THE NOTION OF READINESS and what it means to be ready for school dominates much of the popular discussion, as well as the research base, about transition to school. Readiness means different things for different people, yet almost always there is a perception that readiness for school involves some assessment of the characteristics of individual children against some set of standard expectations or desirable attributes. The article explores three aspects of readiness: notions of children's readiness; schools' readiness for children; and family and community supports that underpin readiness. Recognition of the importance of each of these aspects supports the conclusion that a focus only on the characteristics of individual children provides, at best, a narrow and limited conceptualisation of readiness and one that can act against children's best interests.
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