With school places for September 2021 being released on April 16th, many parents will be thinking about how they can help prepare their children for starting school. A lot of people talk about being school-ready and parents often worry about academic skills like writing their name, knowing phonics or being able to count to 20. Don’t worry about these things too much, if your child is not interested in learning to read and write yet then don’t force it. Personal and social skills are actually far more important for building towards school readiness.
I’d recommend you work on independence. Some of the things that can upset a smooth transition are the things that parents often automatically do for their kids like their coats and shoes or chopping up their food at meal times. Of course, school staff will do their best to help every child but getting around 30 children all stuck in their coats is challenging!
The idea of readiness is one that I have being reflecting recently. Stepping up from teacher to headteacher, was a big transition for me. I had been in a familiar and comfortable situation in which I felt secure then moved into a new situation in which everything I had to do was new. I was ready to take on the challenge but this didn’t mean I knew everything I needed to in order to do the job. But that is OK. It’s normal not to know everything you need to at first and it’s normal to feel nervous and apprehensive about doing something new. We need to tell our children this about starting school or any new situation. I think we can make things harder for ourselves and our children by talking about milestones, like starting school, as if everything about them is going to positive. We set ourselves and them up for a fall. We need to take a balanced view and talk about all the things that are exciting and good but then acknowledge that some things may be harder or go wrong. Try talking to your kids about “What to do if…”, like what to do if you can’t find your coat, what to do if you need the toilet. This will build their, and your, confidence. We all like to think we’ve a got a plan and being school ready is also about knowing how to help yourself or get help in the unplanned moments.
Here are some ideas for getting school ready (that teachers really appreciate!)
Independence Skills they will need in Reception:
1. Get in and out of their coat alone, putting it away.
2. Put own shoes on and off (go for velcro or buckles but leave learning laces for later!)
3. Toileting – be able to use the toilet on their own and wash their hands.
4. Use a knife and fork to eat their meal at the table.
5. Dressing and undressing. They will need to get out of their school clothes and into a PE kit (and vice versa).
Social Skills for School
1. Sharing – with up to 30 children in a class, children need to share all the resources. Practice sharing their toys or sweets with friends or sibling, reinforcing how kind and helpful it is.
2. Turn taking – practice playing games when your child does not get to go first, has to wait their turn and develop patience. This will be the norm when they get to school and have to learn to let others have a turn or go first.
3. Manners – please, thank you and sorry goes a long way when making new friends and building good relationships. Be fastidious in modelling good manners and expecting it in return.
Ready for Anything Chats
Here are some ideas for chats that may be useful for relieving anxieties. Routines at home quite be quite different to routines at home and as adults we can forget this. i.e. we don’t need children at home to ask permission before going to the toilet but we do in school so we know where all children are for safety reasons:
– What do I do if I need the toilet?
– What do I do if I can’t find my classroom?
– What do I do if I’m thirsty?
– What do I do if I feel poorly or hurt myself?
– What do I do if I’m feeling worried?
So, my advice would be to worry less about the reading, writing and maths at this stage. Have lots of talks. Talk about all the wonderful things they will do and learn. Practice some independence skills and maybe come up with your own top tips for your child’s worries about starting school. With a bit of practice and preparation over the next 5 months, it should be smooth sailing all the way in September.
Guest Blog by Emma Meadus, Headteacher at Coppice Valley Primary School.
