What does “school readiness” look like? It’s a question we’ve been trying to reach a consensus on for some time.

In fact, a recent report from YouGov and the charity Kindred Squared highlighted a disconnect between how parents and teachers feel about what makes a child ready for school.

The report found that while 89 per cent of parents thought their child was ready in the autumn term 2022, teachers said that, on average, only 54 per cent of children were.

Teachers reported that some children in their classrooms were lacking basic skills, such as being able to sit and listen, communicate and socialise with their peers - and that some were not toilet trained. 

What’s more, teachers reported that problems around school readiness are growing, with more children developmentally behind than in previous years.

As a result, teachers and teaching assistants are spending more time supporting children who lack basic skills, leaving them with less time to spend with others in the class.

The YouGov and Kindred Squared report offers some clues as to why there is a disconnect in how parents and teachers perceive school readiness.

Covid restrictions have undoubtedly had an impact on the social and emotional development and the communication skills of children entering Reception. However, the report found that teachers believed the biggest culprit was parental use of electronic devices and a subsequent lack of interactions with their child.  

In addition, many teachers reported that parents don’t see it as “their job to prepare their child for Reception”, believing that the necessary skills should be taught by nursery or school staff.

This misunderstanding has arguably been compounded, the report finds, by a lack of government emphasis on communicating to parents the importance of the early years for a child’s future outcomes. A 2022 survey by the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, found that only 17 per cent of the general population recognised the importance of the period from birth to five years for a child’s future. 

So, how can schools narrow the gap in understanding and make sure that parents and teachers are on the same page?  

1. Explicitly communicate what school readiness looks like

In the summer term prior to transition, or in a child’s first valuable months in Reception, share the expectations of the EYFS prime areas of development with parents.

Use parent communication channels to share messages on the importance of the early years to a child’s future outcomes, and to remind parents of the importance of interacting with their child, not only to support communication and language development but also their social development.

Research has shown that using a range of communication methods facilitates better parental engagement, so utilising school communication apps, emails and newsletters will ensure that you are reaching as many parents as possible.

2. Make communications accessible

Consider the languages spoken in your school community. It’s easy to translate messages using free tools, such as Microsoft Translator. Your school communication system may also include a “language” package, which allows parents to receive and respond to messages in their home language. These are used more widely in America, but hopefully we will see it becoming standard in the UK.

A simple way to communicate expectations for school readiness would be to create a leaflet in a range of languages, which you can share at home visits or send home in the first weeks. These could also cover the importance of the early years, and tips and ideas for supporting communication and language development.

3. Draw on community support

Build relationships not only with your feeder nurseries but also with local health visitors, who can support families in preparing their child for school.

In addition, try to involve parents in the school community as soon as possible, making school readiness a focus of early interactions with them. Highlight the issue at information nights for the parents of children due to start Reception, and make it a topic of conversation during “stay and play” sessions on transition days. Informal chats can be very effective.

For all of this to work, however, the government has a role to play. Policies must reflect rhetoric around raising awareness of the importance of the first five years of a child’s life, and we must have a long-term, fairly funded plan to support early years education and care.  

We shouldn’t have to wait until children start school to find out that they are not ready to learn; this wastes teachers’ time and has a lasting effect on the child. 

Nicola Demetriadi is a lecturer in early childhood at Crawley College