School Readiness
School Readiness – What do Schools Want?
Preparing for Kindergarten
Parents/caregivers can do a lot to help prepare their child for Kindergarten before the big ‘first day’. Below is a list of skills that will be useful for children starting Kindergarten. We recognise that not all children will have these skills as everyone develops at a different pace, so this is intended only as a guide so that starting school may be just a little easier.
Encourage your child to attempt the things mentioned below, but don’t worry if your child can’t do all of them. Talk to the Kindergarten teacher, and together you can support and assist your child’s learning.
- talks to other people about familiar objects and events
- answers and asks simple questions
- makes needs known
- follows simple instructions
- uses books for enjoyment or for looking at pictures
- identifies pictures in books, magazines, on television or video
- uses a variety of things (pens, pencils, textas, paintbrushes, sticks in the dirt) to draw, to scribble or to write
- joins in singing familiar songs
- recognises that numbers can be used to count
- uses words such as many, a lot, more, less
- identifies things in a group that are different
- sees differences in shapes
- differentiates between opposites – up and down, under and over, in front and behind, day and night
- uses the toilet independently
- can say own name and address
- adapts to unfamiliar settings and new experiences
- can finish a task, and tidies up afterwards
- plays cooperatively with other children – shares and takes turns
- can sit still to listen to a story for a few minutes
- is curious about the world
- can share an adult’s attention with several other children
- participates in imaginative play
- uses scissors to cut along a straight line
- enjoys a variety of indoor and outdoor play
- can put on and take off jumpers, shoes, socks independently
- makes and designs things using a variety of materials
School Readiness – What do we do?
Our focus on school readiness is to give children all of the social, physical and intellectual skills required to easily join their respective schools in the coming years. We focus on promoting individual and small group confidence in all areas including, language and literacy, numeracy and problem solving, fine & large motor skills, concentration and emotional adjustment, independence and life skills.
Our qualified educators use observations, anecdotal records and input from families to develop individual planning for your child. We work with and support each family and child during your transition to school.
In our programs, children learn to:
- listen attentively and follow instructions
- show respect
- speak confidently to peers and adults
- care for their belongings
- develop problem solving and thinking skills
- engage in pre-reading and writing experiences
- participate in early numeracy and number concepts
- develop literacy skills
- experiment with computers including use of the mouse and keyboard
Transitions to School
Our centre plays an important role in helping your child to develop the skills that will help them when they start school. Including transition to school experiences such as:
- talking with children about school, and encouraging them to ask questions or voice their concerns about school
- arranging visits to local schools
- reading stories and watching videos about school
- including school props such as uniforms, bags, lunch boxes and chalk boards in dramatic play areas
- providing lots of reading and writing materials as part of the daily play-based program
- supporting children to develop their self-help and social skills
When helping your child to prepare for school, we will make sure that this is done with a focus on your child’s current interests and abilities. We support your child to develop school readiness skills using an early childhood philosophy approach rather than making the child care environment into a ‘school’ setting.
