What should a 5 years old know

[Amygreenh]

Hi,
My 5 year old is due to start Yr 1, they didn't attend reception as we had to move around a lot so we taught them at home. I spoke to another mother who said her child already knows how to read and write? Surely they don't teach this in reception? I thought it was mostly play based so haven't covered anything like that. My DC knows how to count to 20 and some letters, can write their name and some letters that's about it.
What should my DC know before starting so I can work on it over the summer with them?

In reception they will have been doing phonics and have a good understanding of some of the basic sounds including how to read and write them. But as with everything there will be a range of levels amongst the pupils.

you would be best off talking to the new school and asking them what is best to help prepare.

I agree on speak to the school on what they have been doing and the schemes they use.

This might help in terms of the expectations for the end of reception -
Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Some children will be able to read and write reasonably well by now, some won't - there is likely to be quite a range assuming it's a regular state school.

Mine is just leaving reception the kids learn at their own rate they've only just turned 5 and was a slow learner it's taken him a long time to recognise his name and write it but that's all but there is some that could do that in nursery. Phonics is what they learn in rec YouTube jolly phonics x

Ask the school.

And can they tie their own shoelaces? I'd work on that and some more letters.

Most fluent English students will be able to read this level (band 3) https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/library-page?view=image&query=&type=book&age_group=&level=oxford+level+3&level_select=oxford+level+3&book_type=&series=#. Writing is variable, but should be able to attempt short sentences with phonetic approximations of words.

in other countries they won’t have even started school yet so plenty of time to “catch up”, not a sign of intelligence just a year extra focused on phonics!

they should be able to count objects, recognise small numbers of objects without counting, understand greater than and less than and begin 2/10 times tables

they should also be toilet trained, able to follow 2 step instructions

They don't need to be able to tie shoelaces provided they are given velcro shoes which is what most primary school children have.

OP. Phonics. Letter formation.
Maths terms like more, less

Ask the school re educational expectations. Mine (DD4) has learnt to read in nursery but some of her peers haven't.

Personal care is just as important - we're told that before Reception they should be able to:

• go to the loo on their own and wash their hands
• dress and undress
• put on their coat and do up zip/buttons
• put on own shoes
• fill own water bottle
• ask an adult if they have a problem/question
• use a knife and fork to eat
• use scissors
• write their name and recognise numbers up to 10

My son is 5 and started reception in September last year. When he started he couldn't write his name and now he can write (basic) sentences. "The car is blue" or "the cat is hungry" usually with spelling mistakes. He can read basic phonics books. Look up little wandle phonics resources and reception curriculum. They spend the year starting with 10 mins phonics building up to 30 mins to prepare them for longer periods of learning going into year 1. I would say going into year 1 my son is a bit behind his peers in his phonics and writing so I would spend the next 8 weeks trying to catch up as much as possible as he will be a fair amount behind

Presumably your child will be further ahead in whatever subjects you were teaching them instead of reading? Perhaps music, sports skills, knowledge of the natural world? You can’t have just ignored them for five years! The kids in your DC’s class will bring a variety of skills and levels of education, but all will contribute something to the whole.
Reading is crucial though, and you would be well advised to do some phonic based catch up over the summer. Keep it fun though, not a chore. Read great stories together every evening, or on wet days. Encourage DC to sound out the words. They will soon get the hang.

My reception child has learnt to read books with sentences in, can write sentences about 5 words long. Maths wise they've learnt basic addition and subtraction and two times tables. That's a very brief summary, obviously covered a lot more. Did you not look into what they'd need to know?

Good things to know for school are:
-How to dress themselves (getting changed for PE) including zipping coat up
-How to recognize their own name and where to look on their uniform to see if it's theirs
-With respect to reading, phonics means learning the sounds that letters make. Eg we know that S is called "ess" but we learn in phonics that it makes the sound "sss" (not "suh") then we teach that words are made of sounds in a particular order, we say the sounds then blend them together to form a word.
Various phonics schemes teach sounds in different orders so it is worth finding out which scheme your school uses and starting there.
-With maths, recognizing numbers and understanding the value they relate to is good. Eg we have parents say their child "can count to 10"; their child can recite the numbers up to 10 but cannot accurately count 10 items.
-can they hold a pencil properly and use scissors?

