What would you like your nursery to do to prepare your child for reception class?

[calamityjam]

I am currently doing research for my dissertation which is about nurseries role in preparing children for school. I would love some ideas from parents about what you think nurseries could be doing to prepare your dcs. So many children have been flagged as not being ready socially, emotionally and psychologically for the demands of full time school, yet free nursery places have been implemented and now increased. What do you think is going wrong and what do you think can be done about it?

[Roundandroundtheapartment]

I would say that actually a lot of parents needs to do more so that the nurseries can get on and do some learning and educational play!
I've seen far too many children come to school not able to dress themselves, not able to hold a pencil, not able to listen or follow simple instructions.
Obviously sometimes there are circumstances allowing and I'm just talking about NT children here but if parents spent more time working on these things with their children then nursery staff would probably get more done

[Roundandroundtheapartment]

Sorry that's not really helpful to your question but maybe a solution of Health visitors encouraging these things at the 2 year check ups or the nurseries sending out lists when places are confirmed of what they'd like children to aim for before they start nursery

[mynameisspam]

My friend is a reception class teacher and all she asks of the nursery/preschool is that the children recognise their own name and able to wipe their own bottoms. Anything more is a bonus!

[Babypythagorus]

I think school should be made ready for the kids, not the other way round.

[DewDropsonKittens]

Socially:

-Small group work which encourages talk around ethnicity and caring for each other

• basic caring skills, such as seeing when another child is sad and how to respond
  
• Mixed play sessions, ensuring that SEN children are equally involved and included effectively
  

Emotional:

• Seperation anxiety to be managed in an effective way which builds resilience, ensuring they understand parents are coming back, but teaching them their own independence is necessary
  
• Resilience through play, allowing them to resolve their own gripes when dealing with their peers i.e. not stepping in everytime they take a light knock
  

Psychology feeds in to all of this, but actually whilst play i great for children to learn towards the last term before school they should be sitting patiently on the carpet at home time so reinforcing this goes a long way

Practical things :

Being able to put a coat / jacket on the right way

Being able to get changed, my pre school did competitions of getting clothes on (over the top of what they were wearing)

Being able to recognise name, hang up coat and bag independently

Manners... Please and thank you

[CathyMedici]

Be confident in telling adults when they need the toilet, be able to wipe themselves afterwards and know why they need to wash hands properly.

Be able to fasten/zip coat and put shoes/wellies on.

Know what to do when told it's tidy up time - by that I mean be actually shown how to tidy things away.

Lots of gross and fine motors skills so that when they are in Reception they can learn to hold a pencil - don't have to do that in nursery.

Don't need any phonics teaching but if it's going to be done, the Practitioners should have proper training.

Know that they can trust the adults they spend time with at nursery and then at school.

[calamityjam]

Thankyou so much for everyone who has taken the time to reply. I am glad that I have chosen this topic now especially after having read that whether or not a child has a positive transition to primary school can effect their learning throughout their whole schooling and into adulthood. Its such a shame that so many are not well prepared. I am of the opinion that parents need to do most of the preparation however with so many children now attending wraparound childcare, nurseries and childminders are having a larger role to play

[HSMMaCM]

I agree with the others. Being able to dress themselves, toilet themselves, feed themselves, ask questions, find their name, make friends, ask questions of an adult, sit still when asked, take turns, etc are the key things.