Are lots of pre-reception 4 year olds reading ?

Some can, some can’t. Our grandchild is reading level 1 books unaided at 8 weeks shy of 4 because that’s very much his thing. Others will be adept at arithmetic, sports, cooking, dancing. All are perfectly normal and it generally levels out by year 2 or so.

My parents also taught me at the same age (dad also a teacher, this was the 1980s) - I can't remember how well any of my peers could read at the start of reception so don't feel I can comment on what was "the norm". Having said that, I'm an August baby who started in the summer term rather than in September (this was not long after moving house, but I do remember there were a few summer babies starting with me that term so maybe it was more a thing to start the term you turned 5 back then, rather than starting in September which seems more common now) so I guess that starting 2 terms behind some of them, quite a few of them may well have been reading when I met them but weren't when they started in the autumn/spring terms.

I do remember that the childminder I had back then would always tell me to find something to do if I was reading. People have tried saying that maybe she thought I was only looking at the pictures - if that had been the case, can someone please explain to me what exactly would have been wrong with that, I don't see where looking at the pictures would have done any harm to anyone? Would she really have preferred me to run around screaming and scribble on the wall?

I've never met a 6 year old who I would believe could effectively interpret the themes and world building to actually understand books at that level particularly the later ones, it's way above their comprehension even if they can string the letters together to form the right words.
I was a constant reader as a child and can honestly say the meaning of lot of the texts I read went right over my head till I re-read them as an adult.
All I did was parse the words without understanding and it was completely pointless.

That doesn’t mean teaching to read though. Most parents will be unfamiliar with the phonics programmes taught in schools anyway and could teach with inconsistencies. It’s not necessary.

You’ll get some precocious readers, but it isn’t common. My twins could write their names before reception and count to 20, but that was about it. They are now mid year 1 and can read most things fluently.

’Ready for reception’ usually means that the parent feels the child has outgrown nursery/pre-school and is ready for the next step in terms of confidence, independence, and learning. I’ve never taken it to mean they can read, and it’s absolutely not an expectation that the school will have.

As pp have said, some will be reading, some will have the skills in place to learn to read, and others will be nowhere near, yet. As they get older it tends to even out, as the non-readers will catch up very quickly, once they start school.

Don’t get caught up in competitive parenting, op, just support your dc in ploughing their own unique furrow!

My first could read at 2, second at 3 and 3rd at 4. And by reading I mean a good grasp of phonics and decoding/blending words, alongside recognising common sight words, meaning they could read level 1 and 2 books. This is not that unusual in many countries and I find it odd that people here think it is tbh.

My son has been reading since just before he turned four. I'm a teacher and I taught him. My parents taught me to read and I was reading before starting school. My parents say that was the norm, whereas now it isn't. I don't believe it is just school that should educate. Parents should take an active role in educating their children.

Honestly no.

Help out in reception. I think 3 are reading now at nearly the end of the year. The rest aren't - still on phonics. Just support what the school wants/do.

School happy with kids who are toilet trained and respect the teacher. Sitting still for short periods is a bonus.

One of mine could read before he started reception, he taught himself! The second barely knew his colours and definitely didn't even know all of the letters. He was reading at a level just above where he needed to be by the end of reception and now he's at the end of y1 he's reading well above and unlike his brother, he reads for pleasure quite happily.

Don't worry, it comes in time 😊

As an EYFS teacher I’ve had to reteach many children who had learnt to read by memorising.

Best thing to do is get their pre-reading skills ready: lots of reading stories to them, singing songs and nursery rhymes, playing around with rhyming words, oral blending games, listening games and listening for specific sounds (e.g. birds outside) and reading print out and about to them.

My child starts school in September and I’ll be doing this and I will teach her a few words (like sit and tap) but mostly focus on oral blending. The most important thing though is to have fun and play. Children have lots of time at school to learn to read; it’s not a race.

My mum got called into reception for me, to 'stop me reading ': I could read, but I hadn't learn any of the rules, so they went back to basics.

My july ds could 'read'(recite) books at 3, but could only read things like his name, mummy, a few other basic to sound out words with some support. He's doing well in reception and is starting to enjoy figuring out other words that we see around us. We were told that them knowing their phonics sounds and doing some basic blending out loud (c a t, cat) was much more important than reading.

My child is very ready for school but he definitely can't read. He knows some of the phonics sounds and is showing an interest in learning to count to 100 but currently can't even count to 20 without missing out a couple of numbers.

