Welcome to Prep.
Prep starts with a staggered week from Tuesday 27 January 2026. Drop-off and pick-up is at the Chatswood Car Park.
Welcome to Prep at JPC
Starting a new journey is exciting. At John Paul College, we work with you and your family to prepare our youngest Primary School learners to succeed from the very beginning.
Below you’ll find information about starting Prep at JPC. More detail is in our College Handbooks, and we’ve answered common questions in the FAQs.
Staggered start program for Prep
Half of each class starts on the Tuesday and the other half on the Wednesday, then everyone comes together from Thursday.
| Day | Who attends |
|---|---|
| Mon 26 Jan | Public holiday (Australia Day) – no school |
| Tue 27 Jan | Half the class attends – your email confirms your child’s day |
| Wed 28 Jan | Half the class attends – your email confirms your child’s day |
| Thu 29 Jan | Everyone attends |
| Fri 30 Jan | Everyone attends |
The Primary Office will email you on 28 November 2025 with your child’s classroom teacher and staggered start date.
Prep checklist
All families are asked to complete these steps before starting Prep at JPC. Select each step as you finish it – your progress is saved on this device.
Book a uniform fitting
Book a 30-minute uniform fitting for your child. Walk-ins can’t be accepted during this time, and a separate session is needed for each child.
Stationery requirements
All student stationery is supplied from Prep to Year 6, with one exception:
- Prep to Year 3: each student needs the burgundy JPC Home Reader case, available from the JPC Retail Centre (kept from Prep onwards).
Instrumental or vocal tuition
Students can enrol in instrumental or vocal lessons at any time during the year by completing a Performing Arts Enrolment Form:
Ensemble options are listed in the Performing Arts Handbook.
Sport and activities registration
An email with the Primary Sport and Activity Overview for Term 1 will be sent to families in early 2026, with schedules and registration details.
Learn to Swim
To sign up for the Learn to Swim program, please contact Absolute Aquatics.
Outside School Hours Care (OSHC)
To enrol in OSHC or Vacation Care, complete the online enrolment form through MyXplor. Bookings must be made online through MyXplor. For help, email oshc@jpc.qld.edu.au.
Vacation Care is closed from Monday 22 December to Friday 9 January.
Read the College Handbook
We encourage all parents to read the College Handbook so you are familiar with important guidelines and requirements.
Uniform fitting
The John Paul College Retail Centre offers 30-minute uniform fitting sessions during the Christmas break for all new and current students. Walk-ins can’t be accepted during this time.
- Book a separate session for each child – we recommend making the bookings back to back.
- The Athlete’s Foot pop-up is on campus Monday 5 – Friday 23 January (weekdays). No booking needed; purchases available on the day.
- Questions? Call 07 3826 3397 or email retailcentre@jpc.qld.edu.au.
Chatswood Car Park drop-off and pick-up
Procedures for parents and carers of Primary School students.
- The Chatswood Car Park has an upper and a lower section.
- There are 14 drop-off and pick-up bays in front of the Retail Centre and Kindergarten. Enter through Entry 3 in the upper Chatswood Car Park.
- Two marquees along the drop-off and pick-up fence provide all-weather shelter during afternoon pick-up, and staff supervise students.
- At pick-up, cars in the bays for more than five minutes will be asked to loop back and rejoin the end of the line – keeping traffic moving is the priority.
- For parent parking, enter through Entry 3 and turn right immediately (avoiding the drop-off area), or use Entry 4.
- The Mayflower Car Park (Entry 5) no longer has a drop-off and pick-up area, and the Mayflower Street entry is now both an entry and an exit. Please don’t queue there.
- Secondary student leaders (“Car Park Superheroes”) help students get to class or The ARC in the mornings.
Prep mornings – Term 1
- Weeks 1 to 5: parents may drop their child at the classroom from 8.15am.
- From Week 6: usual drop-off from the Entry Plaza at Chatswood Car Park.
Prep afternoons – Term 1
- Weeks 1 to 5: parents collect their child from the classroom at 3.00pm.
- From Week 6: usual pick-up from the Entry Plaza at Chatswood Car Park.
Tips for the Chatswood Car Park
- Arrive before 8.20am to avoid congestion.
