Experts have drawn up guidance offering practical steps for parents on how to get kids ready to start school to save teachers wasting hours teaching basic skills
Experts have drawn up guidance for parents on how to get kids ready to start school to save teachers wasting hours teaching basic skills.
Children are turning up to reception without vital skills, including using the toilet or brushing their teeth. Guidance will offer practical steps for parents to build skills into their child’s daily lives, including teaching them how to use cutlery, use the toilet by themselves, share toys, brush their teeth and hang their coat up. It will also recommend kids are active for at least three hours a day and limit their screen time.
The definition of “school ready” has been hashed out by a collaborative group of early years organisations as there is currently no official description. Parents and carers will be able to find the vital information on a new Starting Reception website.
Last year Keir Starmer set a target for 75% of five-year-olds to be school-ready when starting reception by 2028 – up from the current 67.7%.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson backed the new tools for parents. “Children arriving at school without the skills they need not only limits their opportunities, but the opportunities of every child in that classroom,” she said.
“That’s why we have already started urgent work on new school-based nurseries, extending early learning support, and strengthening join-up of family services – but this issue can’t be tackled by government alone.”
Felicity Gillespie, director of early years charity Kindred Squared, said: “Too many parents say they don’t know what sorts of skills their children should be developing prior to starting school or where to go for help.” Jason Elsom, chief executive of Parentkind, said the guidance was not a “standardised test” for all kids. “Every child is different and not every child will be able to achieve everything set out in this new definition at the same time, but the most important thing is we help parents understand what will help their child thrive when they begin at school,” he said.
What is the new definition of school-ready?
The new definition lists recommendations in four categories for children arriving at Reception, to help them develop a range of abilities and the confidence to get off to a flying start.
Each category includes links to expert organisations offering practical steps for parents or carers to try and build these skills into their child’s daily lives, including:
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Able to use cutlery
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Use the toilet by themselves
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Being able to take turns and share toys
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Recognising their names
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Hanging coats on pegs
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Paying attention for short periods of time
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Drawing, painting or colouring in
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Talking about their feelings
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Being active for at least 3 hours a day
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Limiting screen time is also recommended
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Put their own coats on
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Brushing their teeth twice a day