School Ready?

When to send your child to primary school is not always a straight forward decision. The transition from the early childhood space to primary school can be a significant jump for most children (and families).

For many children, there is a simple flow from kindergarten to school:
3-year old, 4-year old kindergarten and on to Prep. For some children, however, Kindergarten Teachers will recommend to parents that their child undertakes a second year of 4-year old kindergarten for a range of reasons. Each case is determined on an individual basis.

These conversations often start in 3-year old kindergarten, but sometimes by term 2 of 4 year-old kindergarten at the latest.

If your Kindergarten Teacher has spoken with you about your child undertaking an extra year of kindergarten and you are looking for a second opinion, the Sunflower Village can assist you:

  • Stacey will meet with you, obtain details relevant to your situation.

  • A time will be arranged to meet with the Kindergarten Teacher (with your permission).

  • Meet with the Kindergarten Teacher to discuss your child’s circumstances, and take observations of your child within a familiar space.

  • After the kindergarten visit, a thorough report will be provided to you based on conversations and observations.

  • Potentially a second visit will be required to gather further information.

  • You might also have Allied Health professionals involved and Stacey can also connect with them to ensure that the process is thorough and all opportunities are taken to make an informed decision with the child’s best interests at the heart of decisions. (A report would also be provided after this conversation).

  • Should you wish Stacey to visit the potential school your child will attend, this can also be arranged, along with feedback post the visit.

Starting school is not all about whether your child can write their name, count to 30 or read words. Being “School Ready” incorporates a range of developmental areas including social, emotional, and physical rather than simply whether they are “academically” ready for school. Sometimes, children who are “academically” ready for school, may not be “socially and emotionally” ready for school.

To ensure a smooth and positive transition from the early childhood space to primary school, some of the developmental areas relating to your child to consider are:

Social & Emotional Skills:

  • Sharing, taking turns, beginning to work collaboratively with their peers (age-appropriate expectations)

  • Managing emotions when things do not go their way

  • Understanding the flow of the day (this can be achieved with visuals and takes time to know the flow)

  • Ability to listen to instructions and follow-through

Independence & Self-Care:

  • Identifying when they need to go to the bathroom, and either asking to go, or taking themselves

  • Independently washing and drying hands

  • Opening and closing their bag (carrying their own bag into kinder or school)

  • Getting/returning drink bottles and lunch boxes into their bag

Communication & Language:

  • Expressive language skills - ability to verbally express their needs and feelings

  • Receptive language skills - do they hear and understand what is being said by the teachers and their peers and act accordingly?

  • Ability to follow one, two to three step instructions

Physical Capabilities:

  • Fine Motor skills - holding a pencil, using scissors, opening a glue stick. Building fine motor skills can occur through different avenues of play such as Lego, clay or playdough, peg boards, squeezing pegs, threading, etc.

  • Gross Motor - building on basic movements to master complex gross motor skills like hopping, skipping, catching and balancing. These large-muscle abilities help children sit upright at desks and on the floor, play sports, and navigate playgrounds, laying the foundation for physical confidence and classroom focus. Teachers often use movement activities/breaks to ensure children are not sitting for long periods of time.