How can she start school like this

[Butwhendoesitgeteasier]

Dd is 4 in July and due to start school.
She’s so headstrong and hard to control. She’s a sweet and bright girl but doesn’t do anything she doesn’t want to do, she also can’t stay focused for long and wants to be off playing.
I realise a lot of it is her age, but I just can’t see her sitting down in Reception and completing tasks. I made some activities today and she lasted around 10 minutes before wanting to stop, it’s the same with painting etc

Feeling worried for her, I don’t want her to spend her days getting into trouble with the teacher.
I don’t know where I’m going wrong

They take children into Reception when they are 4, that's how it is done.

It will be a shock to the system for her if she has never been in nursery, but in school there will be a set of rules she will be expected to follow. If the teacher is worth their title, they will be firm but fair. She may rebel, but a few missed pastimes and she will soon learn.

*playtimes sorry

She might be fine, or you can keep her home an extra year. Not all kids develop at the same rate.

The bigger concern, IMO, with a late bloomer is the next year, or two years, when suddenly there are more expectations and the late bloomer may fall short. The system isn't always great at accomodating that, and it can go on to affect the kids throughout their time at school.

I deferred my summer born for this very reason!

He ‘should’ have gone to school last year but he just wasn’t emotionally or socially ready so I deferred his start.

He’s starting this year just a few days after his fifth birthday.

He’s still just as headstrong though 😂

Shes going to be fine. They won't expect her to stay on task for more than 10-15 minutes. They will have lots of activities going on, and a good reception will have access to outside space to run around in for most of the day.

If she's not done anything like preschool, then she might struggle with being very tired - particularly if she's at full speed at all time ! As both of mine had done preschool I hated the staggered start for reception, but would be good for someone like your dc.

Preschool to reception isn't a big change, reception to year 1 is a bigger change.

She’ll be fine eventually, but honestly if she’s never been to nursery it might be a tough start. She might find it difficult at first when she’s expected to sit quietly on the carpet if she’s never had any experience of carpet time.

She will have to do things that she doesn’t want to do and she will need to learn to independent with her own belongings, dressing etc, but school will deal with it. It’s fine that she can’t focus on activities for more than 10 minutes at a time at this stage, and you’ll find she cooperates with things she’d rather not do a lot more when all the other children are doing it.

@stripesorspotsorwhat no it’s not “how it’s done” CSA is the term after 5th birthday not 2 months after the fourth birthday. Some parents may choose to send their dc to school early but that doesn’t make it how it’s done

Yes but starting at CSA for any child born between March and August means they go straight into key stage 1, rather than have a year in reception where the focus is play and developing skills so they're ready for leaning next year.

She'll be fine. She won't want to be in trouble all the time either. They just tend to figure it. And the sessions are really short.
Has she had a settling in day yet?

why not get her ins somewhere for at least 1/2 a term using your free 15 hours so she is used to some structure.

If she's never experienced nursery and is summer born I'd look at delaying her school start if possible (might be too late though, it depends on your local authority). Look at Flexible Admission for Summer Borns on Facebook.

If you do manage to secure delayed entry to Reception, please allow her to attend nursery next year, all children get 15h free because it's good for their development. It's not good to make her miss out because you want her to be at home with you.

I remember my son’s Reception teacher saying that part of her job was to teach the children what school is about.

I’m sure this is obvious but can see go into a shop (with you, obviously) and ask for things from the shopkeeper and hand money over (not add it up, literally hand it over)? It’s good if children are used to having civil conversations with adults they don’t know well.

I’m assuming that she is toilet trained. She may still have the odd accident (which is fine).

Please label her coat and shoes (I use Stikins for shoes). 15 pairs of identical Clark’s shoes can be difficult to distinguish.

Don't talk rubbish @titchy that's not how it works at all. Parents can apply for delayed entry to Reception, DS is turning 4 in July and will start Reception in September.

There's loads of kids that don't go to nursery before school! I can't guarantee you can't spot them after the first few months.

Reception teachers are used to it. Don't worry and don't delay because of it! That's daft.

10-15 minutes is average for a 4 year old. And remember teachers have a different voice, there’s a bunch of other children that do what the teacher asks and other kids just follow. Honestly, children can be very different in school to how they are at home.

Mine is like this and she goes to nursery 5 days. I'm not worried about concentration etc at school. Nursery have said she's bang average for her age in all areas and I'm more than happy with that. Please don't worry, you sound like a lovely mum and your lovely DC will be fine I'm sure

They don’t. They start school in reception.

Don't talk rubbish @titchy that's not how it works at all. Parents can apply for delayed entry to Reception, DS is turning 4 in July and will start Reception in September.

I was replying to a pp who said that children don't have to start school until the term after they are 5. While this is correct they would be placed into year 1 which would be the correct year group.

That is separate to the right of parents to ask the LA for their July or August born to delay a year - which may not be approved though of course often is.

All sounds totally normal.

Some time at nursery would be beneficial though - it’s good for socialising, and it means school won’t be such a big surprise - reception is quite gentle continuity from
nursery.

I got the impression reception was mostly like herding cats. She'll be fine!

She’ll be fine. If she attended nursery or preschool I don’t think it would even cross your mind to be worried because you’d encounter more 3 year olds and realise it’s perfectly normal behaviour that reception teachers are completely used to.

Expectations are honestly minimal in reception. Especially at the start.

What little academic learning they do is very gradual and the teachers are experts in keeping them engaged.

Plenty of children dont go to nursery although the ones who have will be a bit more used to following rules and a lower ratio of adult attention.

Hi op, your dd’s level of concentration sounds absolutely normal for her age. Preschool & reception both follow the same early years curriculum & they are definitely not expected to sit for long periods of time do anything. Please don’t worry about her starting I’m sure she will have a fantastic time.

Surely teachers are trained to deal with children ?