What is School Readiness?

School Readiness is considered as “Preparedness for Primary School”.

Children need environment where they can learn freely and grow. A preschool makes a positive contribution to children’s long term development and learning by facilitating an enabling and stimulating environment in these foundation stages of lifelong learning. Preschool is a place which prepares children for the formal school and its challenges and inculcates school readiness skills amongst them.Early years are critical. They lay the foundation for children’s cognitive, personal, social, and physical development[i]. Research says that the brain develops rapidly during the first few years of life[ii]. Therefore, it is important for a child to have an environment which is stimulating for learning and preparing the child for schooling.

The concept of school readiness involves more than just children. School readiness, in the broadest sense, is about children, families, early environments and schools.

This document will focus on preparedness of children for formal schooling i.e. Children’s Readiness. Children’s readiness is considered as a set of skills children should have which help them to learn and adjust effectively in formal school.

Components of School Readiness

School readiness – the knowledge, skills and behaviours that enable your child to participate and succeed in school – sets the stage for future learning.  Readiness for school is one of the most important factors in your child’s academic and life success.

There are many different skills and behaviours under various developmental domains that your child is learning now that will help him or her to be ready for school.  Some of these skills include:

1. LANGUAGE & LITERACY DEVELOPMENT– refers to emerging abilities in receptive and expressive language. Language development includes understanding and using one or more languages and Literacy Knowledge & Skills refers to the knowledge and skills that lay the foundation for reading and writing, such as understanding basic concepts about books or other printed materials, the alphabet, and letter-sound relationships.
2. PHYSICAL WELL-BEING & MOTOR DEVELOPMENT– refers to physical well-being, use of the body, muscle control, and appropriate nutrition, exercise, hygiene, and safety practices.
3. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT– refers to the ability to think through problems and apply strategies for solving them. Children’s ability to think, reason, and use information allows them to acquire knowledge, understand the world around them, and make appropriate decisions.
4. SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT– refers to the skills necessary to foster secure attachment with adults, maintain healthy relationships, regulate one’s behaviour and emotions, and develop a healthy concept of personal identity. The domain elements for Social & Emotional Development for 3 to 5 year olds are:
5. APPROACHES TO LEARNING– refers to observable behaviours that indicate ways children become engaged in social interactions and learning experiences.

[i] Mustard, J. (2002). Early child development and the brain—the base for health, learning, and behavior throughout life. In, M. E. Young (Ed.), From early child development to human development: Investing in our children’s future, pp. 23–61. Washington, D.C.: World Bank.

Mustard, J. (2006). Experience-based brain development: Scientific underpinnings of the importance of early child development in a global world. Paediatrics and Child Health, 11(9), 571–572.

[ii] Hertzman, C. (1999). The biological embedding of early experience and its effects on health in adulthood. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 896, 85–95.