There are many factors to consider when deciding if your 5 year old is ready for kindergarten. Many children begin kindergarten at age 6, so there will be a wide range of ages and skill levels in the classroom. Factors such as emotional maturity, school-readiness skills, the ability to attend for a full day of learning, social skills, as well as a child's speech and language skills are all important.

Children with delayed speech and language may be impacted in their ability to learn and keep up with their peers in the classroom, but they also may have a more difficult time interacting and communicating socially with their friends. The school should be able to provide support through speech/language therapy to help your child in the classroom. However, if your child is not attentive in the classroom, is not as emotionally mature as the other students, or is not able to use language socially to communicate with their friends, be sure to discuss these issues with your child’s speech-language pathologist (SLP or speech therapist).
 
It's important to get advice from the professionals who know your child. Continue to have on-going conversations with your child's SLP, and talk to the school to help you determine if your child is ready for kindergarten. If your child is not ready quite yet, giving him or her an extra year of development may make a big difference in their success and their confidence in starting school.