The School Delay Dilemma
If you’re not sure whether to keep your child at kindergarten/preschool for another year, or bump them up to big school, then Story House Early Learning has some great advice.
BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE
Depending on your preschooler’s age and where you live, you might have the option of sending your child to school next year, or next next year, and if this decision is proving difficult, then a little expert input can really help.
Your preschooler’s early childhood teacher is perfectly placed to know where your child is at with their learning and development, and it’s definitely worth having a chat with them if you’re not sure whether to firm up your child’s school enrolment for 2025, or commit to another year of kinder/preschool.
If your child’s currently enrolled in a quality program, you will have been kept up-to-date with their progress throughout the year, but if you’re still uncertain about how they’re placed, now’s a good time to meet with your child’s teacher and talk things through.
Thanks to Story House Early Learning, here are four things to do when you’re catching up with them and deciding on the best path forward:
1. Assess your child’s school readiness
It’s important to consider your child’s social, emotional and academic readiness for school, so when you talk to their teacher, ask them about key development milestones and whether they feel your child is prepared for the structure of a classroom environment.
2. Evaluate your options
Your child’s teacher can provide information about the Australian School curriculum, and help you understand what’s expected in the first year at school.
When you speak with them one-on-one, they can also highlight the benefits and challenges of starting now, versus waiting a year.
3. Discuss your child’s developmental needs
Your child’s teacher will be able to share insights about how your preschooler’s learning and development milestones compare to global learning and development norms, and how this can affect their experience.
Together, you can discuss how being ‘young’ or ‘old’ for their school year might impact your child’s social interactions and learning, and this can really help you make an informed decision.
4. Trust your intuition
Intuition matters when you’re choosing childcare, and it’s important to ‘trust your gut’ when deciding whether to keep your child at kindy/preschool for another year, or transition to formal schooling.
If you’re finding the decision difficult, then remember that you are the best source of knowledge about your child, and should be confident to trust your instincts when it comes to their school readiness.
Your child’s teacher will be able to provide support and resources to crystallise your feelings and build this confidence, and they can partner with you to make an informed decision that supports your child's unique needs and circumstances.
At Story House Early Learning services, there’s definitely a lot of support on offer.
Story House’s Pathway to School program readies children for formal schooling in an individualised way, and their thorough assessment process and six-monthly learning and development summaries mean there are no surprises when it comes to each child’s learning and school readiness.
When your child attends a Story House service you can speak with their teacher at drop-offs and pick-ups, and also arrange individual teacher interviews to make sure your child has developed the skills they need to succeed in a school environment.
You can read more about Story House’s Pathway to School program here and explore all their centres by searching for Story House Early Learning using KindiCare.