Supporting child readiness for school

The government made it clear in its recent White Paper “Every child achieving and thriving” that giving every child the best possible start in life is fundamental to improving opportunity and life chances. A child’s transition into reception year is the first step to ensuring that they are well set-up to enjoy success, in whatever form that may take, throughout their school life.

However, for many parents it can be challenging to understand how best to prepare their child for the transition to reception. This can have a particular impact on vulnerable children or those who face additional barriers.

To combat this challenge, the Department for Education has published guidance “Getting children ready for reception”, setting out how schools can work alongside families to support transition into reception.

Build strong relationships

One of the main concerns that parents have when preparing their children for reception is that they simply do not know what skills their child needs to secure a confident start. It is therefore important for schools to seek to build strong relationships with families at an early stage. This will allow clear, consistent communication and aligned agendas which can then act as a strong foundation for the relationship between the school and parents throughout the child’s time at the school.

In the context of an education sector which has been facing increasing parental complaints, embedding a positive and collaborative relationship with parents is particularly important.

Some information from schools which parents may find particularly helpful could include, for example, routines, expectations and daily life in reception. To ensure not to create additional concern, information should be provided in a steady, jargon-free manner to avoid potentially alienating parents.

Embed key skills before school

The Department for Education has stated in its guidance that 51% of parents have reported that their child aged 4 could consistently use the toilet independently, while others required support or were not yet confident.

Skills such as independent toileting are essential foundations for a confident start to reception. Schools should therefore work with parents and early years providers to offer clear, practical guidance to families well before September. This will help parents to understand not only what is expected, but also how to build these skills at home.

Maintain a visible presence

Whilst building the strong foundations of a positive relationship before a child commences reception is important, schools should take steps to ensure that parents feel able to easily reach staff throughout the school year. This might be achieved through a presence at the school gate and involvement in community events and informal conversations.

Support for vulnerable parents

Schools should be aware that for some parents, there may be anxiety around schooling, potentially owing to their own past experiences. Without building collaborative and supportive relationships with these parents, there is a risk of reluctance to engage, or over-concern which will potentially lead to complaints or challenging communication behaviours from the parents. Early recognition can help to prevent disengagement and build trust.

Practical steps

The Department for Education’s most recent absence data highlights that, to date in this academic year, overall absence rates for children of compulsory school age sits at 6.61%, whilst persistent absence rates are at 18.19%.

Schools should take steps to support school attendance, and part of this is planning to ensure that children starting reception make the best start possible. Schools should take steps to review their practices and procedures in respect of preparing families for the transition into reception, including behaviour policies which can incentivise good attendance with rewards, and positive letters home to families.