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To Kinder or not to Kinder?

When is my child ready to start school? It’s a question most parents ask themselves around this time of year and a conversation piece that can lead to much debate amongst friends and family.

As you brace yourself for everyone’s opinion of your Pre-schooler, Scots All Saints College has compiled this simple checklist to help parents and carers feel more confident in knowing when your child is ready for Kindergarten.

Head of All Saints Campus, Mr Chris Jackman said there are key indicators of school readiness that are more influential than your child’s age.

Here are the top five that will set your child up on the path to lifelong learning:

  1. Social skills. This is the ability to get along with other children, demonstrate basic manners, focus in a group environment, assert themselves, play independently and with others.
  2. Emotional maturity is key to being able to manage their emotions, focus on tasks, follow directions and instructions from teachers, cope with new environments, and understand the rules.
  3. Coordination of small and large muscle groups enable your child to grip a pencil, cut with scissors, turn pages of a book as well as move, balance and have fun by staying active and healthy.
  4. Independence skills allow children to manage their needs without adult supervision such as going to the toilet, getting dressed, opening lunch containers and managing their belongings.
  5. Language and Cognitive skills include being able to talk and listen to adults and children, speak clearly, communicate needs, understand stories, begin to identify some letters and sounds in words, basic number sense, problem solving skills, being able to wait and take turns.

Mr Jackman said: “An age difference of 12 months for 5-year olds can make a tremendous difference in their emotional and social maturity which will continue throughout their schooling life.

“Pre-Kindergarten may be a better option than jumping straight into Kindergarten, providing opportunities to challenge, inspire and motivate children to explore and learn in preparation to start school,” he said.

The Pre-Kindergarten program at Scots All Saints College is specifically designed to prepare children for school readiness. Children have time and space to work on social skills through developmental play, group activities and interacting with their peers. The rich variety of opportunities and experiences on offer each day helps to guide and support children as they develop emotional maturity in their own time.

Fine Motor and Gross Motor skills are encouraged through developmental play, art and craft experiences, cooking, gardening, physical education, table games, group games, and sensory experiences.

“We encourage children to develop their independence in everyday tasks, from borrowing and returning library books, unpacking and packing bags, toileting, hygiene and meal times.

“Our literacy and numeracy programs provide both an introduction awareness and extension of learning for children at their cognitive stage and interest level as well as STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Maths), music, arts and news to develop their communication and cognitive skills,” Mr Jackman said.

Whether your child requires help towards school readiness or a place to be challenged and extended beyond Long Day Care, Pre-Kindergarten provides unique and exceptional opportunities to develop a life-long love of learning in preparation for Kindergarten.

For more information and to discuss whether your child is ready to start school or would benefit from enrolling in the Scots All Saints College Pre-Kindergarten program for 2019, please contact 6331 3911.

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