Could your 4 year old do this task?

[TheVanguardSix]

DC3 is in reception and is 4 years old. He can spell basic words like cat, bat, hat. He is confident with his phonics and his letters/numbers. He brings home the basic Biff, Chip, and Kipper books.

He’s been given a task to write an email, in the space of 5 lines. My 4 year old cannot write in sentences. Can yours? I’m just wondering if he’s really behind and if this homework reflects the abilities of the majority of pupils.

I’m wondering how woefully behind my DC is. I have big age gaps, so my memory of DCs 1 & 2 at this age, scholastically speaking, is fuzzy.

I’m not trying to ‘compare’ or start a race between parents. But I genuinely feel it’s a bit much for reception and would appreciate insight from others.

Ds is in reception. His writing group has been working on writing sentences independently such as 'I like my dad' and 'I like the red taxi'. He's really taken to reading and writing though and there is a broad range in ability within the class.

No, none of my three could have done that at this point.

I have a summer born Y1 who is at the same stage as your son, and a 6yo Y2 who would just about manage that homework with minimum (but not no) guidance from me.

To compare - my 4-and-a-half year-old’s homework this weekend was to pick a native wild animal, find out what it eats, and write it down/ draw a picture/ bring an example in to share with the class. After much coaxing he managed to copy ‘fox’ onto a white piece of paper, then DH wrote down a list of foxy foodstuffs that they’d googled underneath, and DS drew a rabbit with no legs and an earthworm that looks like a penis to illustrate. He couldn’t be arsed to draw a fox so we cut out a picture from a magazine and stuck it on. Then he wrote his name at the bottom. The whole 15-minute episode exhausted his entire concentration span and tested his current writing abilities to the limit. There are a couple of kids in his class (generally autumn born) who are at the ‘I lick owls’ stage as per pp, but if their teacher set them a five-line email to write I’d think she’d lost the plot.

Neither of my 4 year olds can spell, haven't got a clue about letters tbh.

Why in God's name does a 4 year old have homework?

Thankfully my children went through the 'system' 20 odd years ago when they were allowed a little bit of childhood at this age.

That's nuts!

My 4yo (5 in April) could write a sentence; it would be phonetic though eg today he wrote ‘[class pet] and me rod (rode) my bic (bike) to the yoniversitee’ because he had the class pet home for the weekend (groan).

He’s one of only a few in his class who can do that though, I don’t fancy his chances past a single sentence and there’s no way he’d even particularly know what an email is.

I hate homework for this age group. It’s so unnecessary. Thankfully dc are at a school that does reading and little else (including no spelling tests).

Oh yes, @AveAtqueVale - DS turned 5 last week so is not a young one in the class. And is really into reading (for now) but they don't get homework! I would not be doing homework with him if it was sent home. I'm very against it. He did have a project last week of setting himself a goal of something he wanted to get better at. His was lego, so we did some building this weekend. Not really homework though - they suggested we could help them with their goal but it's nothing formal.

My 4.8yo absolutely refuses to write or draw with me. He won't even write a birthday card. He can draw a very intricate maze however . He could probably produce something (illegible) at school with another adult.

@bluebellation my DC 5 in reception has homework every night and more at weekends. I find it hideously ridiculous at this age.

My DTs will be 6 next month and could just about manage this - they can do a basic thankyou letter for e.g.

It’s a stretch though and would have been utterly bonkers in reception.

My 4 year old couldn't do that. She can write simple words like cat or dog and she can write a sentence if I spell it to her and help her for example she wrote "it was my grandad's birthday" in her book today but I helped her a lot!! We are lucky as they don't get homework as such just a book that they can put photos or pictures or writing in about their week but it's very relaxed.

My DD in reception could but we’re aware that she is ‘ahead’ in terms of reading and writing (she loves it and spends most of her free time writing stories). It’s certainly not something her class would ever be asked to do (in fact they don’t get homework).

My summer born dd1 couldn't write a word until the beginning of yr1. She's now at ARE for reading and writing though in yr3
My autumn born dd2 can write longish sentences fairly well now aged 5, although the spellings are interesting! I think she would have struggled with a 5 line email even so!

Goodness Ave!

You really have to wonder if teachers know this is unacceptable but they’re obliged to stress out kids and parents ‘stretch’ and ‘challenge’ their pupils.

Yes, everything DS draws looks like a bloated, faceless boa constrictor. Everything! Treasure chests, foxes, trains, suitcases, cats, cows... ALL end up as these sort of unidentifiable, rather phallic blobs.

No way!

My ds couldn't put pen to paper at all until mid way through year 1.

He's now in year 13, predicted an A/Astar for A level English and has unconditional offers to read English at university.

What a load of old codswallop.

I'd also use the no screen time excuse to refuse to do it.

We genuinely didn't let ds have any use of the internet/gadgets/ipads/consoles until aged 10. Might be why he's so good at actual academics now :-)

My DS is p1 and he has not long turned 5, he couldn't write sentences himself.

One yes, one no here.
Reception homework I think always requires some interpretation by parents. Do what they can, that simple.

Whether that's tell you what to write and you write it (maybe he could write his name at the end)
Or help them to sound out hello dad
Or never mind the email and just do a picture
Or use it as letter writing practice, you write a simple sentence for them to copy or trace

They are being taught at school, homework is just a little chance for you to engage with what they're doing, not important if you want to do it differently or not at all.

Mine couldn't read at all until the very end of reception including the one that is hoping to study medicine at uni...

Homework sounds utterly ridiculous!

I would be happier if my child could not do that task than if he could. Children benefit more from reading and writing from age six or seven. When they are four and five they ought to be learning through only play. The curriculum in the UK pushes them too fast at that age.

Oh jeez- this just drives me mad! They are 4!
I remember DD 1 being asked to write a story at this age. ( extremely bright and articulate) stated very obstinately to her teacher " how am I supposed to write a story when I don't know how to write?"( she had been at school for 3 months...)
Teacher said that lots of the rest of her class would have a go...

She has just graduated from a top uni with a 1st and has bagged a great job!

I despair of primary education.
In parts of Europe they don't start school till 6 or 7 and just fly because they are ready...

Soo pleased my 2 DDs are no longer in this desperately awful school system.

Nope. My yr2 Ds who is apparently exceeding expectations would just about manage that.

Neither of my children could have done that Reception.