Year R What they need to know?!

[betty123]

My DS is starting yr in sept, and would like to know what they are suppose to know and be able to do when they start? Ie writing numbers name etc

[colditz]

Recognising their name, so that they can find their own possessions in the classroom.

Wiping their own bum

Puttng their own shoes on

Putting their own coat on.

eating nicely, with fork if necessary

ALl this needs to be in place before letters and numbers, although counting to ten is always helpful.

[Erebus]

Being able to sit down and listen for a few minutes at a time.

Getting changed into and out of basic PE kit would make them star of the term!

Believe me, the list colditz has given pretty much covers it, and I think a well-meaning parent can cause their DC some real problems if they get stuck in with 'education', perhaps not knowing how things are done (ie the methods of teaching) in school and can seriously confuse a DC- like the ones who announce they can write- but all in capitals, for instance!

I'm sure every Year R teacher can recall DCs who arrive being able to name colours, write their numbers up to 100, are reading level 5 books- but are pathologically incapable of shutting up and listening when it's not their 'turn'! It's the stuff of MN posts: 'Can the school cope with my G&T 4 year old?'

[wheresthepimms]

Erebus could you tell DD nursery that, went for reception visit and they gave us a sheet of how they are now learning cursive writing, DD nursery have already taught them all to write their names in print and now DD says she is NOT going to write in that curly stuff school want as nursery writing is way easier, I am now just sitting back over the holidays not letting her write anything and waiting for the fireworks in Sept

[Lara2]

Able to sit for 5-10 minutes and listen to a story when they're asked to, know that "No, please don't do that" means exactly that! Hang up their coat/jumper/cardigan on their peg, not the floor (where it gets kicked along the corridor and lost because it's not named). And all that colditz said.

And one for parents - please name everything!!!!!!! I spend TOO much time trying to reunite children with their clothes and shoes and trying to placate irrate parents who say "But that's the 3rd jumper he's lost this term" "Was it named?" "No" WTF!!

[wheresthepimms]

Loopy mine have managed to come home with each others shoes on before even though they are named, I check on the way out of the door and they re in different classes
must admit have not renamed DDs jumper,polo shirts, pe kit for reception but older 3 have all moved on now so if they find older brother stuff they will know to give it to her, I did ask if it was ok

[EdithWeston]

coldtitz is spot on!

I'd add:

• be able to wipe own nose effectively and dispose of tissue properly
  
• wash hands without flooding the whole room
  
• (advanced) put all own clothes/shoes in one pile as soon as they take something off to change
  
• hang up a coat without taking all day about it
  
• recognise their own items (read a name tape, or label everything with a picture they'll know is theirs)

[wheresthepimms]

Edith - (advanced) put all own clothes/shoes in one pile as soon as they take something off to change come on even my DH can't do that one

[EdithWeston]

Also - if packed lunches, that they can open their box/bag (ideally without strewing) and can open the packaging of anything you're likely to put inside.

That they can open - and close - their water bottle unassisted.

And - especially if you have a fair child and it's still sunny - they can top up their own sunscreen.

Practice in going to strange loos (ideally with other children around) also helpful.

[budgieshell]

You should ask is the school ready for my child not is my child ready for school.

[wheresthepimms]

loopy know what you mean jumper that is being passed to DD went missing last term for a month. DS left it on the field, at afternoon play went back after school and it was gone. I checked lost property every day, we walked through the school looking at the ones on the floor etc, teachers knew about it was even mentioned in assembly to the children. It came back a month later clean and washed on the top of the lost property pile one morning. Think someone may have been wearing it for a while only problem was I then had to take it home and wash it as DS is allergic to most washing powders and couldn't take the risk of letting him wear it

[betty123]

Thanks will be definitely be name tagging, using a picture is a great idea! Feel a bit more relaxed now as he can do most of the practical things, ie sitting still, getting dressed etc. Was just worried as some friends children can write numbers up to twenty, and write there own name beautifully. Thought maybe buy trousers without button might make things easier. Uniform is so expensive i will definitely be tagging, as DS school have to have emblem t-shirts.

[mrz]

The self care things are more important than the academic. Rather than being able to recite or write numbers to twenty it's more useful if a child can actually match numbers to objects ... count out three biscuits or count each stair on the way to bed.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

betty really wouldn't bother even getting DS to hold a pencil never mind writing numbers or his own name if I were you. Our DS had never tried writing before Reception and managed perfectly well, in fact it was some of the ones who could write the alphabet/name/numbers that struggled.

colditz and Ediths lists cover everything although I would add, get his eyes tested if you haven't already done so. If he needs glasses its much better that he goes to Reception being able to see.

[monoid]

Pretty much been covered as far as I can see. Just things like make sure he can get his uniform on and off (buttons can be fiddly) and can do shoes (although laces in shoes don't seem to exist anymore)
I don't know what your school is like, but dd's is very "multicultural" so they're used to having children attend who don't know how to read, count etc in english so I would say behaviour is the main priority.
Name everything including bag, pe bag, shoes, pask lunch box, pencil case (if necessary) EVERYTHING

[dietcokeandwine]

betty also bear in mind that half (if not all ) of your friends' children who are writing names and numbers so beautifully are probably not forming their letters correctly and will have to relearn letter formation (which is much harder than learning the correct way from scratch).

Can remember DS1's reception teacher informing us, at the first curriculum evening, that not one child who'd started school able to write their name was actually writing it properly

[Lara2]

EdithWeston - yes, yes, yes!!!!! Whenthey take their clothes off, it all goes in one pile - not randomly scattered around!!!! My classroom always looks like a jumble sale the first term of my YR class doing PE!!!

