School readiness and what age are we talking about?

one of the key findings of the document http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/are-you-ready-good-practice-school-readiness is that there are various views on the definition of school readiness and whether the term refers to readiness to start school on entry to Year 1 or the start of entry into reception.  This is not helpful.....The precise characteristics of school readiness and the age of the child to which it applies are interpreted differently and there is no nationally agreed definition!  For most parents 'school' is when children start going to 'full-time' school in reception but I have personally heard other professionals refer to 'school' when they actually mean nursery places so 3 and 4 year olds!  Is it any wonder that we are left wondering whether the children in our care are meeting expected levels of development or not?

In my setting, it is our aim that children are working towards their individual next stage of their learning journey.  Who are we to say what this next stage will be - nursery, reception, Year 1 or even another provider which could be at any time.

The EYFS early years outcomes, alongside my knowledge and understanding of child development, guide my assessment of each child's stage of learning and development and as that applies to children until the term following their 5th birthday, then surely they have until that time to achieve the early learning goals.  I work in partnership with nursery schools (at 3/4 yrs) and reception classes (at 4/5 yrs) to continue to support children to reach the early learning goals.

If a child is developing at the expected stage of development for their age then by the end of the EYFS (end of reception year) then they should be ready for school (ie. Year 1).

So I suppose in effect I am saying that 'school' in my opinion is the start of Key Stage 1 because until that stage children are working towards the early learning goals of the EYFS which is a joint responsibility between all those providing care for them.

The worry is that with no agreed definition that children are being pressured into unrealistic goals and practitioners are feeling disheartened that outcomes for children are not as they had expected when in fact we should be concentrating on all the wonderful things these children can do and not what they can't do.