School readiness for children: how to choose a teacher or group
What exactly are you preparing your child for
Preparing for Class 1 is not only reading and writing. School expects a child to listen, hold attention for 15–20 minutes, talk to adults and other children, and work with a pencil. So a good programme combines learning tasks with building attention, memory and fine motor skills.
A special case is a school with an interview or entrance test. Here you need specific skills for that school: ask the school what it checks and write it in your request.
One-to-one, a mini-group or a big group
- One-to-one — the teacher works at the child's pace. Good for shy children or those with gaps.
- A mini-group of up to 6 children — the teacher's attention plus the habit of working in a group, which helps before school.
- A big group — usually cheaper, but each child gets less attention.
How to find a teacher through BlaBlaPrice
You write one request: the child's age, what they can already do, what is missing, format and area. It is checked and you are told what is missing. Teachers and centres reply in the chat: programme, price per session, schedule, and whether there is a trial session. They can see where their offer ranks among others, so they often improve their terms. Reviews are shown next to each one. Your phone number stays hidden until you choose a teacher. Read more on the “How it works” page.
What to put in your request
- Child's age — for example, 5.5 years.
- What to improve — reading, writing, maths, logic, English, attention, interview.
- What they can already do — knows the letters but cannot read; counts to ten.
- Format — one-to-one or mini-group, at home, online or at a centre.
- How often — for example, 2 times a week.
- Which school — a school with an entrance test, a private school.
- Area and budget per session.
Example: “Sydney. My child is 5.5, knows the letters but cannot read yet, counts a little. I am looking for a mini-group of up to 6 children, 2 times a week, with preparation for a school that holds an interview. Budget up to $8.59 per session.”
How to compare offers
Ask how a session is organised. Good preparation for a six-year-old does not look like a school lesson: it is short blocks with movement, play and a change of activity. Two-hour sessions with paper tasks and no break are a reason to be careful.
Check whether the teacher keeps in touch with parents: will they tell you about progress and give advice? Ask about group size, the fee for missed sessions and whether you can come for a trial. Read other parents' reviews.
If the sessions are linked to speech, look at speech therapists or a child psychologist, and older children need tutors. Everything is in the “Education and sports services” section.
