While there’s no such thing as the perfect mix of students, most teachers hope to have a class with a diversity of abilities from high academic achievers through to those who need a little extra help in meeting their social and educational milestones. 

There’s no way for a teacher to determine the mix of their students’ abilities unless they are privy to information on each child’s past performance, information primarily contained in the child’s report card from the previous year.

It makes sense then that kindergarten teachers be given the same information teachers of other grades have via a preschool report card.

The state government’s newly introduced transition to school statement will allow early childcare teachers to provide kindergarten teachers with an appraisal of each student’s strengths and interests.

There’s even a section that allows for input from the child and their parents.

It’s hard to understand why parents and carers would be concerned about this new initiative as it’s designed to help both teachers and their students deliver and receive an education that’s appropriate to them.

While parents may feel uneasy about their children being judged on their academic and social skills before they’ve even reached school, they’d better get used to it.

The mainstream education system requires children to be marked, assessed and some may say judged, and that’s not a bad thing.

Report cards are tools for parents and teachers to assess a child’s abilities and determine where they’re doing well and where they need help.

It’s never too early to monitor a child’s abilities and interests and plan for future improvement.