Reception parents out there? Academic help please!

[Beigebowl]

Our first born boy started reception this September in a state quite academic school in a heavily grammar area and his school is following the Little Wandle scheme.

Up until now he was bringing home each week a book for me to read an enjoy together, a pocket rocket and a wordless book! This week he came back with a pink level book which I thought was a progress.

So, as he is my first born and we are also not originally from the Uk , my question/worry is how he is doing comparatively with other reception kids in other schools.

I know it’s not a competition but I am puzzled as so much emphasis is given on reading skills and none (so far) in writing and maths skills which I find bizarre.

Where I come from if we were given some activity for home (i.e for reading) that would be at a similar level with writing and maths “homework”.

So, I just need an understanding of what is happening nationally and not in his school bubble to get a feeling on how his is doing.

I am also interested in what private schools are doing at this point in reception classes!

AIBU - He is where he should be, don’t worry
AINBU - He should be getting a writhing and maths activity sheets to push him and reach his potential.

He's 4 or 5 homework is unnecessary. Reading however is the main thing, read to him, look at the books and talk about the pictures. The head start kids have at that age is not from homework it's from vocabulary, health and other life opportunities

Reception teacher here. We follow Little Wandle. Children are assessed at the end of each half term (every six weeks) and this produces a reading level for the child. Some children will still be on wordless books at this stage. If he is bringing home books with words, and is able to blend them, then he is on track. We do send home some writing or maths each week as well as the expectation that children read at home 3+ times per week. For context we are an inner city (state) two-form entry school in a very deprived area. My own children attend a much more affluent/academic state school and had far less homework at that stage.

The thing about writing and maths is the school will have very specific ways of teaching their particular scheme/strategy/writing style. So they don’t want to send home a sheet of handwriting and find that half the parents have shown their child a different way to form the letters/hold the pencil/whatever. Talking about a book is a nice way to engage families and encourage good habits without a) putting pressure on and b) risking undoing the foundations the school is in the middle of putting in place.

It’s fairly futile worrying about where he is in relation to the rest of the country at this age. Or indeed the rest of his class. He’s happy, and he’s making progress. They’re the important things.

I'm an early years (retired) teacher. I'm not going to answer everything because it's already past 11pm and I'd be here all night!
To put your mind at some ease (I hope) to put it simply, writing and maths are so entwined in everything that the kids do. From free play where you'll see "write letters in sand" , to notepads and pencils in the roleplay cafe, or "prescriptions" in the Dr's role play, giving meaning to marks on the board, in paint, in chalks....the list is endless. And it's the same for maths. We're always counting, singing, can you get out 5 cars, I need 3 gluesticks, in free play how tall can get the tower, can you measure your hand....you get the gist right?

Reading is a little harder. Again it is entwined but it needs the correct sounds, it needs more teaching. It needs time ,practise, and often quiet away from the bustle of a classroom, particularly an early years one! I've worked in both state and independent schools, some very elite London independent schools. In my experience, there was no time to listen to children read in state. We tried but there just so many to get through and even then, it was a couple of pages. Every independent school I've worked in, the children read every day to a member of staff, at quite some length. Whatever school system your child is in, we want you to hear them read. We want them to practise, practise, practise. Even if you can't phonetically help or understand. We want them to enjoy the book, enjoy the sensation of reading and we're trying to build up their confidence to read, to " have a go". The children who read every night are steps ahead of those that don't read at home at all. It's a massive difference.

Maths and literacy are important, all of it is important, but the thing you can most help out with at home is reading. The other bits you think you should be doing or he should be doing, will come eventually. Don't forget at the moment he's only on autumn term 2 of his first ever year officially at school.

@Rainbowdottie Really appreciate your reply!

DS is a similar age, in a similar area actually. He attends private prep and aim is for state grammar or a selective public school. He does:

1. Kumon. Level 3 English and Maths. I’ve been told this is equivalent of Year 2 in State and Year 1 of private school. But I’m not sure how accurate this is or if it’s just a sales pitch. He doesn’t seem more or less academically ahead at this age than my elder kids who are now seriously smart so I’m not sure if there’s a relationship between Reception ability and academic potential later on. We do 10mins of worksheets on each subject per day. On top of homework.

2. He brings home several kinds of books for reading. All kids have to read the same books for their reading diaries so the teachers can benchmark them but they get offered library books based on their ability. He’s reading things like Julia Donaldson (Tiddler, What the Ladybird Heard, The Gruffalo). He loves to bring home the Famous Five stories but can’t quite manage to read half a page in one go by himself. The focus on any book he reads is not how well he reads it but how well he understands what’s going on.

3. Homework is minimal at this age. Mainly just going through what’s being taught in class. He doesn’t receive extra work in school.

4. He’s learning French and I’ve found he’s progressed faster than the other children as he’s used to reading captions in English in Kumon. He receives extra homework.

5. He’s about to start an instrument properly at school. I would say this is the most important skill for maths. My eldest dc is a maths genius but only began to get it after starting piano

6. Plays various ‘whole body’ sports like gymnastics, swimming, and a team sport (currently football but we will switch this up to cricket as that’s what his dad enjoys). In school the focus is on gymnastics and dance as a minimum everyday as there’s a link between sport and academic progress