Preparing to start school

Parents often ask how they can help prepare their child for starting school so they can begin school with confidence and as independent as possible. Children develop at different rates and we will support their individual learning journeys but below are a few ideas to help to get them ‘school ready’.

• Encourage your child to use the toilet correctly and know how to flush the toilet and wash their hands
• Teach your child how to dress and undress themselves ready for PE, putting shoes on the correct feet and fastening their coat
• Practise recognising their name so they can find their belongings
• Teach your child to open food packaging and drinks cartons
• Encourage your child to use a knife and fork
• Encourage taking turns and sharing with other children
• Help your child to understand the difference between right and wrong
• Encourage your child to mark make with a variety of different things – chalk, paint, crayons
• Develop fine motor skills with cutting and threading activities
• Tell stories, sing songs and rhymes together
• Read a book and talk about the pictures and what might happen
• Count as much as possible eg the stairs to bed, the cars you pass on a walk
• Look out for numbers and letters in the environment