Reception Year Children - how has it been this first year?

[Earlybird]

For those of us with a child currently in reception - how has it been this first year at "big school"?

Are you happy with your child's academic and social progress? Are you pleased with the school, and do you feel it is the right place for your child? What were the good things, bad things, pleasant surprises, disappointments, etc.? Any thoughts about next year?

ds2 started reception last september, he was 5 in march, he had settled in very well at school and 2 months ago changed schools due to a housemove, however his teacher feels that hes settled in very well.

When I said dd liked structured work I didn't mean overly academic! She just likes to know that now is circle time, then she's to do her news book, then some phonics, then outside play, then a story etc....I'm not overly bothered about academic achievement in 4/5 year olds

FWIW my MIL was a Reception teacher for years in a little private school and she says that a 4 yr old can olnly do what a 4 yr old can do and so on (IYSWIM!).

She has had some come into reception already reading and some leaving reception not yet reading. She reckons by Yr 2 they all catch up.

So we shouldn't be too hung up on academic stuff!

mummydear - the PTA asks for money so they can fund things for the children!! They don't go out on the lash with it!

We've funded allsorts of things this year - new planters and plants for the playgrounds, new playground markings, painting of fencing around playground, pergola on field to provide shade, various badges for sport captains and prefects, sports kits, new reading books for reception, theatre company visits, music company visits, new tape recorders/sound systems for some of the classrooms, a water cooler for guests in the lobby......the list is endless!

Aren't there are a lot of August children on this thread? DS2's birthday is 31st August, which I know he shares with Anniebear's twins.

We are trying to raise money for a new kitchen this term so the PTA is all guns blazing. I'm quite involved and seem to be hectoring lots of parents to volunteer for the fete or hand in their raffle tickets.

GDG - I do know what PTA use the money for , but when money is a bit tight it all adds up, perhaps something you may not have experienced !

DS2 is coming to the end of his reception year. He started off with a lot of messing around, not really integrating with the rest of the class. Then seemed to settle down after Christmas, but now he's gone back to being really silly, not focusing, irritating the other children (and the teacher, I think).

He says he hates school and wants to stay at home with me . He also says he doesn't want to be on Planet School but on Planet [DS2]. His brother had the same teacher last year and did very well - he was a real favourite, so I really feel for DS2 for having to follow on from him so soon afterwards. He has soaked up something - his reading and writing have really come on and he is very articulate, but I worry that he is going to have a hard time at school.

It's interesting to hear about the differences in year 1. I don't really know how much things will change in September, I was going to ask dd's teacher at the next parents' evening. Can anybody with older children advise?

Ds1 has had a really good year (well, 10 months). I confess to being super hawk-like about all that goes on (being an ex reception teacher). The most important thing for me is that he is generally happy and has made friends - all is well on both counts .

Cardy, dd1 is in Yr1 (but in a mixed Yr1 and 2 class). At first she missed things like the Home Corner and dressing up as there is much less play in Yr1, butvery soon got into her stride with the extra work and has loved it. As well as more literacy and numeracy they do more science, geography, history and ICT plus PE twice a week instead of once and a couple of sessions of music. They also have a class allotment and do gardening twice a week. She has reading and spelling homework but has asked for extra numeracy work because she likes it . They have "golden time" on a Friday afternoon where they choose games or puzzles to play with.

My dd1 finishes Primary 1 (in Scotland) at the end of next week. She didnt start school until she was 5years and 6 months old, as we had the option of keping her at nursery for the extra year (you can do that with a Feb birthday in Scotland). We're glad we did it and she has had a ball this year.
She's learned to speak, read and write in a foreign language (as we chose the Gaelic medium class for her), has produced some amazing artwork, completed two years worth of maths in one, learned loads of interesting facts (she can tell me all about the water cycle this week), and almost most amazingly, learned to eat school dinners!! She's made some good friends (though she knew most of them from nursery class), grown up a lot, got extra lippy on occcasion, and can really look after herself now - she doesnt need my help to do anything except plait her hair!

Most amazingly,(ad I know I am a totally showy offy mummy here, but allow me my moment of pride!!!) she learned a poem for the local Gaelic cultural competition (Mod) last week, won the P1-P3 competition (19 entries!!) and then performed in front of 800 people at the winners concert in the evening. My little girl!!! I had tears in my eyes for that one. SHe used to be so shy! The confidence she has learned has been the biggest benefit to he, I think.

We're moving house, and so she is moving schools at the end of this term. Its going to be a big change from a small rural school (8 in her class) to a city school with so many more, but Ithink there is as much for her to learn there as she has already and I am sure she will be fine!

