School Readiness Assessment Case Study

Background

A 5-year-old boy currently enrolled in a local 4-year-old kindergarten program was due to start Prep the following year. However, his kindergarten teacher recommended that he complete an additional year of kindergarten due to concerns about his social, emotional, and speech development. Seeking professional guidance, his parents approached The Child Centred Learning Tree for expert advice.

School Readiness Assessment, Consultation, and Developmental Process

We conducted a comprehensive observation of the child during play activities, identifying:

• Strengths: Creativity, building skills, and positive one-on-one social interactions

• Areas of concern: Limited attention span, speech fluency and clarity challenges, emotional regulation difficulties, and declining active participation after 10 minutes

Family Consultation

Following the observation session, our service met with the child’s parents to discuss their specific concerns, including:

• The child’s tendency to become anxious in busy environments

• Slower progress with developing self-help skills

• Overall readiness for the structured school environment

Collaboration with Kindergarten Educators

We gathered valuable input from his current kindergarten teacher, who confirmed:

• The child thrives in smaller group settings

• He is not yet ready for the structured demands of a full school day

• Speech development concerns, with unclear communication that is often difficult to understand

Professional Advice Provided

Based on our comprehensive assessment findings, our service recommended deferring school entry to provide the child with an additional year to develop in key areas:

• Emotional Regulation: Building resilience, developing coping strategies, and increasing confidence

• Social Skills: Strengthening his ability to manage and participate effectively in group settings

• Self-Help Skills: Increasing independence in daily routines and personal care

• Speech Development: Referral to our trusted speech therapist network for targeted support

We assured the family that deferring school would not disadvantage their child academically. Instead, this decision would provide him with a stronger developmental foundation and better prepare him for the demands of formal schooling.

Outcome

End Result: The Child Centred Learning Tree support service provided the family with evidence-based, tailored advice that ensured their child’s school start would be developmentally appropriate. This proactive decision positioned the child for long-term academic and social success, giving him the time and support needed to build essential skills before entering the formal school environment.

This case study demonstrates our commitment to individualised assessment, collaborative consultation, and evidence-based recommendations that prioritise each child’s unique developmental needs and long-term success.