A practical, printable-style checklist of the skills your Grade R child should be developing before they step into Grade 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A school readiness checklist helps you see where your Grade R child is strong and where they need a little more practice before Grade 1. The key areas to check are language and listening, early literacy, early numeracy, social and emotional skills, and fine- and gross-motor control. Below is a practical checklist you can work through calmly across the year, without turning play into pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your child should be able to speak in full sentences, follow a two- or three-step instruction, answer ‘who’, ‘what’ and ‘where’ questions about a story, and hold a simple back-and-forth conversation. They should enjoy being read to and be able to retell part of a familiar story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Strong oral language is the biggest predictor of later reading success. Chatting about your day, telling family stories and asking open questions (‘Why do you think the dog ran away?’) all build this \u2014 in whatever language you speak most comfortably at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check that your child can recognise their own name in print, understands that we read from left to right and top to bottom, can hear rhyming words (‘cat’ and ‘hat’), and can pick out the first sound in a word. Knowing some letter sounds \u2014 not necessarily all \u2014 is a bonus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Notice a love of books, not just skills: turning pages, ‘reading’ pictures, asking for the same story again. This enjoyment is what keeps a child going when reading gets harder. Nal’ibali’s free stories and reading-club tips are a wonderful, free way to build it at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you want a structured way to grow letter sounds and early blending, SGEG’s CAPS-aligned Literacy Learner Path is built for exactly this stage and offers free first lessons so you can start without commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Look for a child who can count to at least 10 (many manage 20), recognise numerals up to 10, sort objects by colour, size or shape, understand ‘more’ and ‘less’, and recognise basic shapes. Counting steps, sharing sweets equally and comparing sizes turn everyday moments into maths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As with reading, understanding matters more than rote counting. A child who can count out five apples and tell you which pile has more is showing real number sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can your child separate from you without lasting distress, take turns, share, and play with other children? Can they express feelings in words rather than only through tears or hitting? These skills make the classroom manageable for your child \u2014 and for the teacher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Self-help skills are easy to overlook: going to the toilet independently, washing hands, putting on shoes, opening a lunchbox, and packing their own bag. Practise these at home so your child feels capable and confident on day one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For fine motor, check that your child can hold a crayon comfortably, draw a recognisable person, cut along a line, thread beads and complete a simple puzzle. For gross motor, look for running, jumping, hopping, balancing and catching a ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These develop through play, not drills. Outdoor time, building, playdough, drawing and dressing all count. If you can only tick a few boxes right now, that is fine \u2014 Grade R is a full year, and steady, playful practice moves children along quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n