Reception is play based learning but there is a structure to it as well.
Don't stress too much, children do pick things up very quickly.

We use read write inc at our school, have a look at the recourses they have and fbis should give you an idea of where they need to be.

There are different phonics schemes but DD (admittedly in top set) had done phase 2-5 phonics by the end of reception. Bottom set was officially on phase 3 but know some were still getting to grips with phase 2.

I taught my 3 children to read well and write simple sentences before they went to school. My DD loved learning and knew all her times tables by 6 my 2 boys were older at 8 and 7. I thought a bit less for the teacher to do as in quite large classes with over 25 children and only 1 TA.

I work in a very relaxed preschool. We are sending most kids off to Reception about where your child is now, I think. In the next year I would expect a huge amount of progress. About half can write some of the letters in their name, some can do their whole name. They can all listen to a story and retell some if it, answer questions about it. They can all show 'finger numbers' to 5 and many can do 6, 7, 8 etc. They all recognize numerals to 10. They can all count items to 10. Some can count to 100. Most importantly, nearly all of them can sit and listen on the carpet for 15 minutes. Can you child focus if he doesn't have 1:1 attention?

That's great but were you not worried your kids would be a bit bored? The point of school is to learn together as a group, if they already know a lot what did they do when everyone else was learning?

I'm definitely not going to be teaching my DC to read at home surely that's what school is for. This year we've been lucky to spend time outside playing and exploring the world around us like a 4 year old should

Phonics
simple sentences
easy read books
simple sums
zip up coat
shoes
sit without wriggling
count to 100

At the end of reception mine could read simple books and had the basics of phonics. They could write simple sentences and do basic addition and subtraction.

There will be a range of abilities in year 1 so it's like they'll catch up. It might be worth finding out what phonics scheme they use (ours uses Read, Write, Inc) and there should be some videos online- they might be useful for him to watch.

Reception is mostly play bases but there is some element of learning.

You will need to help your child to read at home. It's not the schools job to do it all. Most schools expect home reading at least 3 times a week (we do 5 days mon-fri in the morning before school). You have to help your child learn, a school is part of it but as a parent it is your responsibility to also engage and encourage your child.

My son is just finishing year 1. At this point last year, finishing reception, he could definitely write in sentences and was reading whole books that were sent home, several pages with a sentence on each page.

Yes they learn a lot through play, but they learn to read and write and basic maths.

They are put on ability set tables in reception at our school too, so no child is bored! They are all set work appropriate for them.

And you’re going to be in for a shock if you think it’s the school’s job to do it all! Of course it’s part of parenting! You aid in all aspects of their development. They will have homework each week, expected to read every night to you and have a spelling test each week in year 1.

It may be school's job to teach them to read (though I think of it more as a partnership). But for whatever reason you didn't send your DC to school! He /She won't be 'learning together' with their class because their class will have been taught a load of phonics, and blending, and letter formation already.

That is what school is for. You chose to homeschool through reception so your child missed the introduction and working through of phonics i.e. learning to read. They've missed the group learning to read.

I'm sure the school will do everything they can to help your child catch up, but you have very much missed the boat on everyone learning to read at the same time. That's reception.

If I were you I'd teach the basics over the summer so your child can join the group when they start in year one.

My 4 year old is in reception. She can read and write simple sentences, recite up to 100 but count objects to about 20, knows number bonds of 10 and some times tables. They've learned about life cycles of animals and plants, various religions, their bodies, and the solar system.

The school uses read, write inc, maybe you could get some online to see what the first few stages look like.

My daughter is the same age and can read simple books and write short sentences - which is normal for the children in her class. I haven't 'taught her to read' but we read together at home - I think that's pretty normal, it seems unusual to view reading as an activity exclusively for school.