Being 'ready for school' is no longer enough

FOR decades, “school readiness” has been a reassuring milestone for South African parents — a checklist of letters, numbers and classroom behaviours that signals a child is prepared to enter Grade R. But as our understanding of early childhood development continues to evolve, one thing is becoming clear: being “ready for school” is no longer enough.

- PAULA ALGAR

Recent South African and international research confirms what many educators have long suspected: the foundations of a child’s lifelong success are not laid in primary school or even Grade R, but in the earliest years of life. According to the 2024 South African Early Childhood Review, school readiness is a multidimensional concept that includes emotional regulation, confidence, physical coordination, social skills and classroom adaptability, alongside early literacy and numeracy.

A 2023 review published in The Hechinger Report highlighted global shifts in Early Years education - including the growing emphasis on play-based learning and emotional development as critical indicators of future academic and life success. True readiness is not just a checklist.