{"id":9814,"date":"2025-07-05T16:28:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-05T13:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brno-new.maplebear.cz\/?p=9814"},"modified":"2025-10-29T14:46:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T13:46:47","slug":"what-should-my-child-know-before-starting-grade-1-in-the-czech-republic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brno.maplebear.cz\/en\/what-should-my-child-know-before-starting-grade-1-in-the-czech-republic\/","title":{"rendered":"What Should My Child Know Before Starting Grade 1 in Czechia?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"9814\" class=\"elementor elementor-9814\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-49d5d3c e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"49d5d3c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fd0e186 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"fd0e186\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h6 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span style=\"font-weight: normal\">Starting school is a big moment for every family, especially if you're living abroad. As a parent, you might be wondering: Is my child ready? What if they don\u2019t know the language? What skills are actually expected in Czech schools? Let\u2019s clarify what\u2019s really important - and what isn\u2019t.<\/span><\/h6>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c511a2f e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"c511a2f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5fcf2e5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5fcf2e5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 style=\"color: #0b0b0b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 31px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 32px; line-height: 1.3; letter-spacing: normal;\">What does Czech law say?<\/h3><p style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; padding: 0px 0px 0.85rem; margin: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">According to the Czech Education Act, children must start school the year they turn six, provided they are\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">physically and mentally ready<\/span>. This means readiness is not about academic performance, but about\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">overall maturity<\/span>: social, emotional, physical and cognitive.<\/p><p style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; padding: 0.85rem 0px; margin: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">If there are concerns about readiness, parents can apply for a\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">one-year postponement<\/span>\u00a0(school deferral), with recommendations from a doctor and a pedagogical counseling center.<\/p><h3 style=\"color: #0b0b0b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 31px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 32px; line-height: 1.3; letter-spacing: normal;\">What does \u201cschool readiness\u201d mean?<\/h3><p style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; padding: 0px 0px 0.85rem; margin: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">In Czech schools (and at Maple Bear), school readiness includes more than just knowing numbers and letters. It\u2019s about how well a child can adapt to a school environment, follow instructions, work independently, and manage basic self-care. Here are the key areas:<\/p><h4 style=\"color: #090909; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 31px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2; letter-spacing: normal; font-weight: 400;\">1.\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Physical readiness<\/span><\/h4><ul style=\"margin-top: 0.85rem; margin-bottom: 0.85rem; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;\"><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Good motor coordination (can catch a ball, use scissors),<\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Can hold a pencil and draw shapes,<\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Can sit and focus for about 20 minutes.<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; padding: 0.85rem 0px; margin: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u2705\u00a0<em>Tip:<\/em>\u00a0Focus on everyday activities: drawing, using play-dough, playing with blocks.<\/p><h4 style=\"color: #090909; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 31px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2; letter-spacing: normal; font-weight: 400;\">2.\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Cognitive skills<\/span><\/h4><ul style=\"margin-top: 0.85rem; margin-bottom: 0.85rem; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;\"><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Can count up to 10 and compare quantities,<\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Recognizes basic shapes, colors, and time concepts (yesterday\/today\/tomorrow),<\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Knows basic personal info (name, age, possibly address).<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; padding: 0.85rem 0px; margin: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u2705\u00a0<em>Important:<\/em>\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Children do not need to know how to read or write before Grade 1.<\/span><\/p><h4 style=\"color: #090909; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 31px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2; letter-spacing: normal; font-weight: 400;\">3.\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Language and communication<\/span><\/h4><ul style=\"margin-top: 0.85rem; margin-bottom: 0.85rem; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;\"><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Can express themselves in full sentences (in any language),<\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Understands basic instructions,<\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Can describe a simple picture or retell a story.<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; padding: 0.85rem 0px; margin: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u2705\u00a0<em>Tip:<\/em>\u00a0Don\u2019t stress about perfect Czech or English &#8211; what matters most is the child\u2019s ability to communicate and interact.<\/p><h4 style=\"color: #090909; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 31px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2; letter-spacing: normal; font-weight: 400;\">4.