How to prepare for primary school?

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I'm reading dd a book about starting school, and talking about the school and what it has to offer. We will be visiting it soon.

At home we are working gently on number and letter recognition, and some writing. We are also working on turn taking.

Any suggestions on preparing for school? What skills should she have on starting school?

One of the things my sons school nursery focus on is being able to change clothes for gym independently, change shoes, put outside coat on, fasten buttons and zips etc.

Yes, coat, shoes and changing. And opening packed lunch boxes if relevant.

Coat, shoes, changing for PE (including tights if likely to wear tights to school)
Recognising her name
Going to toilet herself (in tights, if she is likely to wear tights to school)
Eating with knife and fork by herself

That sounds pretty easy, she loves dressing up and is very capable of that. We are planning on school dinners, so she is eating the same as all the other children.

Don't worry about letter and number recognition. They pick that up really quickly once they're in the school environment.

Turn taking is great.

Also, being able to listen to a story, going to the toilet themselves, dressing and undressing for PE, zipping up coats, being able to carry their tray with lunch. Name recognition if only to make sure you get the uniform back! Personalised name tags they recognise are good for this.

Knowing to ask if they need help and to go to the toilet when they need to.

If you want to do anything academic you can sound out words for them to try to blend as this really helps once they teach them the sounds. Things like - Where's the c-a-t? Make sure you know the correct sounds though otherwise you'll be doing more harm than good.

Lots of books with rhyming words where they can start to anticipate what the rhyme might be.

I hope that's helpful.

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