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?

Several kids at my sons reception are reading fairly well (we are a bit shocked). They are in two groups. Those that are reading pink and purple band books and those that are still on CVC. For maths my son is doing times table, 2 to 5, and 10. Writing is all over the place but he can read several pages including words like could, their, people, and some compound words, so different "achievements" across different areas. So your kid's school will assess and support your child's needs. Donr worry

Christ, reading this thread makes me worry about my own son. He's 4, and in FT nursery rather than preschool. He starts reception in Sept. He can't read or write anything. He know his colours and shapes, can count to 10, mangles his alphabet and can do some basic sums (he told me today that ten tens are hundred for example). His dad reads to him before bed every evening but we've never tried teaching him anything.
He can get himself dressed and go the toilet himself. Can't do laces though. He has Velcro shoes.
Do I need to start worrying?

@PrtScn

No! All totally normal! That was where both of mine were at when they started reception. It’s amazing how they fly once they start. The teachers are miracle workers at getting them reading and writing. You just help the practice at home. So really don’t worry.

This was my DD last summer, I couldn't persuade her to write her name on a thank you card for her nursery teachers and colouring in just meant colouring the whole page in one colour. I cannot believe how far she's come in a year. Honestly, he'll astound you.

He also won't be particularly behind anyone else come Sept.

The problem OP has is that her DC is the guts of a year behind the bulk of the class. I'm sure they'll get there, but a bit of prep over the summer will do no harm. Your DS is all good because he'll learn all this when he gets to reception.

That is exactly where my son was before starting reception but by the end of reception, he could read (simple books), write simple sentences etc

Honestly don't worry at all. Both my dc's started reception unable to read the most basic cvc words or write their own name. Both finished reception reading simple books and writing sentences. You will be amazed at how much they learn in reception.

Thanks to all those who have just replied to me. I was starting to think I'd massively dropped the ball there 😅

Hi, I'm a Reception teacher and just wanted to jump on.
All of the children are taught how to read and write in reception. We follow Development Matters and assess them all against the 17 early learning goals. It is all available online if you google EYFS statutory framework. The expected standard for writing is to be able to write sentences using their phonics knowledge that can be read by themselves and others. My class are now using capital letters and full stops too. In maths they have to have a secure understanding of numbers within 10 including subsidising, mental recall of number bonds, addition facts, subtraction facts and other concepts such as doubling or halving. In reading children need to read sentences independently as well as predict, retell and talk about what they have read.
All of this is obviously taught in a variety of scenarios such as small groups, whole class and through play. The standard for a child leaving reception is actually very high and we work hard to get them there!
For the children who do not achieve that standard then extra support is put into place for them in Y1. They will have extra targets and intervention to catch up with their peers. Normally the TA will work closely alongside them If a class is lucky to have a TA that is.
Is there any way your child could start in reception? They have missed a lot of learning this year and will have to be taken out a lot for extra support to catch up.

@Amygreenh I'm confused - your posts contradict each other. Do you want to help your child or not? If you do, you've got 44 sounds to teach them over the next two months. As well as a number of tricky words, and how to segment and blend so that they can read and write simple words and sentences. That's what Reception teachers have spent the last year doing. If you don't want to do that, that's fine, but don't expect your child to be working at the same level as everyone else in the class.

And can they tie their own shoelaces?
I really don't think that's important not many 5 year olds can and children's shoes don't have laces.anyway
if you want to do anything I would concentrate on phonics as they spend a lot of time working on phonics in reception. Some children can read and write confidently by the end of reception and some can't.
They also work on number bonds. How to make 10, 5 etc.
But all children are different so I wouldn't worry .

The OP's child has missed reception and is going into Year One hence the worry about what they don't know!

Mine are older now so don’t know if they still have it but the tv show alphablocks was a good way to introduce phonics.
Then get some of the basic books from the library and go from there.
Even if your child had been at school for the last year you would’ve needed to read together everyday. Little and often.

What you should do this summer is:

Read to your child. Then read some more. Then more again. Read the same book over and over if your child wants that.

Read poetry and sing songs. Pre-reading children need to be able to get a feel for similarities and differences in sounds, for syllables, for rhythm.

Look at cvc words in the books you read, and show your child how sounds and letters correspond.

Casually ask your child what the illustrations are showing as you go through each book.

Ask your child to pick out words like a, the, at, you in text, plus other words that crop up a lot in any given book (depending on the material, this could be cat, dog, fire, rain, hungry, ate, goodnight, etc).

Do simple jigsaw puzzles.

Let your child practice letters and numbers using sand and a stick, chalk, mud.

