Growing Up in New Zealand: A longitudinal study of New Zealand children and their families. Transition to school

<p dir="ltr">This report is a summary of mother-reported information about the nature and impact of the transition to formal schooling for the <i>Growing Up in New Zealand</i> cohort children. It contains information gathered during the 72-Month Data Collection Wave (DCW) and continues Growing Up’s collection of longitudinal data to document the developmental trajectories of children growing up in New Zealand today.</p><p dir="ltr">This report is a baseline descriptive report from the electronic Data Collection Wave undertaken by the mothers of the cohort children when they were approximately 72 months of age. The 72-month Data Collection Wave questions were designed in tandem with planning for the constructs to be measured at the next face-to-face Data Collection Wave, and also in the context of the longitudinal plan to understand the children’s development at key transition points in their lives. The 72-month Data Collection Wave questions sought information to provide context specific indicators of school readiness, enabling an assessment of how school readiness might impact child development. </p><p dir="ltr">Whilst focusing on the 72-month Data Collection Wave this report also draws on information about the mother-reported experiences of the Before School Check for their cohort child. The Before School Check is a free health and development check available to all four year olds in New Zealand.</p><p dir="ltr">This report discusses three aspects of school readiness - the 'ready child', the 'ready school' and the 'ready family'.</p>