School books in reception

[silverstarling1]

So my DS is 4 and in reception, just wondering how many school books your DCs get/got at that age?

He currently has a yellow book for phonics homework- hand in Wednesday, collect Friday, an orange book for word blending and spelling- practice every night and put in bag every day, a pink book for weekend learning activities- hand in Monday collect Friday, a reading diary to write in every night and put in bag every day, and a blue maths book- hand in tuesdays, collect Friday... and also a reading book which is swapped every week.

I just feel this is FAR too much at 4-5 years old, and even the teachers have told me they think it’s rather a lot at a young age but they have to follow the guidelines.

WTF is with all this homework?!! My DD gets a reading book each week. I never make her read it. No way I'm gonna make a 4 yr old do homework after 6hrs at school, the world's gone mad. She goes to a good school and is getting on fine, the important (I think) is that she's very happy.

In some countries kids don't start school till age 7 and it doesn't affect their education - if anything it's better according to the research.

Stress less - that's my motto!

Yikes. In reception he got two twice a week as he got through them fast. He just progressed normally through bands though.

That’s crazy. Our DS started reception in September and got nothing until January. We now get two books on a Monday and three books on a Thursday. No spellings, Maths or additional phonics at all.

That sounds pretty good to me. Your child's school sounds like it has its priorities sorted.

Schools are designed to give children the bare minimum of education that they require during school hours.

There is nothing wrong with that, as long as you are happy with your children getting the bare minimum education.

Parents have a responsibility to continue their child's education at home, what your describing sounds like the school are really trying to help you as a parent to do that.

You need to find the time to do it. Once you have children, its not about you anymore, its about them

A reading book a night.

we have 2- 4 reading books, an easy spelling list (6 words, no practice needed really, just to get them used to written homework), and tricky word lists. that's it, and its an academic school!

and we also get a weekend book, but that is to read together, and the children can choose what they want

One combined book. Reading journal from the front and contact/weekend challenges from the back. This is also where a the teacher sticks a precis of the weeks happenings.

There's also little red book of words to practice.

one more add on: we do about 10 minutes every night, 20 on weekends snd easily get it done. son stays at school/childminder until 6, in bed by 7:30

Crazy amount. My ds in reception hot one reading book and changed when he was ready. One homwork task a week, collect leaves, simple maths game, something easy and fun. He is year 5 now and doing very well in all subjects. Primary children don't need homework, once they reach year 6 it can be beneficial to get them used to it before high school but apart from that it has no educational benefit.

I'm in Ireland and DS has had homework every night since starting school in junior infants. Initially around 20-30 mins inc. reading, writing & colouring in. I think it's far too much but 'it's always been this way' is trotted out so nothing changes. He's in 2nd class now (yr3?) and it can easily take 60-90 mins to get his homework done as there's so much of it and being Dyspraxic, he's very slow at writing.
We only do after school activities once a week as we'd never get the homework done otherwise.
I think homework once a week is plenty at this age but I'm a lone voice at the small Catholic village primary.

Reading book, which is changed twice a week, and a reading diary to write in. On Friday they are given 'homework' which is an a4 sheet with phonics activities or maths games, they get a sticker if they do it, but I don't think anything is said if they don't.

I think it is plenty they spend enough time at school, evenings and weekends should be for playing and resting, imo

I am colour blind, dyslexic and suspect ADD. I wouldn't even know where to start with all the coloured books and when they had to be handed in by.
God help you if you have other dc or a life outside of school.

The school must be leaving a lit of children behind in its race to achieve

We get two books a week, new ones every Monday. We also have number Zumba and tricky words every week plus the diary.