Starting school is a big milestone — for children and parents alike. Many families worry about whether their child can read, write, or count before the first day, but the truth is that school readiness is about much more than academics. The most important skills help children feel confident, cope with change, and engage positively with others.

Here are the key skills that matter most when preparing your child for school — and how you can support them at home.

Emotional Readiness and Independence

One of the biggest adjustments to school is spending time away from home and trusted adults. Children who can manage basic emotions and small challenges tend to settle more easily.

Skills to encourage include:

• Separating from a parent or carer without high levels of distress
• Expressing feelings with words rather than behaviour
• Coping when things don’t go exactly as planned

You can support this by talking positively about school, practising short separations, and reassuring your child that it’s okay to feel nervous.

Social Skills and Positive Relationships

Senior school is a social environment, and knowing how to get along with others is essential. Children don’t need to be outgoing — but they do need some basic tools for interacting with peers and adults.

Focus on helping your child:

• Take turns and share
• Listen to others
• Use polite language such as “please” and “thank you”
• Begin to solve small disagreements with words

Playdates, group activities, and role-playing common social situations can all help build confidence.

Communication and Listening

Being able to communicate needs and understand instructions plays a huge role in classroom success. This doesn’t mean perfect speech — it means being able to express ideas and pay attention when others are talking.

You can build these skills by:

• Having regular conversations and asking open questions
• Reading together and talking about the story
• Encouraging your child to follow simple instructions

Good listening skills help children feel more secure and confident in new environments.

Self-Care Skills

Simple independence boosts confidence and allows children to focus on learning rather than relying on constant adult support.

Useful self-care skills include:

• Using the toilet independently
• Washing hands
• Putting on shoes or a coat
• Opening lunch containers

Practice these skills gradually and praise effort — mastery often comes with time and repetition.

Curiosity and a Love of Learning

Children don’t need to arrive at school knowing lots of facts. What matters more is curiosity — the willingness to explore, ask questions, and try new things.

Encourage learning through everyday activities:

• Count stairs, toys, or snacks
• Talk about shapes, colours, and patterns
• Explore books, puzzles, and imaginative play

When children associate learning with fun and encouragement, they develop a positive attitude that lasts.

Ability to Follow Routines

School days are structured, and children benefit from being familiar with routines. This doesn’t mean rigid schedules, but some predictability helps children feel secure.

You might introduce:

• Regular mealtimes and bedtimes
• Simple morning or bedtime routines
• Clear expectations around tidying up or transitioning between activities

Talking through what happens next can reduce anxiety and improve cooperation.

Resilience and Problem Solving

School presents new challenges — from tricky tasks to social bumps along the way. Children who are encouraged to try again and problem solve build resilience.

Instead of fixing problems immediately, try asking:

• “What do you think we could do?”
• “Shall we try again another way?”

This helps children learn that mistakes are a normal and valuable part of learning.

Every child develops at their own pace, and there’s no single checklist that guarantees a perfect school start. Teachers expect children to arrive with a wide range of abilities, and much learning happens after school begins.

What matters most is that your child feels secure, supported, and confident enough to give things a go.

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