First
day at school! Your child is entering the initial stage of primary education.
Most primary schools have a programme for settling
children in, until they're ready to be left for a full school day.
Do your bit by making sure your child is ready.
Help them become more independent - at primary school children will get
less help than at nursery school.
Independence day Make sure your child can go to the toilet
without help and make sure the words you use at home when asking for the
toilet are phrases the teacher will understand! Think about clothing,
so that when dressing and undressing for PE can be made easier with elastic
waists, Velcro fastenings etc.
In a noisy classroom, you need to speak up! So
help your child become comfortable around adults and not scared to ask
for help. When you have visitors, ask your child to greet them and answer
their questions. When you go shopping, encourage them to ask for things.
What a 3-5 yr-old should already know As far as learning is concerned below
is a list of the skills that the government thinks children should have
before they start school. They are 6 broad areas of learning:
Personal, Social & Emotional Development
Your child will learn to be self-confident, take an interest in things,
know what their own needs are, tell the difference between right and
wrong, and be able to dress and undress.
Communication, Language & Literacy
Your child will learn to talk confidently and clearly, enjoying stories,
songs and poems, hearing and saying sounds, and linking them to the
alphabet. They will read and write some familiar words and learn to
use a pencil.
Mathematical Development
Your child will develop an understanding of maths through stories, songs,
games and imaginative play. They will become comfortable with numbers
and with ideas such as 'heavier than' or 'bigger'. They will be aware
of shapes and space.
Knowledge & Understanding Of The World
Your child will explore and find out about the world around them, asking
questions about it. They will build with different materials, know about
everyday technology and learn what it is used for. They will find out
about past events in their lives and their families' lives. They will
find out about different cultures and beliefs.
Physical Development
Your child will learn to move confidently, controlling their body and
handling equipment.
Creative Development
Your child will explore colours and shapes, trying out dance, making
things, telling stories and making music.
