Pre-school and primary school teachers’ perceptions of school readiness in Ireland

Decisions to send a child to school are often made on the basis of parents and pre-school teachers’ perceptions. There may be disparity between how pre-school and primary school teachers’ define school readiness. The primary objective of this study was to establish current pre-school and primary school teachers’ perspectives of school readiness in Ireland and to compare perspectives from both teacher groups. The research also intended to ascertain the current role occupational therapy has in school readiness and to propose how the role of Occupational Therapists could be expanded in an Irish school context. A postal questionnaire was used to collect data. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS and common themes from open-ended questions were derived through thematic analysis. Discrepancies and commonalities between what pre-school and primary school teachers’ perceive to be the most important concepts of school readiness were highlighted. Results showed teachers from both groups hold similar perspectives. Readiness is multidimensional and should not be based solely on children’s characteristics but should include external factors and the expectations of schools. This study indicated the need for Occupational Therapists to advocate for their role as specialists in the field, qualified to support students in making a successful transition to school.