As a professional childcarer, chances are you’ve helped send off dozens of little ones to their first days at school. As a childcarer, you’re in a great position to not only calm the anxiety that many parents feel at this time, but also to help them prepare with their children to make the most of the first weeks at school and to help create a solid foundation for their future.

What does being “school ready” mean?

• having strong social skills
• can cope emotionally with being separated from their parents
• are relatively independent in their own personal care
• have a curiosity about the world and a desire to learn.*

* based on previous PACEY research into what childcarers, teachers, parents and children felt “being school ready” really means. The conclusion was that children should have a curiosity about the world and a desire to learn.

Previous research from PACEY shows that almost three quarters (71%) of parents were anxious about their child starting school for the first time in September,  with close to half of parents (48%) more anxious than their child about starting school.

Resources for childcarers

If you’re caring for children, we’ve got loads of resources to help you support parents and children through this transition to school. Check out our collection of school-ready specific content in our MyPACEY members’ area (log-in required). Not yet a member of PACEY? Join us now.

My favourite thing about school is…

New-school diary

We asked two of our registered childminder members to record the activities they are doing during the last few weeks of the summer holidays. Sue in Cambridgeshire and Georgina in Hampshire are both caring for children about to leave their childcare setting to start school. We’re following them to see how childcare professionals, parents and teachers are all working together to support children starting school.

Expert opinion and advice

Penny Tassoni is a well-respected early years expert who has written a number of books on child development. She is also president of PACEY. In these videos, she explores what being school ready means for children, and how practitioners and parents can support this time.

School readiness blogs

• Starting school: a developmental milestone for children and parents – A survey from PACEY found that the majority of parents (71%) are anxious about their child starting school. Here clinical psychologist Dr Virginia Lumsden explores what parents are anxious about, parents’ versus child’s anxiety and how you can show support in this transition.
• Read this fantastic blog from Book Trust that explores what school readiness really means for parents and childcare professionals including the social and emotional skills they need.
• Check out this must-read blog from I CAN that talks about how to support parents and children with the transition to school.