Get ready for school
Helping children become school ready is key to giving them the best start in life, a commitment supported in the Council’s County Plan well being objectives.
Preparing your child for school is a shared journey. The experiences they have at home, together with the care and learning provided in childcare and early years education, all play an important role.
For younger children, this could mean learning to share and take turns, practising how to hold a pen and manage their feelings, as well as practical skills like putting their coat on and going to the toilet by themselves.
Whether it’s chatting, reading stories, or supporting them to practise everyday skills like getting dressed or tidying up, these small daily moments nurture their confidence and curiosity.
For older children, it can be understanding how to play and negotiate with other children, how to do their homework and how to cross roads safely. All important skills that could help them become more independent.
What is school readiness?
School readiness means a child has the skills, knowledge, and attitudes they need to start school successfully. It’s not just about knowing letters and numbers, it can include:
- Social skills (sharing, taking turns, listening)
- Emotional skills (confidence, managing feelings)
- Physical skills (fine motor for writing, gross motor for play)
- Language and communication (understanding and expressing ideas)
- Basic routines (toileting, following instructions)
Why it matters for attendance
Supporting school readiness from an early age helps children build good habits, making regular attendance a natural routine.
When children feel prepared for school, they:
- Enjoy learning and feel confident in the classroom.
- Settle into routines quickly, reducing anxiety.
- Build positive relationships with teachers and peers.
This early encouragement creates a positive cycle. Children will want to attend because school feels safe and rewarding.
Children who are not school ready are far more likely to become persistently absent later –potentially leading to poorer attainment and lower lifetime earnings.
A Child of The North Report states that children who are not school ready are nearly three times more likely to become persistent absentees at some point in their academic career.
Furthermore, research published in Royal Society Open Science confirms that the “seeds of absenteeism are sown early.” Children lacking readiness skills (social, emotional, language) have significantly higher odds of disengaging from education over multiple years.
Long-term impact
- Children who start school ready are less likely to struggle academically or socially, which could lead to absenteeism later.
- Good attendance in early years and beyond predicts better outcomes in literacy, numeracy, and well being.
- Good attendance could increase their chances of achieving good exam results.
Below is some useful information to help get your child ready for school.