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Anyone else's child starting or started in Y1 (having missed reception)?

51 replies

girlwithagruffalotattoo · 08/06/2016 20:27

I am 99% sure that my request for summer born dd to start reception this Sept, so it's looking like she'll have to go into Year 1. I'm really worrying, so if anyone can tell me some positive stories I'd really appreciate it!

Will she be supported in things like knowing her way around and how things work on a day to day basis? Will they give her extra support with academic stuff as she hasn't done reception? Will she be able to make friends? Will she be ok? :'(

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ChorizoGnocchiPinotGrigio · 08/06/2016 20:30

Do they have a soace for your DD to join for the last stretch if the summer term in reception? Don't think it's the done thing but would help her settle.

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girlwithagruffalotattoo · 08/06/2016 20:47

Yes, that's been offered as an option. Would that be a good idea though, putting her in for only a month or so?

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Johnny5isAlive · 08/06/2016 20:58

Don't worry about things like not knowing her way around. Children don't go anywhere on their own at that age. She'll only need to know where the toilet is and I'm certain they will show her that Smile

I think it does vary between schools, but with ours, Y1 is not vastly different from YR. So don't worry about the academic stuff - there will still be plenty of learning through play. They still don't sit at desks writing all day just yet.

Just look a the normal guidance of starting school - toileting & changing independantly, good listening, and encourage her to put her hand up and ask for help if she needs it.

She'll be fine

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girlwithagruffalotattoo · 08/06/2016 21:11

Thank you Johnny5. Do the teachers take them from one place to another then, e.g. class to lunch?

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Johnny5isAlive · 08/06/2016 21:16

Yes. They don't go anywhere on their own (except perhaps for 'special helper tasks' such as taking the register to the office - but they'll do that in pairs normally).

They will be escorted to the dinner hall, or the library, or the pe hall.

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Johnny5isAlive · 08/06/2016 21:18

I have one in YR and one in Y2 and these apects are the same for both - ie, they are not expected to go anywhere alone other than the toilet

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TeenAndTween · 08/06/2016 21:20

I think it depends on the school and the layout.

At my DD's school the infants toilets are just off each classroom so that's easy. They go to lunch in a long line.
But 2 children take the register to the school office every morning.

Schools are used to new children joining from other places so will definitely do all the showing around and explaining routines.

Your DD may take a bit longer to pick them up as she will be coming in 'cold' unless she has been at a formal pre-school setting but she should be fine.

The difficulty may be with reading, writing and numeracy unless you have covered that yourself during 'reception' year. They will (have to) give extra support if she is behind, but if you have chosen for her to miss reception, I do think the onus should/will be on you to play your part at home catching her up. If you haven't been doing stuff at home, I would start now so she isn't starting y1 knowing no sounds etc.

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SisterViktorine · 08/06/2016 21:24

I also think she probably needs her reading, writing and numeracy to be as close to the EYFS expectations as you can get her before she starts otherwise she will be at a disadvantage and may feel a bit overwhelmed. Of course she may already be able to do this.

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Owlkiss · 08/06/2016 21:30

My summer-born not-yet-5 DD has just started Reception - she started after Easter.

I'd done a bit of stuff at home, but there has been 1:1 support to catch up with phonics etc.

She got the hang of the classroom routines, and where everything was very quickly and has made lots of friends - I suppose she was a novelty when she started and the children in her class were eager to "help" her and show her what to do. School have been very encouraging and supportive of her.

I would thoroughly recommend trying to join Reception for the end of this term if your DD is going to be going up to Y1 with them - it has certainly been a good decision for us.

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girlwithagruffalotattoo · 08/06/2016 21:31

She's not reading but she can write if I spell the words and she knows the sounds the letters make. There will probably be some children who can't read fluently despite having done Reception though, right?

Thanks Johnny5, that is reassuring. I was having nightmares about tiny little dd being lost in a giant scary maze of corridors!

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girlwithagruffalotattoo · 08/06/2016 21:37

X posts with Owlkiss, thanks for that, maybe that is the best way to go. I'm still desperately holding out hope for them saying she can start reception in Sept but realistically I think it unlikely so maybe that would be the best thing to do

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Leeds2 · 08/06/2016 21:40

I volunteer in a school which has a lot of new children starting, and there are almost riots as to who gets to "look after" the new girl! The others will be falling over themselves to be her friend.

As others have said, they go nowhere by themselves, unless they need to go to the toilet during lesson time.

I would try and get your daughter to start now, just to get her used to the class/building/procedures etc so that she can hit the ground running in September. Her Reception teacher may also give you some ideas as to things to work on with her over the summer.

