🎒 School Readiness Checklist (Printable)
Tick what your child can do most days, not on their best afternoon. School uses sitting, waiting and asking for help more than the alphabet.
How to use it at home
- Print one copy. Fill it in over a week of ordinary days, not after a special afternoon of practice.
- Tick “most days”, “sometimes” or “not yet”. One or two “not yets” are normal. A row of them is a conversation.
- Give a second copy to the class teacher after two weeks of school, so home and school can be compared.
- Bring it to a consultation if you want help before term starts. A consultation is Rs 1,500 and lasts up to 50 minutes.
A quick preview — here’s what you’ll print:
Tick what your child can do most days this week. 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.
| Sitting, waiting, following | Most days | Sometimes | Not yet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Looks at a book or a toy with an adult for a couple of minutes | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Asking and recovering | Most days | Sometimes | Not yet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Separates from you after a goodbye, even if there are tears at the door | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Makes themselves understood to a familiar adult who is not you | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Self-care at school | Most days | Sometimes | Not yet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uses the toilet, or clearly asks, and manages clothing with help | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Eats a snack near other children without a daily battle | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Puts a bag down and finds a shoe or a bottle with a prompt | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Washes hands with a reminder | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
- Print one copy. Fill it in over a week of ordinary days, not after a special afternoon of practice.
- Tick “most days”, “sometimes” or “not yet”. One or two “not yets” are normal. A row of them is a conversation.
- Give a second copy to the class teacher after two weeks of school, so home and school can be compared.
- Bring it to a consultation if you want help before term starts. A consultation is Rs 1,500 and lasts up to 50 minutes.
Pairs with our social skills home program at inclusivetherapycentre.com/home-programs
Why this helps
Parents ask about letters. Teachers notice whether a child can sit with a group, wait a turn, ask for the toilet, and recover from a no. A child who knows the alphabet but cannot wait in a line is not ready. A child who cannot read yet but can do those four things usually copes. This sheet is the second list.
Filling it in over a week protects you from the trap of the good day. One calm Sunday afternoon is not reception. What happens at 8am on a school morning, with shoes, a bag and a goodbye, is. Our page on school readiness explains the skills; this printable is the record you can hand someone.
This is not a school admission test and it is not a diagnosis. It does not replace a hearing check, a language assessment or a conversation with the teacher. It is the raw picture of this week, which is what a Pakistani classroom actually has to work with.
Tips for using it well
- Do tick what happens most days, not the best day.
- Don’t hold a child back from school only because they cannot read. Reading is taught at school; sitting and waiting are used from day one.
- Do send a copy with the letter to school if the teacher has already raised a concern.
- Do look at toilet independence early. Most Multan schools expect a child to ask and manage clothing with a little help.
Common questions
Does this tell me whether my child should start school this year?
No. It tells you which skills are already there and which need a term of practice. Holding a child back is sometimes right; starting with support is sometimes better. That is a judgement after we have seen your child, not a score on a sheet. Read school readiness and mainstream or special school.
My child knows letters but falls apart in a group. What now?
Letters are the easy part. Group sitting, waiting and recovering from a no are the load of reception. Practise those three at home in short bursts, and look at classroom support for what to ask the teacher.
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.
Want help using these with your child?
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