Parent Guides & Courses Page
Thought-We-Were-School-Ready
Breathe out.
You’ve found your people.
Our PDF guides are quick, grab-and-go resources you can download, print, and use anytime — they give you focused advice on specific challenges like drop-offs, play, and school transitions.
Our courses give you a deeper, step-by-step journey — you can dip in and out, explore real-life examples, and build your own toolkit over time. They’re designed to help you think, reflect, and grow your confidence at your own pace.
School-readiness isn’t a checklist. It’s a mindset.
A slow-building, slightly chaotic, totally magical mix of independence, empathy, and resilience. Let Start-School-Ready give you the tools.
Does It Matter When?
We believe that the sooner you prepare, the smoother the transition will be for your child. We invite families from the moment they learn that they are expecting, all the way through to their child's first year in Reception.
It's never too late to gain valuable insights that will help foster emotional health and ease any transitional challenges.
School readiness isn't just about counting to ten or knowing colours. It’s about your child walking into Reception ready to cope, join in, and thrive.
We’ll show you what really matters — with honest stories from the classroom, practical tips that work, and guidance that actually makes sense.
Our materials will help you feel calm, clued-up, and totally ready to back your child all the way in to “big School”.
We’ve got what you need…
Guides
Courses
8 Steps to Sanity:
Start-School-Ready The Family Way
Your guide to smooth mornings and school-ready kids.
School readiness is more than a checklist. It’s about preparing your child — and yourself — for the routines, relationships, and real-life chaos of school. This guide helps you build that mindset, so you’re ready for whatever comes next.
A Day in Reception: The Learning Behind the Play
What Really Happens in Reception?
This course is your tour of a Reception day: where play looks effortless, but the learning is carefully stitched into every chat, climb, scribble and squabble. We’ll unpack the skills children are building (often without even realising it), and how you can support them at home — No memorising frameworks — just real insight, real examples, and the kind of clarity every parent deserves.
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By the end of this course, you’ll walk away with:
A clearer picture of what actually happens during a Reception day
No vague “they just play” answers here. You’ll understand what’s happening, when, and why it matters — from the moment they hang up their coat to the second they bolt out at home time.
A breakdown of how learning is embedded into the everyday
We’ll show you how skills are built during snack time, story time, tidy-up time — and every moment in between. You’ll start spotting learning in places you’ve never thought to look.
Language you can use at home to help your child feel more secure at school
You don’t need to become a teacher — but we’ll show you the kinds of phrases and routines that help bridge home and school life, so your child doesn’t feel like they’re living in two different worlds.
A deeper understanding of school readiness beyond “Can they write their name?”
You’ll learn why things like resilience, focus, listening, independence, and turn-taking are just as vital as phonics and number skills — and how to nurture them in real, everyday ways.
Honest guidance, no pressure
This isn’t a list of things to panic about or a reminder to “do more.” It’s about recognising the learning that’s already happening — and making sense of what matters most.
Confidence in what your child is doing — even when all they say is “I don’t know”
You’ll be able to decode the “just played” updates and understand what’s going on underneath the surface. No need to grill them over dinner — you’ll already know the score.
A note on language:
Throughout our website, we’ve used the word parents as a simple, direct way to refer to anyone caring for a child - including guardians, caregivers, and extended family members. We absolutely don’t mean to exclude anyone by using this shorthand. We’ve simply chosen it to keep things readable and concise, especially knowing how little time you have to spare.
Have Questions?
email us at:
team@start-school-ready.com