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Is my child ready for big school?

Early learning

It's the question that so many parents ask themselves. But how can you know if your child is ready for school? Well, one thing’s for sure – it’s about more than their reading and writing abilities.

The fact is that school readiness – that stage when your child can transition to school with ease – will often depend more on emotional and social factors than academic ones.

Our approach to being ‘school ready’ helps children enter school with confidence. We give them the tools they need to build their language, enhance their literacy and numeracy, think creatively and develop social-emotional skills they need to cope.

We recognise that every child is different and develops at their own pace. So your educator will work with you every step of the way to ensure your child is ready for school.


What skills do children need for school?

A lot of school readiness is about social and emotional maturity – and this can’t be fast-tracked. So it’s important that each child receives a personalised approach to learning that suits their specific needs and interests. This is central to our aim of making every child school-ready.
 
We know that children require a number of different skills before they attend school. Some may seem small but they can have a big effect on how smoothly they transition.

These are some of the factors that help determine school readiness:


Physical wellbeing

Factors include being healthy, well-fed, well-rested, and being able to concentrate, sit and listen, grip a pencil, turn pages, go to the toilet, dress themselves and wash their hands.

Social competence

This is about getting along with other children, coping with stress, playing on their own and with other children, and learning new tasks.

Emotional maturity

The ability to self-manage their emotions, have with interactions with adults, develop friendships and cope with change are key to being ready for school.

Language and cognitive skills

Basic counting, following instructions thinking for themselves and being able to read and write their own name are good indicators.


Communication and general knowledge

We look for basic conversational skills, manners, the ability to communicate their needs and an understanding the wider world.

If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of a Goodstart kindergarten or preschool program to help your child get ready for school, talk to us today or visit a centre near you.

 
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