Diagnosis of the preparation for school life of children with intellectual disabilities faces challenges in current educational practice. The article has two main objectives: identify the main issues of diagnosis of preparation for school life and assess the impact of the methodological teaching recommendations applied in the educational process of the preparatory children in the Special Child Circle “Awareness Awareness”. Empirical level methods were used: document analysis, interview and observation. An analysis of the data obtained showed that children in the preparatory grade do not reach the desired levels in the areas assessing preparation for school life; the methods and techniques used for characterisation do not provide sufficient information for differentiated work. The characteristics reflect the needs, not the potential of each child. Another identified need lies in the fact that the direction of the educational process is not entirely in line with the characteristics of the children and therefore does not contribute to the diagnosis of preparation for school life. The teaching/methodological recommendations favoured performance in areas that ensure preparation for school life from the activities and processes of the spaces and moments of the education process.