St Anne's Catholic Primary School

To support you in getting your child ready for the start of school in September, we have provided a list of things that would be helpful for your child to be able to do before they start.

• To express their needs appropriately e.g. say if they need the toilet, if they are hurt or unwell.
• Use the toilet independently (this does include wiping their own bottom)
• Wash and dry hands
• Recognise and put on their own coat.
• Sit up at a table.
• Put their shoes on the correct feet.
• Eat their lunch properly using a knife and fork (we will support the children with cutting up their school dinner but we do expect them to eat with a fork and not their fingers).
• Have a try at dressing themselves (we appreciate that socks are tricky)
• Sit sensibly to listen to a story or a piece of music (for up to ten minutes)
• Being able to take turns when talking – not talk over someone else.
• Share and take turns.
• Tidy up things they have used.
• Lose at a game (this might seem a little strange, but many children come to school never having lost at a game due to very kind family members letting them win.  It can then come as quite a shock when they get to school and another child wins and some children don’t know how to cope with this first experience of losing).
• Recognise and read their name (this does not mean they have to be able to write it).

You will notice that this list does not include anything about writing or counting.  Obviously if your child is interested in these things then it is great to encourage them, but we do not expect all children to come into school already reading and writing.  However there are many early skills that can be practiced now to build a strong foundation for supporting your child when they do start reading, writing and maths.