School Readiness… what does this really mean and what does it mean to us at Jabberwocky?
As September approaches and the next cohort of children are preparing for starting their new adventure at ‘big school’, the term ‘school readiness’ begins to be heard frequently. As practitioners we begin to wonder, have we done enough to prepare these little people for their next exciting venture, have we supported them to develop the necessary skills to thrive during their school years and embrace this big transition. As Parents/carers you may begin to feel anxious about this next step, some of may be wondering if your baby is ready for school? On the flip side, the schools are busy preparing for a new group of wonderful curious little people and are gathering as much information as possible to be adequately prepared for this new cohort!
With all this in mind, September can be an exciting and anxious time for everybody, not forgetting the little people at the heart of all this excitement and worry! You may find yourselves with a checklist from the new school, a list of things to find out what they are and are not able to do, you may start wondering ‘can my child write their name?’, ‘can they do their own zip?’, ‘can they confidently go to the toilet by themselves?’, both querying and worrying about what they are able to do and not do. The best advice I can share is not to panic, children are all unique, they all learn and develop at their own rates and in their own time. Most of all remember each child is an individual and each child is special.
Often focus is drawn to being able to write their names before school, and although this ability is absolutely amazing and something to be so proud of it is not an essential skill to have prior to starting school. Some children are interested in writing, others aren’t, some children are interested in letters and numbers others are not, every child is unique. Prior to being able to write, there are an entire host of skills that need to develop first! When children are playing, those skills are constantly building. Large scale gross motor skills like climbing, swinging, throwing, catching and moving their upper body builds their core strength- an essential skill required for them to be able to sit comfortably at a table and hold the necessary posture to write. Smaller scale activities using their fine motor skills like playing with playdough, threading, using tweezers, controlling and manipulating different tools are all activities that will contribute to strengthening the muscles and coordination in their fingers enabling them to hold and control a pencil. So don’t panic, their skills are constantly developing, even when they are ‘just playing’.
Let’s take a moment to think about emotional development, in these children’s short lives they have experienced a global pandemic, an isolating and bewildering experience for them, their parents, the whole world. They are living in an era where depression and anxiety exists even for our youngest children, their emotional intelligence is paramount, it is so important that children are supported to understand, manage and express their emotions right from their early years. For a child to be able to confidently break down and communicate how they are feeling and why, will help them so much as they begin their school lives. This a huge focus for our school readiness programme here at Jabberwocky, we use a vast array of methods and resources to support our children to develop a good level of emotional intelligence before they leave for school. It is the foundation for a smooth and successful transition, for forming solid friendships, for having the ability to manage some of the overwhelming emotions that come with starting school.
I guess what I am trying to say, is that school readiness means so many things, but to us it means supporting our children to become confident, happy, independent little learners, ready to begin a new adventure. Please do not compare your child to others, please do not panic if they cannot do everything on a list, please do believe in your child, they will get there their own time, they are unique and they are wonderful.
About Us:
Jabberwocky Children's Nursery is a Nursery and Preschool dedicated to providing the best that an Early Years setting has to offer in a colourful, spacious, purpose built environment. We believe in creating magical places for children and engaging children’s curiosity and imagination to inspire lifelong learning in a safe, loving, enabling environment. We embrace the fact that all children are unique and special and we strive to offer a programme of care and education that not only ensures children experience all areas of the ‘Foundation Stage Framework’ but that also appeals to every kind of learner.
Jabberwocky is easy to get to from Street and also Glastonbury, Butleigh and Meare. So if you are looking for a Day Nursery in Street or looking for a Day Nursery in Glastonbury or other local Mendip Somerset towns then please come and see us!
Visit the Jabberwocky Nursery website at: www.jabberwockynursery.co.uk
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