In NSW children can start Kindergarten at the beginning of the school year if they turn 5, on or before 31 July that year. By law, all children must be in compulsory schooling by their 6th birthday. When your child starts school is an individual decision. You may decide to send them before their 5th birthday or wait until after they turn 5, if you feel your child would benefit from another year of preschool, you might consider waiting until the next school year.
Think about your child's academic abilities as well as temperament. It's important to keep in mind whether your child is at the older or younger end of the class affects not only kindergarten but also high school, driving, and university enrolments. If she/he is the youngest in his class now, she/he will be then, too!
The majority of children start learning to read and write in kindergarten. Although some children are capable of doing this before attending kindergarten, it is neither necessary nor expected but does provide children with confidence as they embark on this new adventure. A kindergarten-ready child possesses strong preschool abilities as well as academic, social, and physical readiness for the transition to school.
The following are some indicators that your child is prepared for kindergarten.
Social emotional development:
- Take turns
- Focus and pay attention
- Cooperate and follow directions
- Empathize with others
- Make friends
- Communicate emotions effectively
Early language, literacy, and numeracy development:
- Able to take part in conversations and communicate needs
- Understand numeracy concepts, such as counting, simple addition and subtraction
- Identify letters and sounds
- Speaking clearly
- Listening to and retell stories
Physical development and independence
- Fine motor skills, pencil grasp, using scissors
- Motor skills, sitting with legs cross, core strength
- Mange own basic needs without adult supervision, toileting, dressing themselves, packing their bags, opening and closing own lunchbox and drink bottle
One final note, remember that every child learns at their own rate and has unique learning preferences as well as skills, interests, and temperament. So try not to panic if your child still doesn't exhibit all of the skills or milestones associated with school readiness. It is best to get an assessment and guidance from your paediatrician or GP or an early childhood educator if you are worried about their development, we can also support you at Set for school with a free 20 minute trial session for one of our school readiness sessions.