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girlwithagruffalotattoo · 08/06/2016 21:48

Thanks Leeds, very reassuring :)

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TeenAndTween · 08/06/2016 21:50

she can write if I spell the words and she knows the sounds the letters make

To clarify, if you want her to write the word cat, do you say 'See' 'Ay' 'Tee'
(letter names) or /c/ /a/ /t/ (sounds)? (These days they are taught with sounds first not names).

Slightly surprised she can write without any reading? Can she do sounds but not blend them? Can she do sounds like /sh/ and /oo/ ?
There may well be one or 2 who still can't blend going in to y1 but I think it really would be only 1 or 2 really not more. 'Reading fluently' rather depends on your definition of fluent I think.

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LIZS · 08/06/2016 21:56

How did you end up in this situation? Did you have a reception place for this year but have decided not taken it up? Did you try to reapply in January for this September or have you only recently communicated with LA?

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girlwithagruffalotattoo · 08/06/2016 21:57

Yes, letter sounds rather than names. Some words she can write without being told how, cat would be an example. She knows "sh" and "oo", yes. She is getting there with blending the sounds but not able to sit down and read a sentence without help

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girlwithagruffalotattoo · 08/06/2016 21:58

It due to some complicated changes of circumstances, LIZS, I was planning to home educate but have found myself unable to do so because of these changes so here I am

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AnotherUsernameBitesTheDust · 08/06/2016 22:26

I have twins who missed reception and started in y1. They went into y1 not really knowing their letters and minimal counting. They settled in really well, made friends, the teachers said they were enthusiastic (always asking loads if questions!) They started in the bottom groups as they didn't know phonics and their maths wasn't that great.

They're y7 now and in top group for most subjects, got level 5s in the SATs, so missing reception did them no harm, in fact I think it was best for them, they really weren't ready for school at 4. And I wish I'd done the same with my youngest.

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girlwithagruffalotattoo · 08/06/2016 22:28

Oh that's great, Another, really pleased for your twins and feeling reassured, thank you :)

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Dixiechickonhols · 08/06/2016 23:00

Can you go into school and look at reception and year 1 rooms. Some schools have reception and yr 1 similar, some are more formal with much more work expected. My DD breezed through reception but was tired at start of year 1 as she was having to work.

Starting now sounds good. A month is an age for a young child and they will be doing lots of fun things like sportsday which will make her feel part of things. She will no longer be the newbie in september.

My DD went to the school nursery of school she was going to maybe 10 times before starting reception. 1st day of reception she came home talking about the new girl - just a few days had made her already feel part of the class.

She will be taught phonics then you can build on it in the summer. I did reading chest with DD summer after reception and her reading came on so much. They send reading books by post think i subscribed for 2 months.

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alanthicke · 08/06/2016 23:11

We moved from the states to the UK when my DS was 5.5. In the states they start kindergarten a year later than reception here so he had only done a very part-time play-based pre-school program. I had a few concerns but honestly it was NO problem at all. There are always a few new kids every year regardless of circumstances, and the teacher was very good about giving DS a buddy until he knew his way around (it didn't take long). My DS was already reading pretty well at that point just bc we read to him a lot at home and he has a natural affinity for it, but his progress skyrocketed once he started getting formal lessons. When he started he was a bit behind on phonics, spelling, and handwriting, but all of that disappeared by the end of the first term. Kids that age are INCREDIBLY adaptable. He's even starting picking up an English accent!

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girlwithagruffalotattoo · 09/06/2016 08:24

Aww bless him alanthicke! I think I'm convinced about starting now!

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2catsnowaiting · 10/06/2016 19:14

I would say you need to make sure she can dress and go to the toilet etc, life skills they will all have been trained in in YrR.

Also I would really stress that you should be teaching her phonics not letter sounds as even the children who cannot read well yet will have been drilled like mad on phonics through R. It also helps them to read. At start of year 1 there are some kids who are still on the first level books but most will be reading more than a few words, and some will be reading fluently.

Definitely don't worry about knowing her way around, they will look after her from that point of view.

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bobbinpop · 10/06/2016 19:18

I would also get her in before the end of term to get used to the school day, atmosphere and make friends. Agree with pp about phonics; I would ask the reception teacher for summer holiday work so you can practise. The other children will be lovely, I'm sure they will make her feel welcome :)

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almostthirty · 10/06/2016 19:20

Have a look at development matters. This is the document most schools (in my area anyway ) use to assess reception children. By the end of reception all children should reach the Early learning goal. Have a look at what she can and can't do and it will give you an idea of what to work on over the summer.

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