Viewbank Primary School

Contrary to what most people believe, reading, writing and knowing colours or numbers are not the main indicators of school readiness. International research emphasises that certain areas of development and maturity are essential for children so that once at school, they are able to maximise the opportunities provided.

Beginning students are expected to have a wide range of skills and abilities which are required and these allow children to learn successfully. These skills and abilities can be divided in five key areas:

¯ Physical - concerned with the use, control and maintenance of body (gross and fine motor skills).

¯ Social – concerned with being able to relate to peers and adults.

¯ Emotional – concerned with feelings and the management of the behaviour in the setting in an appropriate way.

¯ Language – concerned with ability to understand and express language.

¯ Intellectual – concerned with knowing and learning to be literate and numerate.

Below are some of the behaviours, skills and abilities that are required to successfully negotiate school entry, sorted into the five key areas outlined above.

Physical (fine and gross motor) Skills

· Good health, hearing and sight.

· Have a good energy level and be able to cope with the length of a school day.

· Be aware of healthy routines like washing hands, using a tissue and covering mouth when coughing.

· Independently manage toileting.

· Sufficient self-help skills including dressing and undressing doing up zips, buckles and buttons.

· Able to independently open a lunch box, unwrap sandwiches and unscrew a drink bottle.

· Have good balance and be able to run, jump, hop and dodge obstacles.

· Climb play equipment with confidence.

· Show coordination when throwing, bouncing and catching a ball.

· Move rhythmically to music.

· Handle steps and stairs with confidence.

· Be able to sit cross-legged and still for sustained periods of time (10 minutes).

· Hold a pencil and scissors correctly and cut along a straight line.

· Be able to manipulate small pieces like Lego, puzzles and thread beads on a string.

Social Skills

· Be able to initiate contact with other children and adults.

· Can make friends fairly easily.

· Participate readily in play and group activities.

· Take turns and share with others.

· Show cooperative play and be aware of other people’s point of view.

· Take responsibility as part of a group.

· Show a cooperative attitude in class and in the playground.

· Work well in a group – be willing to be leader and follower.

· Be accepting of children of different cultures and backgrounds.

· Be accepting of necessary rules and regulations.

· Be able to ask for help.

Emotional Skills

· Able to separate willingly and happily from caregiver/parent.

· Show responsibility for own belongings.

· Deal with conflict constructively.

· Able to cope with frustration.

· Show self-control.

· Show respect for other students and their belongings.

· Have confidence to cope with change/the unexpected.

· Able to express emotions verbally.

· Show a degree of independence.

Language Skills

· Able to listen to others.

· Able to listen to and understand a simple story.

· Able to retell personal events.

· Speak clearly and pronounce the majority of letters.

· Be understood by other adults and other children.

· Able to use ‘because’ and ‘and’ to join phrases.

· Able to speak in complete sentences.

· Use language to express feelings and ideas.

· Ask and respond to ‘why,’ ‘who,’ ‘what,’ ‘where,’ and ‘how’ questions.

· Able to use the pronoun ‘I’ instead of ‘me’.

· Use fantasy and imagination to create own stories.

· Able to recite well known poems and songs.

Intellectual Skills

· Have a concentration span of 10 minutes.

· Able to persist at a task.

· Recognise own name and make an attempt to copy it.

· Recognise some letters and numbers.

· Follow a string of two or three instructions.

· Listen to and deliver simple messages.

· Show an understanding of past, present and future events.

· Be able to name and recognise some colours and shapes.

· Show an understanding of a wide range of concepts, like family and school.

· Able to follow routines and remember basic rules.

· Show detail in drawings, e.g. a door, window or chimney on a drawing of a house.

· Show problem-solving abilities, e.g. puzzles or jig-saws.

· Able to understand consequences of actions.

Please note that while these skills and abilities are helpful in determining whether your child is ready for school, please note that it is likely that your child is likely NOT to possess ALL of these