Supporting School Readiness in the Early Years

Supporting School Readiness in the Early Years

A practical guide for practitioners

School readiness is everywhere right now... in the news, in conversations with parents, and in wider expectations being placed on the early years sector.

And yet, early years practitioners have always been the ones laying the foundations.

This guide was created to support practitioners in two key ways:

✅ To provide genuinely useful, real-life activity ideas, games and routines that build the skills children need as they transition to school
✅ To help practitioners clearly explain and evidence how school readiness is embedded in everyday early years practice - for agencies such as Ofsted, as well as for families considering their setting

This is not a “how-to” guide designed to teach practitioners their job.
It’s a practical, professional and confidence-boosting resource that makes school readiness clearer, more visible, and easier to articulate - without adding pressure or pushing inappropriate expectations onto young children.

What’s included

Inside this guide you’ll find:

✔ A clear understanding of what schools actually mean by “school ready”

Including common misconceptions and why they exist - so you can feel confident in conversations with parents and schools.

✔ Practical, play-based school readiness activities that children actually enjoy

This is the main focus of the guide: repeatable games and real-life activities that can be used day to day in your setting to support:

• independence and self-care

• confidence and resilience

• communication and listening

• turn-taking, sharing and group work

• emotional readiness and managing change

• transitions and routines

✔ A practitioner-friendly pedagogy section 

Explaining the “why” behind early years practice in a clear, accessible way, including:

• learning through play

• repetition and routines

• co-regulation and emotional development

• modelling vs instructing

• following interests and natural scaffolding

✔ Inclusive guidance and flexible support strategies

Including considerations for:

• SEND

• neurodiversity

• speech and language needs

• sensory and emotional differences

• summer-born children

With a key message throughout:
readiness is not about conformity - it’s about foundations, confidence, and children feeling safe to learn.

How practitioners use this guide

This is designed to be used as a working document. Practitioners may choose to:

• dip in and out of the activity bank for planning inspiration

• strengthen provision for school readiness in an intentional way

• use the wording and explanations to support professional conversations

• evidence and demonstrate how their setting supports readiness through everyday practice

• share key information with families and new starters

It is also ideal as a resource to have available during inspection discussions, as it clearly demonstrates the intent and thought behind readiness provision.

Who is this guide for?

This guide is perfect for:

• childminders

• nurseries and preschools

• reception-ready pre-school rooms

• early years leads and managers

• practitioners supporting children preparing to transition into school

Why this matters

School readiness should never feel like pressure.
It should feel like children building confidence through play, relationships, routines and meaningful experiences - exactly as early years practice intends.

This guide supports practitioners in continuing to do what early years does best, while also helping make that work visible, understood, and valued.

FAQ's

Is this a checklist?
No - this guide is not a checklist and does not promote unrealistic expectations. It focuses on developmentally appropriate foundations and practical play-based ideas.

Does this replace planning?
No. It’s designed to support and inspire provision and planning with practical, repeatable activity ideas and routines.

Will this help with inspection conversations?
Yes - it includes clear, practitioner-friendly explanations of how school readiness is embedded through early years practice, including a pedagogy section that supports professional discussion.

Is this for parents?
This guide is written for practitioners, but the language and explanations may also support conversations with parents and families.