Twins starting school in September - what should I be teaching them?

[littletinkers]

Hi - kids starting school and just wondering how advanced they need to be in terms of getting dressed themselves, using knife (well generally not fingers let's be honest!), writing... other skills I should be thinking of. All advice welcome!

being able to put their coats on and doing them up either zips or buttons and then taking them off
practice with lunch boxes they are going to use at school. Can they open them and everything you put in that lunch box?
basic shapes, colours, do they know how to write their name?
can they put their PE kit on and then take it of to put school uniform on?
opening, closing school bag?
if the teacher sees they are having a really good go then they will be helped.

Practice sitting with legs crossed.

If girls, get their hair cut short, nice chin-length bob.

If they are a bit fat get few pounds off them ( I've a chumpy middle child - losing a few pounds really made a difference to how much he could join in with running about games).

Train them to hold doors open for the person coming along behind them.

Using a knife and fork properly (with god cutting and slicing technique) is a definte if they are having school dins.

Make sure they know to tell and adult if they are fealing ill, make sure they can show where it hurts ie rubbing head.

Get them to be able to read/recognised their names and the words "boys" and "girls" - so they go to the correct loo.

Make sure they can get shoes on correct feet.

DS's school told us they just wanted children to know the basics:
opening their sandwich boxes!
using cutlery properly
being able to dress themselves
using the loo properly

They were categorical that they would teach them the "work" side, so reading, writing etc.

I wouldn't over think it too much if I were you.

Am a TA it helps if they:
Can they feed themselves
Can put their coat on and off
Can go to the loo unaided and wipe their own bum!
Recognise their own pe bag ect.
Know their shoes

Put half a Smily face on the inside of each shoe so that when they put them together they make a smile. This helps them not put shoes on the correct feet.

Reception teacher here- recognise own name, pe bag, shoes (or get the name tags that have pictures on them. Actually a lot of the time they just sniff the jumpers an say "that's so and so's"). Putting Coat/ jumper on, using cutlery, using the toilet and hand washing, peeling fruit, using books and telling stories (not reading though), counting rhymes and songs, imaginary play. Also explain that there are lots of children in the class and they may have to wait their turn on occasion, and that walking up to the teacher, whacking them round the head with a brick and saying "I'm talking to you why aren't you listening" isn't really appropriate!