What are children in reception doing at your school?

[Mog]

I've noticed since coming on the education threads that there seems to be an enormous variation in what children do at reception level. At our school it seems to still be heavily play based and although dd brings books home she can't read or write sentences. There doesn't seem to be much push on them to do so either.
I wondered what others have experienced at reception level. Could you also say what age your child is, as I think there is a big difference between age 4 and 5 at this level.

[LadySherlockofLGJ]

DS is 4.5 and in reception since September, fulltime since January, they seem to be quite intensive in the morning, reading,writing, music,RE, etc., In the afternoon it appears to be more play based, except for Wednesdays's when the Headmaster takes them for the afternoon and they come out exhausted.

He can read a little and I am told his writing is improving.They showed me some of his writing yesterday and I could actually read it, which I was quite pleased about, a sharp improvement on his Christmas card to us, when I could only just make out his name.

[Angeliz]

DD is doing very well with her reading and brings a new book home every day. She is getting very neta at writing and colouring in too. A little maths i hear. She's learning German and often says phrases, i have no idea what they are!!
They do lots of arty stuff too and p.e and just did an assembly for the Parents yesterday which was lovely. I have my very first Parents evening next week(i'm so excited ) so i'll find out mor3e i guess.

[Angeliz]

DD is 5 next month BTW.

[ladymuck]

Ds1 will be 5 at Easter. They have reading each morning (individually), some group phonic work. They're doing addition and subtraction up to 10. They write their news in their books once a week - they start off tracing over what the teacher has written, but ds is not doing it by himself - rather phonetic spelling! They've been learning about gardening and plants (so the play house has become a gardening shop). They have been growing beans and cress, and learning what plants need to grow etc. They do music, RE ,and art though typically around other topics.

Schools do vary though. I was torn between 2, this one (where they start work quite early), and another which was very play-based, but was also seen to be a very good school.

[WigWamBam]

My dd is 4y8m, started in September. She comes home with one library book and two or three reading books a week, she's on the second level of their reading scheme and is reading very well now. They are split into groups based on ability though, so some of them aren't as far on as that - and age doesn't seem to have much to do with their level of ability. They work fairly intensively on letter recognition and formation, and have two letters that they concentrate on every week. They also do a lot of writing, and although she can't yet spell all of the words she can read, they are practising by copying words and sentences.

They are doing simple sums, and are learning to count in 2s and 5s this half term. Again, they work in groups based on their ability and while some are counting well, others struggle past 10.

French is optional, she seems to be picking up quite a lot of it at the moment, both verbally and written. They also do music, PE and have started doing games this half term - they are learning tennis and circus skills. Dancing, football and cricket are optional at this stage.

They use the computers and laptops a lot, both on their own during free play and in groups learning computer skills.

They are still doing a lot of play-based activities, although there is less of that this term than last. They have a role play area, which changes every couple of weeks, and there are different free play activities at different times - crayons, paints, jigsaws, dressing up, that sort of thing.

[ladymuck]

Sorry - ds is now writing by himself, not "not writing"

[Feistybird]

My DD is just 5. They are doing jolly phonics and they bring home words to learn (although there's no real pressure to do so). She is also doing addition, learning about hibernation and doing sign language (which I think is great, if unexpected)

[Feistybird]

About writing - DD can write her name and 'Mum' and 'Dad' (sometimes Bab!) and can write other words if I tell her the sounds.

[Rianna]

4.5 years.
Numberwork: additions and substractions.Writes very neatly, gets spelling test now, but doesn't write sentences .
Gets a few reading books, knows 60+ words.
French: the colours.Music: alot more then I know:-)

[throckenholt]

ds1 is 4.5 - going mornings only since September. He does a lot of playing, but also some Jolly Phonics type stuff, also some writing, and lots of group reading I think.

[singersgirl]

DS2's topic is Ourselves this half-term, so they have been doing self-portraits with mirrors, labelling body parts and writing about what they like.

They don't do Jolly Phonics, but have used it to teach the alphabet letters. There is an enormous variation in how quickly the children are picking up reading - some, like DS, could read already, some are storming ahead now.

I'm not quite sure what writing they do, but DS, who could barely write his name when he started, is writing messily but just about legibly now.

They do outdoors and indoor PE and have lots of playtime and stories.

[GDG]

Ds1 is 4.11 now - started reception full time in September.

I think they are work based in the morning and more play, sport, music etc in the afternoon.

He reads one to one about 3 times a week. His reading is very good - he's at the top of the class with a few others for this - most are not reading words yet but he can read most words now. They do Jolly Phonics and he is racing through the books bringing home about 3 new ones each week plus a library book. He is really enthusiastic and reads everything he comes across though.

They obviously practice writing and are doing cursive writing. His writing is very neat and he can write quite a lot of words without copying - because he has done phonics he can work most of them out. Some he still does phonetically, e.g. the other day he was writing names out and he put Adn for Aidan, Adm for Adam, Keean for Kian - but many of the common words he can do.

They are definitely doing adding and subtracting as he was adding and subtracting raisins the other day - but we've not had homework on this - will ask about this on parent's evening!

I know they did something about rain today and they've done stuff on food. Tbh, I can't get much out of him about what he is doing - it's all about what colour Power Ranger he was in the playground and how well he did at reading - he is loving it!

[Klauz33]

My DS1 was 4 in August so at the young end of the year.

