School Readiness Considerations
And why it is so important to get school readiness right!
Deciding whether to send your child to school or not is a challenging decision for many parents each year, especially those with the tricky birth months (we’re looking at you March, April and May!). There is much to consider when assessing school readiness. But first, what does the term ‘school readiness’ even mean?
School readiness refers to whether a child is ready to make an easy and successful transition into school.
While many people think of academics as the important skills (Eg. Writing their name, counting to 20, recognising colours etc), school readiness also includes self-care (independent toileting and opening lunch boxes), attention and concentration, physical skills such as having the core strength and endurance to sit upright for an entire school day, emotional regulation, language skills and play and social skills.
Every child is different and it’s important to consider their individual strengths and challenges. Your child is not their cousin or their playgroup friends – children reach developmental milestones at different times and rates, it is a deeply individual process.
Important things to consider when assessing your child’s school readiness includes their ability to;
- Act independently
- Take responsibility
- Follow directions
- Initiate contact and interact socially with others
- Form friendships
- Deal with playground issues
- Motivate themselves
- Self-regulate at school
School readiness can be actively facilitated with a little forward planning to ensure that children regularly participate in activities that develop the appropriate skills required to help optimal learning when they start school. Ensure your pre-school or child care centre has a quality pre-school program or school readiness program that will meet the needs of your child.
Early Therapeutic Intervention can be a game changer!
Some child care centres and pre-schools will have an occupational therapist visit to perform free, in-centre screening of children due to start school the next year. This is a great tool to identify any potential areas for improvement.
If your child is due to start school next year and you notice that your child has difficulty with any of the following, don’t fret – therapeutic intervention can be important for a number of reasons;
- You only get one chance at a smooth and successful transition to Kindergarten, a positive attitude in the early days will see your child through any tough times that may follow
- Completing routine and unfamiliar tasks that are demanded during school will feel less challenging for your child if they have been practiced
- Assist in identifying specific areas of skill breakdown that can be challenging before school to eliminate additional hurdles
- School transition will be difficult if your child struggles to receive and follow instructions, so again practice before the fact helps
- Social skill development is paramount to ensure that children are able to interact and engage with their peer group at school to make it fun.
So, there is lot’s to consider when deciding whether your child is ready for school. The best thing you can do is stay in communication with your child’s team of educators to monitor progress. They can advise you on whether they believe your child is developmentally and emotionally ready. Whilst their advice should be a major consideration, at the end of the day, you know your child best!
Still not sure if your child is ready? Here are some great resources to give you some more food for thought:
- Parental as Anything Podcast: Is your child ready for school? – ABC
- Beyond the Bump Podcast: How do I know if my little one is ready for school, with teacher and author, Danielle Murray
We have an excellent curriculum that prepares children for staring kindergarten. Why not take a look here?