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DD starting reception...

7 replies

angelPeacock · 13/06/2011 15:28

my DD is 4...5 in november, she will be in the eldest 22 of 53ish kids, so not actually as old as it seems being a nov child.
she is curently at a nursery that is associated but not attatched to the school she will be going to in sep.

i have been told she is in the top 3 of the nursery, and i know she is advanced / ahead / whatever you want to call it, but i dont want to start labling her G&T or anything. if that happens in the futer then fair enough but at the moment, i just want her to continue to be pushed at school.

how do i approach school about this. i dont want her coming home with discussion books when she can read, and i dont want her doing her 1-10's when she can easly go up to 50....that kind of thing...

what did you do with your DC at this stage? xxx

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IndigoBell · 13/06/2011 15:49

Don't do anything at all. That will just make it worse.

Reception is all about 'learning through play'.....

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LawrieMarlow · 13/06/2011 16:17

DD started reception in September. Due to us having moved from a area where there was a mixed nursery/reception class which she was in from January of last year until the May half term, she could read. I did mention it to her reception teacher as they had a form for us to fill in and say anything we felt might be useful to them. I am glad I did but I have never worried about other things she does at school (think I might be a bit inconsistent there).

Teachers will find out what your child can do and most things in reception can be covered in different ways by different children. DD has progressed a lot this year and I am very happy with her progress.

I would try not to worry too much, although I know that can be easier said than done :)

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angelPeacock · 13/06/2011 16:36

thanks, i just wanted to make sure i wasnt going to miss anything.

as i said, i dont want to push anything, i just didnt want her to fall behind after all the progress she has made so far xxxx

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blackeyedsusan · 13/06/2011 19:33

personally, I would continue to learn through play at home, a little here and a little there. talk to her and read her lots of books. She will be tired to start with and not up to much at first, so don't try to push anything.

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JemimaMop · 13/06/2011 19:47

DD isn't g&t but is quite bright. She is just finishing Reception.

6 weeks into her first term, just like my other two DC, she was assessed by the Reception teacher. The teacher also had her transfer notes from nursery to help with her assesment.

We then had a parents eveing. It was identified by the teacher that DD was pretty bright, for example in maths she could do all but one of the things on the list that they were supposed to be able to do at the end of Reception. The teacher, with help from the TA, has always worked with DD at the appropriate level for her. But at the same time she has had an awful lot of fun learning through play.

There is nothing wrong with coming home with wordless books in the beginning, the teacher has to start somewhere with all of the children in order to work out the correct level. So don't be hasty and rush in, give your DD time to settle in and her teacher time to assess her abilities.

You may well find that lots of children in her class are at the same level, "top of the class" is relative and a child who is top of the class in one class of children could be average in another. Or you may find that she is streets ahead of the rest of the class. Either way a good teacher should support her at her own level.

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ShowOfHands · 13/06/2011 19:57

DD is just 4 and starts school in Sept. She can read (has very recently started), do maths, solve logic problems, write etc.

I am really, really looking forward to reception and learning through play. Wordless books for example are actually a useful tool to develop imagination and the absolute best thing you can do with your child is transfer to them a love of learning. Don't let them see you rolling your eyes or complaining about the school from the beginning. Any good reception teacher will know how to assess and respond to your child and any good parent will know how to complement this at home by fostering enjoyment in their child.

Enjoy this bit. It's exciting. I don't know about your school but the reception class here looks brilliant, the teachers happy and engaging and the opportunities for learning/playing broad in scope.

Don't worry about it now. If you end up with a bored child that isn't being catered for (probably won't happen) then get proactive but reception teachers are well used to children already being able to do a lot of the reception age stuff.

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angelPeacock · 13/06/2011 20:44

thanks everyone, i think i was paniking a little becuase it was so completely opposite when DS started out.

i havnt experienced this recption as a parent before as DS was at a different school (we moved him to this one last year) but i know the school as a whole, and have been in year 1 and 2 with him, i know they are great, and seem to listen and reception seems fun and relaxed.

i will just take it as it comes and keep going with the things we are doing at home

thanks again xxx