Early literacy and school readiness are two of this year’s hot topics - not least because of the National Year of Reading 2026 campaign and the UK government’s newly announced support to help children prepare for school.
Reading Fairy’s Get Set for School programme is uniquely positioned to support children and parents as they prepare for the transition. Developed by early reading experts, these sessions nurture literacy and learning at home, while also providing practical tips and guidance to boost confidence and emotional wellbeing.
What Does ‘School Readiness’ Mean?
This term is widely used to summarise a child’s ability to start school with key language, literacy, listening and social skills.
What Does the Reading Fairy Get Set for School course include?
● Fun sessions with peers, developed by a team with unrivalled expertise in education
● High quality tailored Activity Workbook to prepare children for starting school that each child works on in the sessions before taking home
● Advice and top tips to help children settle at school
● Practical skills for supporting literacy and learning at home
● Phonics guidance for children and parents which supports every school phonics reading programme and the curriculum
Kayleigh, our Reading Fairy Franchisee for Isleworth & Surrounds has been delivering our Get Set for School course to new starters for several years and says local teachers have told her that they can notice a marked difference between children who have attended the sessions and their classmates.
Kayleigh explains a little more about what’s unique about the course:
“Each child who attends Get Set for School is given their very own workbook which is for the children and parents to keep. We work through the booklets and there's loads of different aspects covered in terms of what to expect at school.
Unless you are in education, phonics is such an alien concept and so these sessions just give the parents, as well as the children, a headstart.
We don't just cover academic stuff like phonics or stories, we discuss things like how you are getting to school, what you are going to wear, do you wear uniform? If so, what colour is it?
We talk about the emotions that happen when you start school, it's a big, big change. Suddenly you're going, you've got to wear uniform, you've got to go to a different place with different children.
So, this helps the parents and the carers and the children with just a little advice in terms of what's going to happen when you get there. For example, we talk about what new sounds you might hear at school, such as a school bell.
It’s about giving them the support to be one step ahead, to create that relationship between the parent and the child, where the parent can support the child throughout that transition into Reception.”
You can find your local Get Set for School course and signup here:
http://www.wowworldgroup.com/find-a-class
