Is this normal for reception age behaviour?

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First time in the school playground as it were! I've got two concerns.

1. My usually placid and fairly reserved boy is having troubles with fighting and being pushy shovey. The older boys in years 1 and 2 (infant school) seem particularly influential for this. Is this normal boisterous behaviour or should I be concerned? I don't want my son to be bullied, or turn into a bully!
2. Boys playing with boys and girls playing with girls. He's only five and already doesn't play with girls. Is this normal too?! He used to have close friendships with girls. Now not so much. Again not sure if very normal or perhaps a little influenced by the concern no. 1! Thanks to anyone who's been through the school gates before.

I'd be worried about fighting, especially if it's being influenced by older boys. I'm not sure what other schools are like but the Primary that mine went to had a separate corner I the playground for Reception age children.

Boys playing with boys is fairly normal. Most boys seem to want to play football at every opportunity.

If you are worried about him at all I'd ask to talk to his teacher about your concerns.

I've already spoken to the school about it. They've said he's not allowed to play with the older boys but they share a playground. I talk to him at home about it but feel quite anxious I can't do much when he's at school.

Thanks for the reassurance about boy/girl thing - is a bit sad. Maybe I'll try a play date with a girl?

I mean is it normal that boys do this? It's so foreign to me. Obvs I'm a girl and never remember getting all pushy/shovey at school.
One of my friends has a year 2 who's behaviour doesn't seem great to me at the moment. For example I walked them up to school and he was pushing his sister about and saying stuff like 'going to kick u in the butt'

I think it's normal for some boys but certainly not all boys- the problem is that if you have a boy who doesn't like it they can get caught in the cross fire.

My Y1 DS hates the physical/pushing/shoving kind of play, though watching his friends some of them clearly enjoy it. The key thing is to persuade DS to assert boundaries (please stop- I'm not enjoying it) and if necessary talk to staff. But definitely talk to the teacher if worried.

The boy/girl thing sadly seems very common but for DS its confined to the playground. In after school club/at parties/in the park, it's fine and they all mix!

Definitely talk to the school. The reception kids are not allowed to play with the older kids at my DS son's school either, but they do anyway and nothing seems to be done about it. One of the older boys is encouraging a reception boy to hit my DS. Of course reception boy doesn't know what he's doing but it's almost daily and very frustrating for my DS, but the teachers don't care because it's a reception kid, and I am apparently the only mum who has concerns. The more mums that go in and raise concerns the better OP.