Clearly, him being ready has nothing to do with his academic achievements - he's ready because he is at a stage where he is willing, keen and ready to learn. Not all children in reception will be this keen to learn, and that doesn't mean they aren't ready for it. I'm just saying that I know my child is ready because of how keen he is. He's also quite emotionally mature (for a four year old 😂 it doesn't really say much!) and I think he'll thrive at school. I didn't feel the same way about his brother when he started but he's still been absolutely fine.

Op, get used to this, it's absolutely crazy how competitive parents get.

Neither of my two could read before Foundation, and to be honest I wouldn't say they picked it up quickly. I used to read to them loads though and they eventually both became voracious readers. I wanted them to enjoy reading and not feel it was a chore. Oldest is now predicted 4 x A* levels, and youngest going into GCSE years already getting really really high marks in English.

Neither of them spoke much either before they were 2. They don't stop now however.

Really try not to worry.

I don't know if this is a relatively new thing or peculiar to my area but in the 70s we could all read before we started school and it's something I taught my kids before they started.

My DS was reading Harry Potter independently at 6. Just because it's unusual doesn't mean it doesn't happen. My youngest who is now 6 wouldn't be able to but older DS was a much more avid book lover from a much younger age.

I work in Reception.
It's so so important to get the basics right. We've had children who's parents have proudly told us their child can 'read'. But understanding what they have read needs to be closely matched to their reading ability.
There is no point a child reading 'Fred went to play football in the park' if he then can't tell you verbally "what happened in the park?"
We've had children who 'know' all their letters but say them as a - berr - cerr making it difficult to blend into words, they effectively have to relearn them.

The very best thing you can do for your pre-reception child is read to them. Read read read. Get them interested, talk about the story. Ask them questions.

They will pick up the schools phonics scheme effortlessly and fly if they're in the correct place to begin with.

Some four year olds absolutely can read. I have vivid memories of our head teacher back in the 80s pulling me into his office and having me read pages from books on his shelf because I was such a proficient reader. Two of mine were reading very well by four years old, the other two weren't. Some children can and some children can't. But to say four year olds cannot read is untrue.

Two of mine could decode and read simple phonics books. One couldn’t recognise the first letter of their name, nor any numbers. They all get there in the end and practical skills are so much more helpful.

It isn’t necessary. Some children could read on arrival in reception, some couldn’t in DS’s year. It has absolutely no bearing on who is in the top spelling/phonics group in Y2 (some kids who arrived unable to read are now in the top spelling group, some who apparently could read are in the intervention group).

Worked as a TA in reception for many years. IMHO, if you are in a school with a very middle class cohort, more of them will be reading, but still only about 1 in 7 or 8. In a school where the majority are on free school meals, only 1 or 2 in a class will read on entry, and in my experience, they will almost always be neurodiverse.

That said, if you read with your child the requisite 3 times a week for 10 minutes, your child will be fine.

My dd started reading when she was 4. I thought she was just recognising words but she started reading everything she could find. I had downloaded the jolly phonics app and during covid when she should have been at pre school we did stuff like practicing holding a pencil and listening to songs about phonics and practicing. She just took to blending really well and taught herself. She started p1 at 5 years 5 months and she could read quite well. She is learning Arabic and has taken really well to blending there too.

My son also learnt phonics in the same way but didn't grasp blending on his own. I wasn't sure how to go about teaching him or if I even should so left it to school. A few weeks into his first term and it just seemed to stick.

Kids all learn at different rates so I wouldn't worry. I actually think it's more important for them to be able to hold cutlery, put jackets on and take them off and the same with shoes.

It seems to so depends on the child I have 6 children and they have all learnt at different rates.My eldest really struggled with reading and hates it now, she is however doing a business degree so it hasn't stopped her..... 2nd youngest (5) was reading from 4 and is extremely bright academically, I did however catch him eating dirt earlier so swings and roundabouts I guess. Surely as long as they are happy, healthy and going to school not stressing about reading or writing it's a win

One of my dc was beginning to read in nursery.

The other one was not really able to read until 7/8 we were getting a bit concerned. Then suddenly that dc went from that to a "free reader" in a few months.

Both dc went to university but the later reader got a higher degree. Had done English literature A level, loves books and plays etc. Is now a journalist. The earlier reader loves reading and did mfl degree but found literature, English and in mfl difficult.

Basically, you can't tell much at that early stage .

Mine were reading easy words by the time they started reception. Could tell me which cereal was which etc. I know I was reading books independently by age 4 but at 34 I still don't know my 12 times tables. People are good at different things. I wouldn't worry if your dc isn't, they will be soon enough.