Springbrook State School prep students ahead of the My First Year prep photos

It’s one small step for Springbrook State School, but a giant leap for these prep students with big dreams. Read the full story and see when the My First Year photos will be published

My First Year photos at Springbrook State School. Koa Dolan (dark hair) and Elijah Taylor. 13 February 2023 Springbrook Picture by Richard Gosling

At Springbrook State School, everyone gets along. Because at a school with only 29 students it really is more like a family.

“We’re really lucky at our school that our children are so kind and caring,” school principal Tilleea Hoskins said.

“The older children really look after the younger ones.”

Koa (dark hair) and Elijah are the only two preparatory students at Springbrook State School. Picture: Richard Gosling

So for the school’s only two prep students Koa and Elijah starting school at Springbrook is one big adventure as they play pretend and learn alongside older kids.

“I like playing games in the playground – Iron Man and Batman,” Elijah explained.

“I like to learn (my favourite) is counting numbers.”

For Koa, it’s the ninja monster-fighting way of life for this five
year old.

“At Springbrook I like counting with my dinosaurs and I like
playing in the playground – I do jiu-jitsu,” he said.

“I’m going to fight monsters, the big slimy ones, the T-rex one, the crocodile one and the triceratops one.”

Elijah loves counting numbers, playing outside and dreams of being a police officer. Picture: Richard Gosling

And while Elijah is quick to point out that mutant monsters don’t exist, he agrees that when he grows up he’ll help Koa fight crime as a police officer.

For Ms Hoskins, it’s the creativity and imagination of nurturing prep students that lifts her heart everyday.

“They just come up with really funny ideas or different ways of thinking about things – small people are very outside the box so it’s always really interesting,” she laughs.

Koa has a vibrant imagination, Springbrook principal Tilleea Hoskins said. Picture: Richard Gosling

“The beauty about working with prep students is being able to see them grow and learn and just that spark of curiosity that small children come to school with – it’s such a beautiful thing, they question everything.”

The Gold Coast Bulletin’s My First Year series celebrates your child’s first steps into school.