Is My Child Ready to Start Primary School in Townsville?

Parents sometimes think that school readiness means being able to read, write and do basic maths before attending primary school, but this isn’t the case! School readiness is a measure of the knowledge, skills and behaviours that enable children to participate in, and succeed, in school.  School readiness is about the development of the whole child — their social and emotional skills, physical skills, communication and cognitive skills. All children are different developmentally, and they all come to Prep with varying levels of ability.

Research shows that children who start school when they are developmentally ready to learn will do better in school, and this naturally sets them up for success in their learning and life journey. 

With our long-standing reputation as one of the leading academic schools in Northern Queensland, the Grammar approach to teaching and learning starts in Prep. Our primary School campuses in North Shore and Annandale provide a nurturing and stimulating environment for young learners, encouraging their love of learning from these early years. 

This blog explores the readiness factors to consider when determining if your child is ready for Prep, and how you can best support them as they prepare for their primary school journey. Please do not worry if your child does not display all of the skills listed in this blog, this is simply a list of the best possible scenario for starting Prep. Teachers will work with each child to support them to develop their skills throughout the Prep year.

Social and Emotional Development

Is your child socially and emotionally ready for school? You can assess this by watching how they interact with peers, how they follow instructions and how they manage their emotions in an age-appropriate way.

Independence and Self-Care Skills

Can your child manage self-care tasks independently, such as using the bathroom, dressing themselves and handling small tasks like opening lunch containers?

Communication and Language Skills

Can your child communicate effectively in an age-appropriate way? Can they express their needs, follow simple conversations and understand some instructions? Language skills will continue to develop throughout junior school, but a strong foundation can contribute to successful classroom participation and ensure your child can communicate their needs to our early educators.

Physical Development

Fine motor skills, such as holding a pencil and basic hand-eye coordination, are beneficial before attending any of the primary schools in Townsville. Gross motor skills, such as running, jumping and climbing are also important for physical activities and outdoor play.

Every child is unique and develops at their own pace. Every child has their strengths, interests and temperament, so school readiness will vary from child to child. Please do not worry if your child does not display all of the skills listed in this blog, this is simply a list of the best possible scenario for starting Prep. Teachers will work with each child to support them to develop their skills throughout the Prep year.

Children enrolled at Grammar’s Pre-Prep program (for four-year-olds) are greatly assisted with developing school readiness skills and for the transition into the Prep environment.  

You are very welcome to talk to our Pre-Prep or Prep teachers about your child’s readiness and how to help them, and your family, get ready for Prep.

To discuss enrolment or to organise a tour, contact Townsville Grammar School online.