School readiness — the skills school actually uses
Parents ask about alphabets. Teachers notice sitting, waiting, asking for help, and whether a child comes back from a no without a forty-minute storm. This checklist is the second list.
Written by the Inclusive Developmental and Therapy Center therapy team — our Speech & Language Therapist, psychology and ABA staff. This page is awaiting its clinical review.
A checklist you can actually use
Tick what your child can do most days, not on their best afternoon. One or two gaps are normal. A row of gaps, or a skill they used to have and lost, is a reason to talk to someone — us, a paediatrician, or both.
- Sits with a small group for a short activity without being held in a lap
- Follows a two-step instruction (“bag down, sit on the mat”)
- Waits a short turn without grabbing
- Asks for help with a word, a gesture or by bringing you the thing
- Recovers from a no within a few minutes, most of the time
- Uses the toilet, or clearly asks, and manages clothing with help
- Eats a snack near other children without a daily battle
- Separates from you after a goodbye, even if there are tears at the door
- Looks at a book or a toy with an adult for a couple of minutes
- Makes themselves understood to a familiar adult who is not you
Reading and writing sit on top of this list, they do not replace it. If reading is the worry, start with is my child ready to read and the early reading program. If language is thin, speech delay and speech therapy are the right doors.
Print the same list as a school-readiness checklist PDF and fill it in over a week of ordinary days. Hand a copy to the teacher with the about my child one-pager if you already know the first weeks will be hard. For how this child communicates when they are stuck, use the communication passport.
This is a guide, not a school admission test. For the wider map see school-age therapy. How the centre actually delivers this work: Akasha Tariq on school readiness, Mahnoor’s frame, and special education.
School readiness — questions parents ask
My child knows letters but falls apart in a group. Should they start school?
Letters are the easy part. Group sitting, waiting and recovering from a no are the load of reception. If those three are missing, a term of targeted practice — at home and, if needed, in therapy — usually helps more than starting and failing. Our social skills program and classroom support page sit next to this one.
What if they are not toilet trained?
Most schools in Multan expect a child to ask for the toilet and manage clothing with a little help. If that is not there yet, say so early rather than hoping the first week will magically teach it. Potty training an autistic child and our toilet-training program are the practical starting points.
Is holding them back a year a good idea?
Sometimes. If the gap is sitting, waiting and language, a year of the right practice can change the picture. If the gap is a specific skill like speech sounds, starting school with support is often better than waiting for perfection. That is a judgement we make with you after we have seen your child, not from a webpage.
Do you assess school readiness in Multan?
Yes. A consultation is Rs 1,500 and lasts up to 50 minutes, in person in Model Town or online. We watch play and listening, not a test paper. Developmental assessment is the fuller look if several areas are behind.
Unsure about the coming school year?
A short, friendly conversation is the best first step. Call, text or WhatsApp us — we’ll listen and guide you, with no pressure.
MPS Road, Block A Model Town, Multan (near Bloomfield Hall School, Street No. 2) · Mon–Fri, 2 PM – 6 PM