Not to send my child to reception year?

[IzzyPopp]

It is not compulsory in this country to start primary school until 5 year old (I find even that is early) but children even start at the age of 4 in reception.

How important is the reception and what is taught, given it is not compulsory to start until the child turns 5.

And then once the child turns 5 they must start the term after their fifth birthday, not in the following September after they turned 5, which is the beginning of school year. What is taught in that year given it is ok for the child to miss the beginning of that school year?

Do people in general send their kids to reception at 4 or do they wait till 5? Or does it vary quite a bit?

I have had three go through Reception in recent years. In 2016, yes mostly play based and some phonics.

In 2022 it had gradually changed to being more like yr1 - by the time my youngest had finished Reception she and most others were already fully reading. They are also expected to have good control of number up to five (not just counting but adding, taking away) etc.

Missing Reception these days would mean starting school behind on the curriculum. Some kids would catch up quickly but many won’t. Yr1 can be quiet the learning curve already.

By the end of Reception children are expected to be reading at yellow book band level, to be able to write a sentence using their phonics knowledge, to be on top of number bonds up to 10 and working with numbers up to 20 (and various other maths things - it's all available online). It's not just play.

My school is 8.45-3.15.

The curriculum is play based (or should be) but that doesn’t mean there isn’t lots of teaching, and learning going on! It’s a really important year for children - well children who will be going on to school based education anyway.

I taught Reception for years. Obviously there’s certain exceptions, and varying degrees but by and large the children began the year not being able to read and write, and by the end of the year they could. Now for some that meant write a simple sentence, for others it was writing perfectly punctuated stories.

I don’t believe that is even the most important part of what children learn in Reception, arguably the social and emotional side is more important. But the idea that nothing much is taught during the year is untrue.

Curriculum can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2

Deferring is possible, but fairly uncommon at least in my part of England.

My son's school day is 8:40-3:15.
The school has a breakfast club, and a local nursery does an after-school club pick up as do a few childminders.

I would look at the school you would be going to, but if its a good school, reception and the start of year one are the best bit. I generally think they are really important too as its the only bit in a childs education where some of the softer skills are the goal rather than incidental.

You can look up the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key-stage 1 curriculum online. If you miss Reception and enter at y1 you apply "in year" and have more limited school options as it depends on where there is a space. If you apply for Reception and start during the year, the school has to hold the place for your dc to start, after Christmas or Easter for example. But if you delay until the following September they do not.

Most parents who defer their kids tend to start them in reception the September after they’re 5 (assuming their birthdays are in the summer term). There are 3 kids in DS’s class who were already 5 when they started reception. I don’t think it’s common for reception to be skipped.

They are expected to be at reading level 3 by the end of reception and should probably know about 50% of phonics, although I am not certain on the latter.

Exactly! Mine can read, write, draw recognisable objects and do some maths. And there's still a term left.

My child is currently in reception. Whilst a lot of it is playing, colouring, dressing up etc. I’m amazed how far they have come since September. They can pretty much read, write a basic sentence. Knows that names start with a capital letter, knows what a full-stop is, question mark etc. They talk about digraphs, trigraphs, sound buttons. There is a lot of jargon with phonics and I think anyone starting in Yr 1 would be so far behind. Well…like a year behind.

I've always sent mine in the September (they are May, July, May and March birthdays) the reception class is set up pretty much like a nursery (in our school anyway) they have a home corner, role play, construction, art areas, a quiet corner with books and sofas/beanbags. They don't sit at a desk all day so I'm happy for them to go at 4

Why would you be questioning reception if your child is already in full time care?

Yes agree with this. Mine started P1 (equivalent to reception) barely willing to write her name and came out able to write a sentence - and had an absolute ball in the process. It's such a lovely (and important) introduction to schooling.

Her school is 8:55-14:00. It has a breakfast club that opens at 8 and an after school club that runs until 6, although she goes to the ASC run by her old nursery which collects them from school and is open until 6.

I have 2 children, one did reception year, the other didn't, because at that age she couldn't manage full days of being around others and away from me. She was later diagnosed with ASD. People thought I was being a soft touch but I'm glad I listened to my instincts.

Just to guess - a preference for more play based learning, and hours better suited to work.

Of course, the first year of schooling is play based and most areas have wraparound care of some description but first time parents may not be aware of that, especially if they're not from the UK.

Mum of a summer born boy here. It didn't even occur to me to defer. The school day is shorter, typically 8.45 to 3.15ish but don't underestimate how tired it can make them. My son was at nursery 8 till 5, but school made him more tired during that first half term. After that initial half term he was fine.

Reception is a lot of play, and short bursts of phonics, maths in between . Children also form relationships, and that could be more difficult for your child if you defer for a year as some friendship groups have already formed.

My child started at 5, August born, but got approval to start Reception.
Si he is in Reception and although it is play based, they learn a lot. I wouldn't have wanted him to skip that. I think it is a very important year.
School starts at 8.50 to 3.20 pm, same as for everyone else at school and attendance is not optional.
All the best with your decision! X

Reception year is really important, it's not the academics they learn that is important, it's the learning how to be at school, knowing the building, getting all the bugs and low level but continuous illnesses out the way as the children's immune system syncs up - like Freshers Flu but with more grim runny noses. Learning to sit still on the carpet, not to poke and prod other children.

If your child is already at nursery then it's quite unusual not to send them to reception, it's often those that haven't been to any childcare placement that don't start at the normal time. Lots of private nurserys offer breakfast club and do school drop offs and pick ups if you need longer childcare.

Completely agree with this!

My niece ended up missing her reception year due to moving between the Scottish and the English system (summer birthday). She went from nursery straight into Y1.

My sister was surprised at just how much learning she had missed out on. She caught up quickly, but it took extra support from both school and home.

The day is a length of a school day, 8:55-3:15. Two of my children are summer born and we haven't deferred them to start a year later. But if we had I would never have considered just skipping reception and going straight into year 1. Their perception is of playing all day yet they are also learning to read and write and early maths. I do think we start young in this country but, given the system we have, I think it's a lovely year for them.

9-3 so shorter than a nursery day.
Id send or you will struggle to get them a place on Yr 1..
it’s all play learning like nursery, mine all loved it.

I should add, mine do wrap around 4 days a week and love that too.
also summer born kids so young in the year.

Attendance is optional before compulsory school age.

A child missing reception and going straight to year 1 would really struggle. Not only would friendship groups have been formed but year one is mostly sitting and learning whereas reception is mostly play. They would be so far behind with reading and writing I think they would struggle to catch up.
Very few people skip reception. Some summer born children defer their first year and start a year later but even that isn’t commonplace.
I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t start reception when your child is already in full time nursery though. They will be more than ready to start and likely bored at nursery by then

It’s an odd one. It is of course, but school won’t let you think that and you still get emails/calls/nudges on the app that attendance is low (at 95% or something daft!!!)