Is My Child Ready for School?

Unsure if your child has the skills needed to start school successfully next year? 

Here's independent advice and a free checklist to help you make an informed decision.

In NSW, your child can start Kindergarten at the beginning of the school year if they turn five on or before 31 July in that year. 
By law, all children must be enrolled in school by their sixth birthday.

Going to ‘big school’ will be a change for your child. 

In the months leading up to your child’s first day at school you can help prepare your child for the changes to come by supporting your child’s development of these skills:

Language skills

Schools are very verbal environments and your child will need to be able to follow instructions and understand what teachers are saying, as well as being able to communicate what they know, want and need to teachers and peers. Determine how your child's language skills are progressing when you download the check-list at the bottom of this page.

Cognitive

• Finishes task.
• Alert and interested.
• Recognises and names, colours and shapes correctly.
• Numeracy skills developing (i.e. one-to-one correspondence).
• Mathematical concepts developing (i.e. weight, size). Sequencing, matching and sorting developed.
• Remembers events.

Motor co-ordination and skills

With 20+ children in a class, it’s unlikely that your child’s teacher will be able to provide the one to one help that your child is used to at home. Your child will need well-developed co-ordination skills to dress and undress, unwrap lunch, use a pencil and scissors, and participate confidently in learning activities that require eye hand and motor co-ordination. The check-list below will help you to work out how your child is progressing.

Literacy

• Emerging awareness of written and visual text.
• Developing awareness of writing having meaning and environmental text.
• Knows and uses book conventions.
• Understands auditory and visual similarities and differences.

Concentration and emotional maturity

At school, your child will need to be able to socialise, follow the rules of a game and play cooperatively with classmates. Your child also need to be able to deal with the structured nature of a classroom and be able to focus on tasks, follow directions from teachers and cope with transitions from one activity to another. Decide if your child has the emotional maturity for starting school using the check-list below.

Self help

• Can tend to own needs.
• Recognise own belongings.
• Toilet self independently.
• Dress self

Emotional

• Displays emotional security.
• Appears to have a positive self image.
• Can cope with minor frustrations/disappointments.
• Remains happy and content during most of the day.
• Can accept guidance or direction from adults.
• Separates happily from parents.

Social Maturity and Independence

There will be times when your child will have minimum adult supervision at school. This includes going to the toilet by themselves, dressing, and being able to follow a structured classroom routine. Your child will need to be able to deal with challenges like not always being the winner and complying with what a teacher asks of them, even if they do not want to. Download the check-list below so that you know what social and independence skills to look for in your child.

Language

• Can remember and follow directions/instructions. Understands meaning of verbal expressions.
• Has a developed wide vocabulary.
• Listens to stories.
• Speaks in grammatically correct, expanded sentences. Expresses ideas fluently.
• Contributes to discussions (i.e. news).
• Articulation is appropriate.
• Sufficient volume to be heard when speaking.
• Can ask for help and/or ask questions.

Gross motor

• Ball control.
• Confidently run, skip, climb and jump.
• Confidently balance and walk a beam using alternative feet.
• A dominant foot that coincides with the dominant hand.

Fine motor

• Established a dominant hand preference and grip.
• Correct grip and use of scissors.
• Detailed and recognisable drawings with attention to detail. Developed and accurate hand-eye co-ordination.

Social

• Has developed positive peer relationships.
• Ability to work alone and also in a group.
• Relates to other adults other than parents.
• Has positive social personality

Creative

• 
  
• Enjoys participating in musical and/or group activities. Is aware of music types and recognises rhythms.
• Uses construction imaginatively.
• Uses a variety of mediums creatively