What range of levels for numeracy and literacy should a child entering reception be expected to be at?

[StarlightMcKenzie]

I am having difficulty getting any information from ds' nursery placement about what he actually 'does' at nursery.

He is moving from a poorly performing school in a deprived area to a posh school in a middle class area.

I don't want him to start out way behind but I'm quite sure he is far in front in the school he is in.

The school won't tell me anything about his progress except that it is 'good' and I have no idea what he is doing. He never tells me.

Please can someone tell me what kind of literacy and numeracy skills he will be expected to have acheived, or the very least, where he is aiming for by the end of reception.

Many thanks.

[mrz]

As a teacher with many years experience of teaching reception children I would be more impressed with a child demonstrating the skills thighslapper lists than a child who knows how to read, write and count to infinity and lacking in basic self care skills.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

mrz, as I mentioned my ds has difficulties in the wonder skills you describe. I have no doubt that we need to work hard on those areas.

I was on this thread simply to try to establish where my ds was in the skills that I am not so worried about to make sure that I haven't missed something or got it wrong. If he can coast on his literacy and numeracy, I can make more time available to work on his deficit areas. If he appeared to be behind in his numeracy and literacy as well, I'd have to include them too.

I didn't come on this thread for a ticking off for getting things wrong. I am a parent with genuine cause for concern about my ds' development and trying to establish the most sensible and effective way forward.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

You might be interested to know that my ds Speech and Language Therapist has said that she can't do anything more for him until he can read as his language is disordered and reading will provide the visual supports.

If reading is a way to support communication development and talking skills as Total suggested it might be, then in ds' case, reading is probably one of the more important skills to teach.

[mrz]

As a parent I would suggest you focus on self care skills (as you have said he has difficulties in this area ) and not worry about literacy and numeracy no one is ticking you off just trying to say stop worrying school won't expect him to be reading writing and calculating before he gets through the door. If he can recognise his own name and speak in sentences he will do fine honestly.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Well he can't speak in sentences really, at least he can but not relevent ones.

mummytime Thank you. The SENCO is excellent at this school and often does outreach to other schools. Unfortunately she is not altogether keen on the idea of my ds beginning her school as its excellent reputation for SEN is turning it into a default special school and she alluded to resigning if we insisted he attend but I think once he is there they will do right by him. If not I have no problems moving him. As with Nursery I will monitor his happiness and confidence carefully. His current school are dire at meeting his educational needs but they have worked hard at keeping him happy and confident. For that I am extremely grateful and pleased it was his first experience of schooling.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

mrz, his self-care skills are fine (he has problems with putting on jumpers and tops but we'll crack that by Sept). It is his social skills that are the real problem and general awareness of the world around him.

[mrz]

Even if his sentences aren't relevant he's way ahead of many children who have single words or grunts (and no SEN) when they arrive at my school. I'm sure he will be fine so please don't worry.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Thanks mrz. That makes me feel better. Doubt there will be many grunting children in ds' class. Wouldn't be bothered about that normally but it is good that he will have good peer role models.

DS is very sociable and I have found that children can demand he tries harder than adults often expect of him and his motivation to do so is there more for children than for adults. (until they give up on him at least)

[Lizcat]

I think you maybe actually very surprised by the range of abilities of children in the 'posh middle class' school. Literacy wise the most important thing for DD when she joined reception of a fairly academic prep school was to be able to recognise her own name so that she could find her peg and identify her own PE bag. I know this waiting for them to start school is a very worrying time.
If he struggles with other children I would concentrate on how to ask other children to play with you and understanding that you have to take turns at choosing the game to play. From my DDs experience some of the supposedly most academically advanced children still have difficultly with this in Year 2.