\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Social and emotional maturity<\/span><\/h4><ul style=\"margin-top: 0.85rem; margin-bottom: 0.85rem; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;\"><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Can separate from parents without distress,<\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Is able to ask for help,<\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Understands turn-taking and basic rules.<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; padding: 0.85rem 0px; margin: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u2705\u00a0<em>Tip:<\/em>\u00a0A positive preschool experience or time in a group setting helps prepare for this.<\/p><h4 style=\"color: #090909; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 31px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.2; letter-spacing: normal; font-weight: 400;\">5.\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Independence and self-care<\/span><\/h4><ul style=\"margin-top: 0.85rem; margin-bottom: 0.85rem; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;\"><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Dresses and eats independently,<\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Uses the toilet without help,<\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Can manage their belongings (e.g. pack their bag, tidy their workspace).<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; padding: 0.85rem 0px; margin: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u2705\u00a0<em>Tip:<\/em>\u00a0Let your child practice small tasks at home &#8211; packing their bag, choosing clothes, setting the table.<\/p><h3 style=\"color: #0b0b0b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 31px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 32px; line-height: 1.3; letter-spacing: normal;\">What happens during the school enrollment (&#8220;z\u00e1pis&#8221;)?<\/h3><p style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; padding: 0px 0px 0.85rem; margin: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">In Czech schools, the enrollment process is more of a\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">friendly interview<\/span>\u00a0than a test. A teacher might ask the child to draw, identify shapes or colors, or answer a few questions. The goal is simply to get to know the child and ensure they are ready to enter the school system.<\/p><p style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; padding: 0.85rem 0px; margin: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">At\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Maple Bear Brno<\/span>, we ensure this process is stress-free, positive, and supportive.<\/p><h3 style=\"color: #0b0b0b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 31px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 32px; line-height: 1.3; letter-spacing: normal;\">Summary: What does a child\u00a0<em>really<\/em>\u00a0need to know?<\/h3><p style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; padding: 0px 0px 0.85rem; margin: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\">Forget memorized knowledge or worksheets. What matters most is that your child is:<\/p><ul style=\"margin-top: 0.85rem; margin-bottom: 0.85rem; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;\"><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">curious and eager to learn,<\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">able to function in a group,<\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">emotionally ready for a new environment,<\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px;\"><p style=\"line-height: 1.7; letter-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">and able to ask for help when needed.<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.7; padding: 0.85rem 0px 0px; margin: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Everything else, they\u2019ll learn with us.<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-360c1ce e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"360c1ce\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b1e0e09 e-transform elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"b1e0e09\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_transform_translateY_effect_hover&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:-5,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;_transform_translateX_effect_hover&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;_transform_translateX_effect_hover_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;_transform_translateX_effect_hover_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;_transform_translateY_effect_hover_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;_transform_translateY_effect_hover_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/brno.maplebear.cz\/admissions\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" id=\"Layer_1\" data-name=\"Layer 1\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"512\" height=\"512\"><path d=\"M22,0H10V2h10.586L.043,22.543l1.414,1.414L22,3.414V14h2V2c0-1.103-.897-2-2-2Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Enrolment Information<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Starting school is a big moment for every family, especially if you&#8217;re living abroad. As a parent, you might be wondering: Is my child ready? What if they don\u2019t know the language? What skills are actually expected in Czech schools? Let\u2019s clarify what\u2019s really important &#8211; and what isn\u2019t. What does Czech law say? According [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":9815,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9814","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aktuality"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brno.maplebear.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9814","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brno.maplebear.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brno.maplebear.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brno.maplebear.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brno.maplebear.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9814"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/brno.maplebear.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9814\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brno.maplebear.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9815"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brno.maplebear.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9814"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brno.maplebear.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9814"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brno.maplebear.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9814"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}