Prepare morning activity options — have a simple, independent activity ready for early arrivals (drawing, free reading, a puzzle, or a journal prompt). This gives you time to greet students, take the roll, and handle any start-of-day admin.

The first week is about relationships, routines, and expectations — not content. If your students feel safe, know how the classroom works, and have started building connections with you and each other, you've had a successful first week.

Getting to Know You Activities

These are the activities that help you learn about your students and help them learn about each other. Prioritise these in the first two or three days.

• All About Me pages — students fill in a page with their name, favourite things, family, hobbies, and goals for the year. Display these on a class board.
• Two Truths and a Lie — each student shares three statements about themselves (two true, one false). The class guesses the lie. Works best with Year 2 and above.
• Name games — use activities that help everyone learn names quickly. Try "Name and Action" (each student says their name with a movement, the class repeats), or a ball-toss name game.
• Class survey — create a simple survey (favourite colour, favourite food, number of siblings, etc.) and use the data for a maths graphing activity. Learning about each other + maths = efficient.
• Partner interviews — students pair up, interview each other with 3–4 questions, then introduce their partner to the class. Builds listening skills and confidence.
• Would You Rather? — pose fun questions ("Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible?") and have students move to different sides of the room. Great for getting students moving and talking.
• Time capsule — students write a letter to their future selves or draw a self-portrait. Seal them in envelopes to open at the end of the year. Students love this.

Establishing Class Rules and Expectations

• Co-create class agreements — rather than presenting rules, facilitate a discussion: "What do we need to agree on so that everyone in our class feels safe and can learn?" Guide students to develop 3–5 clear expectations. Display these prominently.
• Teach routines explicitly — practise every routine in the first week: lining up, packing up, transitioning between activities, getting the teacher's attention, what to do when you finish early. Model it, practise it, praise it.
• Introduce your behaviour management system — whatever system you use (ClassDojo, table points, traffic lights, clip chart), introduce it clearly and positively. Focus on how students earn rewards rather than how they receive consequences.
• Tour the school — especially important for Foundation students and any students new to the school. Walk through the library, office, toilets, canteen, and playground. Introduce key staff.

Baseline Assessments

Don't skip these — they inform your planning for the rest of the term.

• Reading level assessment — use your school's preferred system (PM Benchmark, Fountas & Pinnell, or similar) to assess each student's reading level. This might take the first two weeks to get through every student.
• Writing sample — collect a writing sample in the first week. Give a simple, open-ended prompt and let students write independently. This shows you their current level without the pressure of a formal test.
• Maths screener — a short assessment covering number sense, place value, and basic operations appropriate for the year level. Many schools use PAT Maths or a school-designed screener.
• Social-emotional check-in — a simple "How are you feeling about being back at school?" activity gives you early insight into students who might be anxious, unsettled, or dealing with issues from the holidays. Beyond Blue has free resources for supporting student wellbeing in the early weeks of term.

Strong parent communication from the very first week builds trust and sets expectations for the year. Parents who feel informed and welcomed are more likely to engage positively with you and the school.

Welcome Letter

Send a welcome letter home in the first week (or email it before school starts if you have parent contact details). Include:

• Your name and a brief introduction — who you are, your background, and how excited you are to be working with their child
• Key information — classroom number, start and finish times, specialist lesson days, what to bring each day
• Communication preferences — how and when parents can contact you (email, school app, phone, before/after school)
• Upcoming dates — any important dates in the first few weeks (meet the teacher night, information evening, first excursion)
• Homework expectations — if applicable, outline what homework will look like and when it will be due

Keep the tone warm, professional, and clear. Avoid jargon — not all parents are familiar with education terminology.

Communication Platform Setup

Most schools use a digital communication platform. Set yours up before term starts:

• Seesaw — popular in primary schools for sharing student work, sending announcements, and messaging parents. Set up your class, add students, and send parent invites.
• ClassDojo — widely used for behaviour tracking and parent communication. Create your class, customise behaviours, and send connection codes to parents.
• Google Classroom — more common in upper primary. Set up your classroom, post a welcome message, and share joining codes.
• School-specific apps — many schools use platforms like Compass, Sentral, or Schoolbox for official communication. Make sure you know how to use them.

Whichever platform you use, send a test message before the first day to make sure everything works.

Meet the Teacher Night

If your school holds a meet the teacher evening or information night in the first few weeks:

• Prepare a short presentation — cover your teaching approach, daily routines, curriculum overview for the year, assessment schedule, and how parents can support learning at home.
• Keep it concise — parents appreciate clear, practical information. Aim for 15–20 minutes with time for questions.
• Make yourself approachable — this is your chance to build rapport. Greet parents at the door, learn their names, and follow up with anyone who has specific concerns.
• Provide a handout or digital summary — not all parents can attend. Share key information via your communication platform afterwards.

Ongoing Communication

Set the tone for the year by being proactive:

• Share good news early — send a positive message about each student in the first two weeks. This builds goodwill and shows parents you see their child as an individual.
• Respond promptly — aim to reply to parent messages within 24 hours, even if it's just to acknowledge receipt and let them know you'll follow up.
• Be consistent — establish a regular communication rhythm (e.g., weekly class newsletter, fortnightly Seesaw posts) so parents know when to expect updates.

Use this condensed checklist as a printable reference. Tick off each item as you complete it.

Two Weeks Before Term

• Review curriculum and scope and sequence for your year level
• Draft Term 1 program (big picture — subjects, topics, key assessments)
• Check class list and student information
• Order any resources or materials through the school
• Set up digital folders and bookmark key resources
• Prepare a relief teacher folder

The Week Before Term

• Set up desk arrangement and furniture layout
• Put up permanent displays (alphabet, number line, timetable)
• Label trays, shelves, book boxes, and supply containers
• Set up classroom library and book corner
• Organise maths manipulatives and learning centre resources
• Test all technology (whiteboard, devices, internet, printer)
• Set up digital classroom (Seesaw, ClassDojo, Google Classroom)
• Print name labels, timetable, and morning routine display
• Prepare welcome display and classroom displays
• Check student medical alerts and allergy information

Day Before Term Starts

• Print class roll and attendance sheets
• Prepare welcome letter for parents
• Set out first day activities and name tags on desks
• Prepare morning routine activity for early arrivals
• Write your introduction and first day schedule on the board
• Do a final walk-through — sit in a student's seat and check sightlines

First Week

• Greet every student at the door by name
• Teach and practise all classroom routines explicitly
• Co-create class rules and expectations with students
• Run getting to know you activities each day
• Send welcome letter and communication platform invites to parents
• Begin baseline assessments (reading, writing, maths)
• Send a positive message home about each student
• Introduce behaviour management system
• Tour the school with new students
• Set up guided reading and maths groups (by end of week 2)