“School Readiness” is a term that originates from the traditional mainstream school setting and refers to Grade 1—a year in which young learners often experience, for the first time, a significant portion of their day away from the familiar home environment (or a more play-oriented setting) and into a new, more formal learning environment.

At its core, school readiness asks a practical question:

Can the learner manage in a new or unfamiliar environment without the direct support of parents or their most familiar support structures?

Independence is key

A major focus of this assessment is the learner’s level of independence and readiness to function confidently and appropriately in a more structured environment.

Where learners continue homeschooling beyond Grade R, there may not be a major change in physical environment. However, it remains valuable to assess the learner’s level of independence and development across these key readiness areas.

What we assess (7 key areas)

We examine seven key areas, assessed across Sections A to G. These areas do not operate independently—there is overlap and interdependence. For example, basic counting (Maths) cannot be done effectively without language comprehension.

1. Personal
   Identity and personal information (e.g., full name, parents’ names, age, basic address), self-care skills, clothing management (fasteners), and basic hygiene (toilet independence, handwashing, blowing nose).

2. Physical
   General health, body awareness, balance, gross motor development (jumping, climbing, throwing/catching/kicking), fine motor skills (pencil grip, colouring, cutting, pasting), and the ability to focus physically (sit and work for 10–15 minutes).

3. Emotional
   Confidence to function away from a parent/caregiver, basic emotional regulation, and the ability to respond independently in conversation.

4. Social
   Interaction with peers and adults, sharing, and self-advocacy where appropriate.

5. Cognitive
   Attention in a group setting, drawing a recognisable self-portrait, general/environmental knowledge, and understanding “left” and “right”.

6. Language
   Name recognition and writing, conversational ability, answering basic questions (What? When? Why? What happens next?), listening comprehension, following instructions, describing experiences, and clear speech intelligibility beyond the immediate family circle.

7. Mathematical
   Counting forward/back to at least 10, recognising number symbols (including 0), basic number concepts (more/less/equal), ordinal numbers (first to sixth), simple addition/subtraction up to 10 using concrete objects, patterns, space and shape (basic shapes, symmetry, puzzles), measurement concepts, and basic data handling (sorting/representing).

What parents receive

After completion, parents receive a detailed report that outlines:

• the learner’s strengths

• areas requiring support or development

• practical, personalised recommendations to guide readiness and ongoing learning