School Readiness - what do I need to know?

[Bushbaby1234]

My eldest DC starts school in September and just wondering what (if anything) I can do to help get him ready over the next 6 months?

Teacher's at my school advocate to encourage independence in children. So practicing putting on shoes, coat, toileting etc, by themselves.

Toilet trained able to eat without help, able to recognise their coat and put it on and take it off. Able to get ready for PE able to listen to a story and follow simple instructions.

If he struggles with his left and rights use a sharpie to draw half a face in one shoe and the other half in the other shoe so when he puts them together it makes a full face.

I was told independence was very important -so we practiced getting changed, putting pe kit on (and putting things all together so they dont mix up their clothes with someone elses), doing up zips, using the toilet, taking turns, patience and being able to make simple decisions eg apple or banana for snack. Being able to verbalise what's wrong/ask questions (good communication).
It's good to read books about starting school, watch TV programmes, talk about it.
Things like holding a pencil correctly, recognising their name are good but not the end of the world if they can't. It all comes in time. My 3 were all different 1 could do all the above plus more, 1 did most and one could only do very limited but eventually they all caught up so try not to worry if they can't do everything when starting school.

Use the toilet independently, put on their own shoes and coat, be able to articulate issues to adults. It helps if they can take turns and share.
Knowing letters and colours and being able to recognise their own name is good. If they can write their name and have developed good fine motor skills, that's great!
Also fab if they can follow instructions 😁

This. Everything else is bonus. All those things take time away from TAs helping with teaching. It also makes it easier for the kids to adjust to school.

Stuff like writing, reading etc don't worry about and ignore the pushy parents who say their child is reading the Complete Works of William Shakespeare and can work out pie to 8 decimal places at nursery. At a push get them to watch numberblocks!!!

Able to understand the word no and practicing sitting still (just sitting down for food together and no one leaves until everyone has finished).

Yep our teachers asked us to work on coats, zips, shoes and toileting. Working on some
social skills, listening, following instructions and sharing is great too. They don’t care if they can’t read, write etc.

Our school had a list of things they said would be helpful for school readiness, but they also stressed that it was a guide not a checklist. I'll find it and share.

So the list was grouped under headings:

Speaking and literacy - interest in reading, able to talk about myself and my feelings, able to recognise my name written down
Independence - able to be away from mum dad or primary carer, able to tidy my things away, confident about starting school
Counting - can do number rhymes, some counting of objects and recognise some numbers written down
Sharing and taking turns - able to share toys, take turns, and interact with other children
Dressing - can get dressed and undressed, put on shoes and coats
Self care - can wash hands, wipe nose and ask for help when feeling unwell
Routines - good bedtime routine, eating at fairly set times in sync with the school day
Listening and understanding - able to sit still and listen for a short time, follow instructions and understand rules
Eating - can use a knife and fork, open my pack lunch and open wrappers and packaging of foods
Writing - enjoy tracing and colouring in, scribbling and can hold a pencil
Toileting - can go to the toilet alone, wipe, flush, wash and dry hands
Interest in the world - interested in the world around me and want to explore it, can ask questions.

Also when DS's reception teacher came to visit us prior to his start, she brought a pot of play doh to have him practice his motor skills, she said it will help him with pencil grip and learning to write. Also to keep reading books with him, and to keep working on good behaviour, lots of encouragment and positivity towards school in general.

Ours don’t get changed for PE in reception (just do in their uniform) so check with the school. Using the toilet independently is a big one - think whether you will get elasticated or standard trousers and perhaps start practicing with him soon. We unintentionally got our DS standard ones (with a hook and zip) which was a little difficult at first but he’s now mastered a useful skill 6 months in.

Thanks everyone and that list is really helpful @katmarie.

Reassuring to see that he can already do most of the things listed but def a few we can work on too.

Feeding himself, holding a pencil and using scissors. Basic counting and knowing basic colours and shapes.

Worth noting that DS could do most but not all of those things when he started, he still had trouble with some of the motor skills ones, opening packets, using a knife and fork, he has trouble with buttons still, so we got him elasticated trousers, and he wasn't brilliant with sitting still and listening, but he is doing really well at school, and all of those skills are coming along nicely as well.