- Collecting more than one child? Arrive when your eldest is dismissed at 3.15pm.
- Use OSHC for early drop-offs or late pick-ups to ease pressure on the car park.
Plan ahead
| Term | Dates |
|---|---|
| Term 1 | Tuesday 27 January – Thursday 2 April |
| Term 2 | Tuesday 21 April – Friday 19 June |
| Term 3 | Tuesday 14 July – Friday 18 September |
| Term 4 | Tuesday 6 October – Friday 27 November |
| See all term dates and public holidays | |
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find a map of the College?
To help families find their way around, the College has maps showing all buildings and areas of interest: the College Map and the Primary Precinct Map.
Where do I drop off and pick up my child?
Parents and guardians of Primary School students are asked to use the Chatswood Car Park each day. It has been designed with student safety in mind and to keep traffic flowing. You must park in an allocated space to drop off or pick up a student – stopping to let children out of or into a vehicle puts them in danger and is not permitted.
The Chatswood and Markwell Car Parks are very busy in the first weeks of each term – thank you for your patience and for following road safety rules. See the car park procedures above.
How do sport and activities work?
As part of our holistic approach to education, John Paul College offers a wide range of co-curricular activities.
Registration information for all sports and activities is shared before the start of each term. We place a strong emphasis on participation, but some sports may hold trials where places are limited. To keep the process consistent and fair for new and existing students, this information is sent to all parents before each term and posted in MyJPC. For further information, email sport@jpc.qld.edu.au and we will direct your question to the right staff member.
How can my child join Performing Arts?
New students who would like to join performing arts ensembles and groups can request an audition. To learn more about the Performing Arts Program, call the Performing Arts office on 07 3826 3383 to speak with a program coordinator.
For private or group music lessons, please complete a Performing Arts Enrolment Form – new students or current JPC students. Ensemble options are listed in the Performing Arts Handbook.
Can my child use Vacation Care or Outside School Hours Care?
Some new Primary families may lose access to their current care provider once they withdraw. Families of new students from Kindergarten upwards are welcome to use the College Vacation Care Program – it’s a great way for your child to meet new friends and get to know the campus before their first official day.
To use Vacation Care during the current holidays, complete the online enrolment form through MyXplor. Bookings must be made online through MyXplor. For help, email oshc@jpc.qld.edu.au.
What is MyJPC and how do I log in?
MyJPC is the College’s all-in-one information platform for parents, students and staff. It gives you instant access to College updates, notices, newsletters, calendars and key resources in one place.
You will receive an email with your username and password about two weeks before your child starts at the College. Please make sure the College has a current email address for you, as accounts can’t be created without one, and check your junk folder in case the email is filtered as spam.
If you haven’t received your login details by the day before New Family Orientation, please contact Techsphere (itadmin@jpc.qld.edu.au).
The MyJPC Platform Guide will help you find your way around MyJPC (sign in to MyJPC to open it). User sessions for new parents are offered as part of the Orientation Program.
How does the Cashless Canteen work?
Your family ID number is your username for the Cashless Canteen. You will be given a temporary password, which you’ll need to change after your first login. To access the Cashless Canteen, log in to the MyJPC dashboard and select “Canteen Online Orders”.
If you need help setting up or accessing the Cashless Canteen through My Student Account (MSA), please contact our Finance team.
Tuckshop for Prep to Year 3 students must be ordered online through My Student Account (MSA). Students in Years 4 to 12 can visit the tuckshop directly.
Need help or have questions?
We’re here to support you every step of the way.
More children starting in 2026?
Find information for every year level.
Kindy at JPCKindergarten
First day, checklist, drop-off and FAQs for this year level.
Open page
You are herePrep
First day, checklist, drop-off and FAQs for this year level.
Open page
Primary SchoolYears 1 to 6
First day, checklist, drop-off and FAQs for this year level.
Open page
Secondary SchoolYears 7 to 12
First day, checklist, drop-off and FAQs for this year level.
Open page
Fenton VillageBoarding
First day, checklist, drop-off and FAQs for boarders.
Open pageSee you in Prep
Work through the checklist before your child’s first day, and contact us if you have any questions.