Term Starter Checklist 

Like other first days in your life, the first day of school is a day filled with mixed emotions. Teachers often
feel excited and anxious about what the school year will bring. At the beginning of any term it is important
to set yourself and your classroom up for success. This means getting to know your students,
establishing positive relationships and building classroom expectations that will support the
establishment of a positive, safe and inclusive learning environment. Here is a term starter checklist that
you can use to help you make a positive start in your classroom​.

❏ Arrive Early.​ ​Arrive early to allow yourself time to prepare for the class.
❏ Do your Research.
❏ The ​school​: Have you read the school policies for teachers and students? Do you know
school procedures and communication avenues? Do you know your way around the
school?
❏ The ​parents/carers​: C
​ ommunicate with the student’s parents/carers before the first day
of term to welcome families, introduce yourself, provide an outline of expected learning in
the classroom and any important dates. You can also gain important information from the
parents/carers e.g. their child’s interests, learning styles, strengths and challenges.
❏ The ​students​: Access student information from school platform or files. This information
can help you support all students in the classroom. You can start learning the students
names.
❏ The ​classroom​: Make sure to check out your classroom e.g. set up tables and check out
what ICT is in the classroom to support learning.
❏ Come Prepared. 
❏ Have your unit of work and assessment tasks ready to go. Remember this is flexible, but it
is great to have a clear starting point.
❏ Have activities planned and organised e.g. have you prepared a pre-assessment? What
content are students learning for the first week? Do you have back-up activities?
❏ What resources do you need? What do the students need?
❏ Say ‘Welcome’.​ ​Greet students at the door with a smile and a pleasant ‘Welcome’.
​ se a smart start or hook activity to engage students from the
❏ Engage from the Go.​ U
beginning of the lesson to help establish a good working climate from day one.
​ hare some of your interests and hobbies with the students.   
❏ Introduce Yourself. S
❏ Know your Students.​ ​Plan an activity where you can get to know your students and they can
get to know each other.
❏ Establish Classroom Expectations. 
❏ Introduce classroom routines e.g. what do students need to bring to class? How will the
lessons be structured? etc.
❏ Discuss classroom expectations, encouraging student input.
❏ Use Positive Reinforcement​.
❏ When dealing with behaviour management issues, focus on the students positive
behaviours and address issues promptly, calmly and fairly.
❏ Making phone calls home to parents/carers early in the term about positive achievements.
❏ School Routines.​ ​Do the students know how to access school/class information? How to
communicate with teachers? Do students know where to go (potential school tour)? Do students
know school routines and procedures?
❏ Start Learning.​ ​It is important to introduce the students to your subject in an engaging way to
e​ncourage curiosity in the classroom.

Remember that teaching can be a challenging but very rewarding process. Be kind to yourself, remain
flexible, be patient with students, be prepared to learn, show the students that you care and enjoy the
experience of being a role model for so many amazing young people.