School Readiness Program | Mother Teresa Catholic Primary School
School Readiness: More Than Just Academics
On Thursday October 23, Mrs Naomi Glasby and Mr Darren Gibson, along side the team at Newbury Kindergarden, presented at Aitkin Hill Community Centre to young families in the Hume Community about how families can best prepare their children for school in the 2026 and 2027 school year. It was a wonderful and insightful session with many key takes aways, as outlined below:
Key Areas of Readiness for a Smooth Transition
A child’s social-emotional maturity and independence are paramount. Families should consider if their child can:
- Follow multi-step instructions (e.g., “get your hat and lunchbox, and line up at the door”).
- Sustain attention and engagement for a reasonable time, sitting with the group, remaining focused, and asking/answering teacher questions.
- Work and play well with other children and take turns.
- Self-regulate their emotional response when told ‘no’ and manage their emotions.
- Have basic independence skills such as:
- Toileting independently.
- Putting on their jacket, shoes (Velcro is encouraged), and hat independently.
- Opening their own lunchbox and containers and independently feeding themselves.
- Carrying their school bag and opening/closing zips.
- Solve basic problems and ask for help from the teacher if needed, and express needs respectfully.
- Have developed fine and gross motor skills (e.g., hold a pencil/scissors, climb/run).
- Speak in full sentences and recognise their own name.
- Have the stamina for a full day at school.
What Happens If a Child Isn’t Ready?
Starting a child before they are developmentally ready can lead to challenges:
- Emotional Readiness: A child may be intellectually ready but not emotionally mature enough to manage the social and structured environment of school.
- Social Difficulties: They may struggle to make friends if their maturity level differs from classmates, impacting their social, emotional, and academic experience.
- Potential Academic Challenges: Developmental unreadiness can lead to difficulties keeping up with the curriculum, causing frustration. Once a child falls behind, it becomes increasingly difficult to close the gap.
How Families Can Prepare Their Child
To ensure a smooth transition, families can take several steps:
- Recognise that change is hard and normalise feelings of nervousness or confusion for both the child and parent, focusing on the positives like learning and making friends.
- Encourage confidence and independence by letting the child do things for themselves and practising school-related tasks at home, such as toileting, unpacking lunch, putting on shoes, and recognising their name.
- Build a love of learning by:
- Reading regularly (aim for every day) to develop vocabulary, knowledge, and imagination.
- Developing numeracy skills through counting, sorting, measuring, and noticing numbers in the environment.
- Establish routines at least two weeks before school starts. Consistency builds confidence.
- Morning Routine: Getting up, eating, and brushing teeth at the same time, and practicing dressing and packing a bag.
- Afternoon Routine: Practicing unpacking a bag and introducing a simple form of “homework,” like reading or drawing.
Communicating Developmental Needs
Mother Teresa Catholic Primary School strongly urges families to communicate any developmental needs with the school, including documented developmental delays, diagnosed difficulties (such as Autism, ADHD, or speech delay), or conditions. Early identification and intervention lead to the best outcomes. Sharing reports or professional recommendations is confidential and allows the school to begin planning for a truly inclusive learning experience before the child starts classes.
The school can be contacted at:
7303 1200
info@motherteresa.catholic.edu.au
5-15 Windrock Ave, Craigieburn VIC 3064
