Being ‘School Ready’: What does that look like and mean?
The importance of School readiness
Being ‘school ready’ is less about a child’s age; it is more about having skills that will enable them to be ready for more formal and focused learning in the classroom.
Preschool environments offer rich play experiences that help children build confidence and create a love of learning. This gives them the opportunity to develop the underpinning skills of thinking, language, movement and social skills necessary for school readiness.
It’s important to understand that children will learn these skills at different paces and in different ways. They will also have different emotional and social maturities. If we don't foster these skills before starting school they will struggle to master the complex skills required for reading, writing and mathematics.
We have broken the skills needed into three main learning Skills
6 Key Ideas for Getting School Ready
Talking with your child is so valuable to their learning
Talking with your child is so valuable to their learning
Talking with your child is so valuable to their learning
Talking will help them hear more words which develops a bigger vocabulary, enabling them to communicate their ideas and needs. It also encourages them to be a good listener which will help them follow instructions, ask relevant questions and retell stories.
We need strength and balance to control our bodies
Talking with your child is so valuable to their learning
Talking with your child is so valuable to their learning
Children are faced with many tasks which require them to have good coordination and balance, helping them feel comfortable managing themselves and their belongings. Developing skills using their legs, arms, hands and fingers will help them complete day-to-day activities with control and strength.
Guide your child to develop a great attitude to learning
Talking with your child is so valuable to their learning
Guide your child to develop a great attitude to learning
The way children behave and feel can impact on their attitude to learning and their achievement.
Giving them opportunities to follow their interests can develop their concentration and perseverance. Children with good self-esteem can engage with confidence and independence in all areas of learning.
Stimulate your child’s curiosity and thinking
Children who are involved in imaginative play are learning.
Guide your child to develop a great attitude to learning
Stimulate your child’s interest and curiosity through questioning and shared experiences. Respond when your child asks why. This will help them discover answers, solve problems and gain new information, increasing their understanding of the world around them and extending their vocabulary.
Children who are involved in imaginative play are learning.
Children who are involved in imaginative play are learning.
Children who are involved in imaginative play are learning.
Children use their muscles and senses to help them regulate themselves, as well as identify and control their emotions. They need to be able to move carefully in different ways in different spaces, attaching words and feelings to movements. Their play fosters creativity and social skills.
We need to give children the tools to develop self control
Children who are involved in imaginative play are learning.
Children who are involved in imaginative play are learning.
Children who learn to control their impulses in difficult situations will experience positive results both socially and in their learning. Understanding the importance of showing respect and accepting boundaries will help create more responsible and reliable children.