My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

What are the main differences between Reception and Y1?

43 replies

imaginaryfriend · 25/06/2008 22:14

My dd's moving into Y1 next September and everyone I've spoken to says that in Y1 'the fun stops and the work starts' or words to that effect.

Can anyone who's experienced the shift tell me what they learned / how their kids handled it? What kinds of things do they do all day?

OP posts:
Report
imaginaryfriend · 25/06/2008 22:24

.

OP posts:
Report
MsDemeanor · 25/06/2008 22:26

That isn't really true of my children's school. Yr1 still has lots of fun and play, and I know my ds preferred it to reception, as there was more interesting stuff to do. Lots of fun outings too including making pizza at Pizza Express, and a Victorian day with a punch and judy performance at the school and all kids in fancy dress.

Report
OmegaMummy · 25/06/2008 22:31

Agree still lots of fun but have found that there is more 'work' to do - eg spellings to practice rather than word wall.

Report
MsDemeanor · 25/06/2008 22:34

We don't get that yet.

Report
imaginaryfriend · 25/06/2008 22:38

More detail!

OP posts:
Report
OmegaMummy · 25/06/2008 22:38

To be honest find the spellings easier to deal with than the random requests that come with a couple of days notice - eg own clothes day with a colour theme, bring in interesting picture of child when baby etc

Report
MsDemeanor · 25/06/2008 22:38

Think it really varies. There is more reading and writing I suppose, and a little homework, but still a lot of playing.

Report
OmegaMummy · 25/06/2008 22:39

Sorry - x post - 10 words each week to learn to spell - test on Friday - usually themed around sounds eg school, blue, look etc. Worst bit is Year 1 son not interested but reception son loves doing them

Report
imaginaryfriend · 25/06/2008 22:46

But generally day to day in the class what do they do?

OP posts:
Report
MsDemeanor · 25/06/2008 22:49

How do I know! I'm not at school
seriously, I don't know what they do every minute of every day. My ds is learning and having fun, that's all I know.

Report
imaginaryfriend · 25/06/2008 23:15

Anybody else know? Just general structure / timetable / what's expected from them?

OP posts:
Report
Doodle2U · 25/06/2008 23:21

They seemed to do more group work - on work sheets etc. Bit more reading with an adult, spellings etc & at our school, they used topics such as space/nature/transport to cover lots of different subjects.

Writing gets worked on far more, as does simple maths. PE gets upped to twice a week.

Still have play periods.

My DS is Yr 2 now but my DD starts Yr 1 in September also.

Report
MrsWeasley · 25/06/2008 23:23

At our infants school reception is play based where the chidren get to choose the activities they want to do. This includes painting, outside play, computers, homecorner, book corner, puzzles and other activities as arranged by the teacher (sewing, cooking, water, sand, etc)

Where as year 1 is much more sitting at desks and following a timetable. I.e. when is literacy time everyone does literacy etc. The children don't get to choose what they want to do.

HTH

Report
Collision · 25/06/2008 23:23

In Rec they learn sounds, numbers and have a home corner. They do register and go to assembly and do lots of structurd play.

In Y1 there is no home corner, less play, more focus on sounds and words, reading books, homework sheets, carpet talk time.still fun but more learning.

Report
imaginaryfriend · 25/06/2008 23:28

Thanks.

And how do they make the transition to Y1 in terms of what they've been doing in Reception? Does the Reception teacher give a 'report' to the Y1 teacher to let them know what they've achieved etc.?

OP posts:
Report
MrsWeasley · 25/06/2008 23:38

yes thats about it. They keep records of progress and these go to the new teacher.

At our school the teachers have meeting to discuss each pupil.

Year1 builds on the foundations they covered in reception.

Report
Collision · 25/06/2008 23:41

and they are streamed according to their ability

Report
hamandhigh · 25/06/2008 23:45

They are alraedy streamed in reception, no?
Quite subtly but still...

Report
Collision · 25/06/2008 23:47

not streamed in Reception but they are in y1

Report
ReallyTired · 25/06/2008 23:47

I think the biggest difference is the curriculum and the style of teaching. They are assessed against the foundation stage profile which the reception teacher will give to the year 1 teacher. In year 1 they follow the national curriculum.

In reception they learn through play and have a lot of free choice. However my son still had some play and free choice in year 1. Infact the two year 1 classes had an outdoor area with their own sandpit and role play area. The difference though is that play is used as reward rather than the medium for teaching.

Collision, a lot of schools steam children on ablity as early as nursery. Admitally its painfully obvious in year 1.

Report
Collision · 25/06/2008 23:50

we came to our school in rec a little late so was not aware of any streaming.

will be interesting with ds2 as he starts nursery in sept.

Report
themildmanneredjanitor · 25/06/2008 23:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

hamandhigh · 25/06/2008 23:54

I am aware of many schools streaming in reception

Report
imaginaryfriend · 26/06/2008 00:08

Yes, gentle reception streaming here although I'm not sure all the mums are aware of it. So do they tend to stay in the stream they were in in Reception or all get shuffled about?

OP posts:
Report
cat64 · 26/06/2008 00:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.