KateF, that's interesting. My DD will be in a mixed reception and Y1 (being an August birthday) so I guess the change might be a bit more subtle. I think the extra work might come as a bit of a shock....whenever I ask about what's she's being doing at school I always get answer about playtime, the home corner, PE, never the work she has been doing.

Sorry MD, message was a bit harsh. You shouldn't feel obliged to give money all the time. Tbh, we ask for practical help more than money and it annoys me that it's always teh same people helping -so I have a bee in my bonnet about it!

GDG, it is always the same people (for lots of good reasons of course) and by Y3 (DS1's class) we're finding it much, much harder to get support. This whole fete thing is doing my head in - this is why I am putting off everything I should be doing (client work, own company accounts, PTA stuff) by posting on Mumsnet!

this is an interesting thread.

Blu I loved your post,what a great idea the teachers in their jamas reading stories. Sounds totally fab at yr ds's school.

DD has had a good year, no surprise to me as she loves an ordered life and responds well to structure (and loves colouring, craft etc).

Yr 1 for cardy and others - a lot more structured, literacy and numeracy hour, spellins and homework often, anyoen who has spend recpetion playign and not reading or writing much might find it tougher. I do think it's a big jump, bigger in a way than nursery school to reception. But a good teacher should help.

littlerach, glad that yr head knows all names, btu tbh I woudl expect that unless achool was very big - what do others think?

Harrisey, your little girl sounds so confidentno wonder you're proud! I forgot to say that one of the things I'm happiest about is that DS has come to terms with his fear of hand-driers. He'd always been terrified of them and I warned his teacher that he might avoid using the school toilets for this reason. She was really kind and told him that he had special permission to flap his hands like a bird to dry them instead. Gradually he got over his phobia and 2 weeks ago he amazed me by switching on a drier all by himselfunthinkable when started school in January.

GDG , having been on a plagroup commitee and local NCT branch commitee I know only too well what it is like trying to get people to help and you are right it is always the same people and it is very frustrating.

I do go into the school as a a parent helper which gives me a great insight into waht Ds is doing , becuase when I ask him what he has done at school I get the usual reply 'NOTHING ' or 'I DON'T KNOW ' !!!

Arabica - just read your comment about the uncorrected spellings - I only tend to mard one or two - depneds what the purpose of the writing is. Children get too demoralised about having their becautiful work covereed in ink. Also if they have a go and it phonetically right then that is v. good!

Looks like I'll be the lone mum with a child who has not enjoyed his reception year. Ds has found it very stressful, but we have progressed from a screaming dervish trying to climb the playground fence to escape to a reasonably civilised walk into the classroom.
He can read, he does maths, but he is simply not happy most of the time. It's been hard for him due to his hearing problems, and worsened by the teachers not being informed of his hearing problems until after the Autumn half term (when i checked that they knew, and found that they didn't).
He came out of school yesterday and lay crying on the pavement, I had to carry him home (whilst pushing dd in the buggy)..I spoke to his teacher today, and she said he was 'getting very confident and has a great sense of humour', so we may be getting there slowly.

Message withdrawn

((bluebear and little bluebear))
This must be so stressful for you - I remember having to take dd1 out of nursery for a few weeks as she was so miserable - at least you can do that at nursery. Its really not on that the school teachers had not heard of his hearing problems. Have you complained about the lack of communication?
Would your little boy be eligible for extra help, maybe a few hours of a dedicated classroom assistant, to help him settle better in Y1?
Of course, it could be that he is perfectly happy and confident whan you are not around, but playing up for you (sorry if I am wayyyy off the mark here). My ds used to cry like crazy at drop off at nursery adn again at pick up but was a totally jolly little fellow in between. I think he did it to make me feel bad.

Here's hoping the academic stimulation of y1 will help, I do hope so.

Thanks Harrisey - the whole thing is rather complicated and communication with/from the school has not been great. At the moment ds can hear ok (he's just had an op. on his ears), but the doctors expect him to become hearing impaired again within 3 months (but aren't going to look into hearing aids etc until this actually happens). He finds it very hard to cope with changes in routine (which school know and have some strategies in place to help him).
I'm hoping that more structured work will help him, as it may be easier for him to work out what he's expected to be doing.
{I was kind of hoping that I might be the first of a number of mums with non-brilliant, non-socially active, non-school loving kids.)

bluebear - my heart clenches for you and littlebear. didn't know about his hearing issues - is the SENCO being no help?

Senco has been no help - I have seen her once, because she wanted an update on his asthma - but she also hadn't been told about his hearing (despite teacher's knowing at this point).
Am trying to arrange another meeting soon.
Sorry about the thread hijack.