Year one? What's it like?

[Icklepicklewoo]

Just curious how different it is? What's the structure of the day like (I know all schools will operate different)

My daughter had a slow start to reception. Looking at her work books in march she wasn't really writing. She was writing her name wrong and scribbling. She was sitting with a TA for learning. Also she took ages to grasp the routine. She was finally getting there and coronavirus shut the school.

She's home until September. I've managed to help her alot. She's writing beautifully now. Everyday she's writing more and more words. She can read all cvc words and is really picking up Sh sounds and oo sounds.

I'm wanting to prep her for year one as much as I can. I am worried she won't show the teacher what she can do. I think she was too distracted to focus on the tasks. But 4 is so young.

Is year one just sitting at desks all day? Do they play? Do they get much fresh air? What sort of things do they do to make learning fun in year one?

Thanks in advance

As you say, it will depend on the school and depend on the teacher.

In theory, children in Reception follow the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) which is all about following the children's interest and learning through discovery. Then the National Curriculum starts in Yr1, which, yes, is far more weighted towards sitting at tables, doing the lesson that is timetabled.
In reality, most schools do a seemless blend. It isn't all EYFS in Reception then all NC in Yr1 - it normally dovetails in. Of course, this year, the REception children hve lost their Summer Term. It is going to be a very peculiar year, starting in September, but all schools will be aware of that, and all the children will be in the same boat. The teachers will make adjustments.
How and what that will look like is anybody's guess at the moment. Some dc are back in school, others aren't, but that school doesn't look like 'normal' school by a long, long way. I can't see September looking like 'normal school' either. We are all making this up as we go along.

My experience is that many will speak of provision and filling gaps from eyfs, but most go straight into set places and formal work. There is a great disparity in the resources in a y1 classroom in comparison and I'm many the start of silo subject learning even if supposedly based around a topic.
The independence that was encouraged in reception is in effect knocked out of them now.