[myBOYSareBONKERS]

Reception help list:

The summer before my August born boy went to school we started practising on preparation ? here is my list of helpful hints!

Velcro shoes ? unless they can do laces up with no help and very quickly

Make sure you contact your school to find out how to obtain the uniform. Sometimes it has to be ordered via the school and when they close at the end of July its means you won?t have a uniform for September!!

Find out which days P.E is on and on those days don?t button up the polo shirt ? with a jumper on over the top it won?t be noticed anyway!

If they have to wear proper shirts with lots of buttons that are really too difficult to do up quickly - unpick the buttons. Sew them on the "hole" side where they would end up if they were properly done up. Then get velcro and sew that onto the shirt - so when its put together it looks just like a proper done up shirt.

Or just do that to some of the buttons, so they get to practice them still (or just wear the Velcro shirt on PE days!!)


Personal care ? ensure can wash hands, sort clothing out. My son couldn?t wipe his own bottom and so I ensured he got into a ?routine? of doing one before bed so I knew he wouldn?t run into difficulties at school.

Put half a smiley face in each shoe so that when they are placed together the correct way round they form one big happy face ? helps to get the shoes on the correct feet.

Practice with a lunchbox and different wrappings. I realised that I just hand my son a plate of food (as does nursery) and so he never had to undo anything!. He found a zipped lunch box easier than a velcro one. He found cling film to fidderly and so I get cheap food bags and put his sandwiches in them and wrap them over. He then puts all his left over?s in the bag so the lunch box comes back in a decent state!

Put a slit in the top of packets so they tear open easily or open them and fold them over and seal with a sticker (children can ALWAYS get a sticker off things!).

Fromage frais makes less mess than runny yogurt. Don?t forget to pack a spoon.

Sport top on bottles easier than screw tops or cartons (it all comes home in the lunch box so think of less spillage)

Label everything unless you don?t want it back. I got some really good stickers printed with just our surname on so all the family could use them for different things. They are dishwasher proof too.

Small icepack for the summer.

Some foods are not allowed in lunches so check with the school.

Before my (very young and clumsy)son had school dinners I brought a tray plate (from boots) that the food gets put directly on as that is what they use in school so he could practice carrying it to the table without dropping it. (was terrified he would drop it at school and everyone would laugh).

If they are a very small or slow eater don?t give them too much otherwise they will spend their whole lunch break eating and not outside playing. Some schools insist they eat everything. Just take a snack for on the way home if they are hungry.

Elasticated skirts and trousers to make it easier to get on/off.

If there is a 'school' coat, and it's not compulsory DON'T BUY ONE. If 30 children all have an identical coat it's a nightmare to sort them out.

Show your child how to hang their coat on a peg, using the loop. Otherwise the coat will live on a muddy cloakroom floor.

Tie something distinctive on your child's bookbag and PE bag, so they can recognise their own among many identical ones - a keyring or something is ideal

Putting his clothes back on when they are inside out and back-to-front (ie as they'll be after he's taken them off after PE). My DS could dress himself so it never occurred to me that his clothes were always presented in a nice "sanitised" manner

Some children found the sheer noise and busy environment very stressful when they first start school and I wasn't prepared for that with my son who found lunchtimes in the hall with a hundred or so other children all chattering, clanking cutlery, scraping chairs and clinking plates really intimidating and scary.

Not much you can do (unless you have a massive home and a hundred children to invite round) but by going to busy places with him beforehand and telling him that school might get noisy sometimes but it's nothing to be worried about he will at least be able to remember your words when faced with increased hustle and bustle.

My son was sometimes a bit nervous about going in and ?being alone? all day without me, so I filled his pocket with ?kisses? and told him to reach in for one if he felt a bit sad. At nearly 7yrs he still asks for them if going somewhere new (eg Beavers for the first time)

Teach your child to stuff their hat/scarf/gloves into the sleeve of their coat when they hang their coat up - stops them from getting lost and reminds dc to put them back on when they go out to play as they automatically find them when they put their coat back on!

A top tip I was given was that school shirts come in packs of three so you buy 2 packs, that gives you 6 shirts, one for every day of the week, plus 1 you put aside for the school christmas show, prize giving or whatever.

If you are a working parent, as soon as you find out your allocated school you MUST sort childcare. Childminders and after school clubs get booked up very quickly. The school office may have a list of childcare establishments.
I sewed back the bottom bit of the material away from the zip on my DS's coat when he started Reception (to make it easier to do up).

If they wear proper shirts (as opposed to polo shirts), don't bother with long sleeved ones - the cuffs will get so grubby you'll only get one day's wear out of them. Short sleeves are better!

School uniform does go missing ? be it misplaced or stolen. If you don?t need to get logo?d uniform then don?t as this is what tends to go easily. Also make your uniform more distinctive so when the children leave school you will be able to spot a piece of your Childs clothing on another child. Eg put a small key ring on the zipper of the school coat/jacket. Will make it easier to pull up as well.

Write in permanent ink inside the collar or sleeve ? any where it can be easily seen and can not be cut out (like labels). Sew a small colour co-ordinated flower/star/circle (whatever is appropriate) on the collar ? again is small but distinctive.

Phase out any after-lunch naps - they don't get this at school and it will be much harder for those who are still used to this.

[UnSerpentQuiCourt]

Edith - (advanced) put all own clothes/shoes in one pile as soon as they take something off to change - come on even my DH can't do that one - nor mine!