Beyond academic performance: how children, parents, and teachers construct school readiness goals in China

School readiness is critical to children’s transition to primary school. However, little is known about the goals children pursue during this transition and how these goals relate to parents’ and teachers’ expectations. Drawing on Goal Contents Theory (GCT), this qualitative study explored school readiness from the perspectives of children, parents, and teachers. Data were collected from 38 senior preschool children aged 5–6 in Chongqing using a Mosaic approach, alongside interviews with three teachers and six parents. Findings showed that children’s readiness goals included intrinsic and extrinsic orientations. Intrinsic goals focused on learning, interests, and peer relationships, while extrinsic goals emphasized academic performance and adult approval. Parents and teachers valued holistic development while also stressing academic preparation, behavioral regulation, and adaptation to primary school. Children actively interpreted and negotiated these expectations through their own interests and experiences. School readiness thus involves a relational and motivational process shaped by interactions among children, parents, teachers, and school demands.