He has reading books but we haven't progressed much beyond and, it, of etc... For him it is a slow process. They learnt all their phonetic sounds first term.

They have a theme every half term - this term it is Elmer the elephant. He came home and told me that Indian elephants have small ears and African elephants have big ears. And today he told me that trees help us to live!!

He has been doing some writing, but nothing other than his name and certainly no writing homework.

They do PE twice a week, an afternoon in the woods once a week, lots of roleplay and playing.

Abilities vary greatly in the year, some children are roaring ahead with their reading but DS1 is still stuck at the starting gate. Repeat - HE IS ONLY 4, RELAX

[jenkel]

I was relieved to read your thread Klaus, my dd is due to start Reception full time in September and she will be 4 mid August, so another one of the youngest ones. I'm trying to stay calm at the moment while she is at nursery, as again she is one of the youngest ones. I'm not worried about her abilities until I can see what the other children are doing, but I guess at the age of 3 and 4 there must be huge differences between the younger and the oldest. So good to read your post and know that somebody else feels the same as me.

[GDG]

Honestly, the majority in ds1's class are not 'reading' words yet - reception is more about settling into school, getting to grips with the rules, the routine etc.

Plus, one Mum was telling me the other day about a little boy in her sons class - in reception it took him aaaaages to get the hang of blending to read - it was the end of summer before it clicked for him. BY yr 2 he is streets ahead of everyone.

Early ability doesn't necessarily mean they will be better than everyone else forever. I've got an August baby too so I'll be repeating this to myself when he starts school in 2008!!

[GDG]

Honestly, the majority in ds1's class are not 'reading' words yet - reception is more about settling into school, getting to grips with the rules, the routine etc.

Plus, one Mum was telling me the other day about a little boy in her sons class - in reception it took him aaaaages to get the hang of blending to read - it was the end of summer before it clicked for him. BY yr 2 he is streets ahead of everyone.

Early ability doesn't necessarily mean they will be better than everyone else forever. I've got an August baby too so I'll be repeating this to myself when he starts school in 2008!!

[Bozza]

This is a bit of an issue for me because I expected DS (5 this month, started in September) to be bringing home reading books by now. But he's not. How do you all know what they do? I get very little out of DS, mainly what Govt fruit they get and that's about it. Not even what he had for lunch. Oh and James didn't put his hand up when he knew the answer he said "I know, I know, I know" - this is DS being superior over an enthusiastic January starter. They are doing jolly phonics and his writing has improved considerably since he started school - he rattled off his name on a load of party invites tonight with no problem and can do other letters. But no reading . He brings home a weekly library book and that's is it.

[Bozza]

I don't even know whether he does one to one reading practice.

[Merlin]

DS1 was 5 end of Oct. Brings home new reading book every day and record book for us to comment in. Phonics homework once a week - 3 letters at a time - has to practise writing them and then draw appropriate pictures to illustrate too.

Day to day does maths (loves numbers) and one to one reading, library, book corner etc. IT once a week too. Afternoons they do 'Let's Go' where they get to visit another reception classroom, new teacher, different topics etc (4 reception classes at DS's school).Have a different subject each term - at the mo it's toys - past and present, how they work, making puppets etc. All in all, kept very busy no wonder he comes home knackered

[singersgirl]

They're supposed to read to the teacher once a week in DS2's class, but they get reading books changed twice a week, 2 books a time.

[GDG]

Bozza - as I said, many of ds1's class are not taking home books yet either. They know the sounds and they can recognise their name and the names of other children in the class, but if you present them with a new word, they can read out each sound in order but cannot 'blend' it to read the word iyswim. This is, apparently, the hardest thing to get and it will click for different children at different times.

I'm sure it isn't a reflection of their future ability to read.

I don't know much about what else they get up to either - I was talking to the TA this morning and she mentioned they were doing about 'capacity' yesterday using water and jugs etc. Ds told me he did 'nothing' yesterday - in fact, I outright asked him if he had done reading and he said 'no' but he clearly had as he had a new reading book in his bookbag and a comment from the teacher in his reading record!!! LIttle monkey!

[mixed]

ds plays with lego and football, and loves it.

[gomez]

Can't really comment on reception classes but find this really interesting as in Scotland where we don't do reception but straight into P1. DD1 (5) is in P1 but is one of the older pupils (she is 6 in May) - range is basically from Jan 2000 to Feb 2001 as Jan/Feb birthdays can chose which year to start and some defer and some don't.

She is reading well, writing is okay (but she still can't hold a bl**dy pencil correctly which drivex me nuts) and they have moved onto number sticks/times tables type things over the last week or so. Not a lot of informal play at all TBH, gym twice each week and music weekly. 'Academically' she is not as stretched as she could be but withour a doubt is learning hughly from the social aspects.

[gomez]

Can't really comment on reception classes but find this really interesting as in Scotland where we don't do reception but straight into P1. DD1 (5) is in P1 but is one of the older pupils (she is 6 in May) - range is basically from Jan 2000 to Feb 2001 as Jan/Feb birthdays can chose which year to start and some defer and some don't.

She is reading well, writing is okay (but she still can't hold a bl**dy pencil correctly which drivex me nuts) and they have moved onto number sticks/times tables type things over the last week or so. Not a lot of informal play at all TBH, gym twice each week and music weekly. 'Academically' she is not as stretched as she could be but withour a doubt is learning hughly from the social aspects.

[gomez]

Wasn't my fault honest Mumsnet went down .