School Readiness Checklist.

UPDATED 2023:VERSION 2 OF THE SCHOOL READINESS CHECKLIST NOW AVAILABLE!

As we begin term 4 of the Australian School term, some of you may be thinking about school readiness for 2015. Is my child ready for school?  Is school ready for my child?

Whilst there are certain expectations for children beginning school, there is also a wide-range-of-normal! Children learn at their own pace and may begin school with various "school readiness" skills.  School readiness may include social skills, language skills, emotional skills, concentration skills, visual-motor skills, pre-writing skills, self-care skills, fine and gross motor skills.   

If your child has difficulty with one or more of these areas of skill development, it does not mean that they are not ready for school.  It may mean that they need some help ... including Occupational Therapy.

I suggest looking at the overall picture of your child's development and speaking with your child's educator (if they attend preschool or child care).  

The following school readiness checklist is based on those "red flags" where referral to Occupational Therapy may assist your child in these months leading up to starting school. The questions here are based on various standardised assessments OTs use including The Miller Function & Participation Scales, The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales and the Beery VMI (Visual-Motor Integration). The checklist is not exhaustive and was developed to provide a snapshot of where you child is currently performing and what they may need help with completing.

You can find a FREE printable copy of this checklist in the Your Kids OT shop.  You are welcome to distribute it to parents and educational settings.  OTs, please do not copy the content for professional use (ie. don't use the content and add your own logo).

If you complete this checklist and have concerns about your child's development, contact an Occupational Therapist for a comprehensive assessment.  If you live or your child attends an educational setting in the Ryde LGA (Local Government Area), please contact me at [email protected] or via the contacts pagehere for further information about direct therapy services. 

Do you have a child starting school in 2015?