A group of leading early years organisations have created a government-backed website giving advice on how to equip children with the skills needed for starting in primary school.

The Starting Reception website aims to define what being ready to start reception actually means. There is currently no official description of ‘starting reception’ skills.

Organisations involved in the website include Kindred Squared, National Day Nurseries Association, the Early Years Alliance, LEYF Nurseries, Busy Bees, Ark Start and Pacey.

The Department for Education is promoting the website, which includes useful information and recommendations, and an agreed list of suggested skills and activities which parents are recommended to practice with their children in preparation for starting school. Activities and skills are listed under four categories: growing independence, building relationships and communication, physical development and healthy routines.

The site includes instructions for organisations working with families to download and re-brand the definition with their own logo and link to their own local support services.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Children arriving at school without the skills they need not only limits their opportunities, but the opportunities of every child in that classroom. That’s why we have already started urgent work on new school-based nurseries, extending early learning support, and strengthening join-up of family services – but this issue can’t be tackled by government alone.

“This new resource will be a vital tool for parents as they navigate the myriad information out there to support their child’s early development, and it’s brilliant to see Kindred Squared and the wider sector coming together on something so central to children’s life chances.”

Kindred Squared’s annual report on School Readiness found that teachers and parents have very different views on what school readiness means, with nine out of 10 parents saying they thought their child was ready for school, but only one in three teachers believing children were actually ready.

Felicity Gillespie, director at Kindred Squared, said: “There is a deeply worrying gap between what teachers expect children starting in Reception to be able to handle from day one when compared with what parents say their children are able to do. This new definition, backed by many leading experts and trusted partners, will help parents and carers ensure their children reach school readiness milestones so that they can be confident they are ready to start school and thrive from day one.” 

Purnima Tanuku, NDNA executive chair said: “It was good to be part of this group that worked to produce this new definition of starting reception skills. It’s helpful that parents have this resource to support their child with their transition to school, from School Offer Day onwards.

“We know how important the transition from early years settings to school is and how instrumental early education and care providers are in making that transition as smooth as possible for all concerned. Nurseries across the country are already working with their local schools and with the families of children making that important transition.”

She added: “Milestones can be a helpful tool, but they must be well understood and seen in the individual context of each child. When phrases like school readiness are shared it can often mean different things to different people, so it’s been really important to develop a clearer definition that supports parents and carers when thinking about their children starting school to make that transition as smooth as possible.”