When you go shopping, ask your child to read out the letters (L to R) of the shops you visit- BOOTS, TESCO, ALDI, and you can say what the letters spell. You can also have her spell out STOP at stop signs, etc. The point is to make her aware of all the written word in the environment, and repetition will help her actually learn to read those words. Do this as a fun game.

My DCs went to school in the US, where children are really taught to read in First grade (age 6 turning 7). Kindergarten (age 5 turning 6) is the year when they are exposed to phonics. All my DCs were reading before they got to First grade, but other kids were not. They're all university graduates now, regardless of when they started.

Don't be disheartened or discouraged or feel your child is 'behind'. There is no evidence at all that says the British approach of expecting children of 4 turning 5 to read, spell, and write basic words and sentences has any benefit. It just results in many children developing a sense of bewilderment in school, and an idea that they are failing.

I'm not sure whether you were writing to the pp I quoted or if you misunderstood my post. I was answering a pp about her child who starts reception in September, not the OP.

All of this is great however the OPs child will still be massively behind their peers as they have missed a whole year of school and learning. I'm not being unkind, I'm just stating a fact. The OPs child will be sat in a class of children that have already done a year of phonics, reading and maths alongside all of the other things! As much as we may or may not agree with how the education system is in the UK it is going to be hard for the OPs little one. Hence if they could start in reception over year 1 the better!

I don't think that poster has yet found any topic she can't make about the US 😅

Yes.
Also, know their colours, go to the loo by themselves (and wash hands), get dressed/undressed (eg for PE)

My son has learnt to do a lot of colouring in reception judging by the amount of colouring sheets he comes home with every day.....

Don't be disheartened or discouraged or feel your child is 'behind'. There is no evidence at all that says the British approach of expecting children of 4 turning 5 to read, spell, and write basic words and sentences has any benefit. It just results in many children developing a sense of bewilderment in school, and an idea that they are failing

Do you not think that the OP's DC is going to feel bewildered and like they are failing by starting school having missed a whole year of education and being significantly behind most of their classmates?

The education system in the UK has children learning to read, write and do simple maths from the age of 4. Whether this is the right way or the wrong way is certainly an interesting topic. But if you choose to send your child to a school in the UK then you have to accept that this is the system.

Oh, and if you decide to teach any letters - DON'T teach capitals, and use the letter sounds, not the letter names eg 'a' as in apple, NOT 'ay', bee, cee, dee etc

Yes, mine were all well into the phonics readers in reception, they are all reading at the end of reception year usually. They do phase 1/2/3/4 phonics in reception. This is a good guide here: https://www.theschoolrun.com/phonics-phases-explained

However, research shows that waiting usually means they pick it up more quickly, and they mix phonics groups between reception, year 1 and year 2 based on ability. So it should be no problem for your son to join reception class for phonics, and if he picks it up more quickly then they will move him up as and when. In my experience, when they start reading has absolutely no bearing on future ability, most of my children have been late to grasp blending, I felt it was something I just couldn't teach and it it was developmental, and whilst their class mates soared ahead and mine stayed with younger groups for phonics, once the blending finally clicked they progressed rapidly and ended up overtaking the others they were behind and having very high reading ages. So I don't put much concern on what stage at what age. Reading to them is the most important thing in my opinion.

My child missed a lot of reception and year 1 thanks to covid. He's now year 3 and I've had to do a lot of work with him to help him catch up and he's still got gaps. The amount of reading can be hard going especially if you have a child like all mine who hated reading school books. The spellings really jump between the years as do the expectations with writing.

I echo pp(s) who said to read, read and read some more. Without the reading the writing takes longer.

DD found the jump from reception to year 1 harsh with not much play and a lot more work. She liked school until year 1. still hates it now in year 9 but on course to get top grades in her GCSEs.

However, life skills are important too. In lockdown ds carried on learning to cook and bake and garden. He's cooked a new recipe with me tonight - a risotto. Measuring, reading a recipe, kitchen safety, clearing up , chopping skills, food hygiene etc are all a big part of life skills and there's maths, science, interpersonal skills, and literacy involved.

My waffly point being that your child will have skills that are difficult to teach in school and will benefit from them throughout life. But read. Read to your child and get them reading to you and writing their name.

All the stuff about British schools teaching stuff too early etc is a load of rubbish in my opinion. Both my kids were totally ready for school, loved learning and picked up so much at that age. I’m not sure years more of play and pottering would have actually been beneficial to them. Early years and KS1 teachers are fantastic and manage to engage them and teach them so much!

I just had a look through and my daughter wrote this in the May of her Reception Year. So, some children will absolutely be writing (she was a very early reader).

It's your choice to (not) homeschool, but realistically your child will be noticeably behind their peers. DD is 4 and in reception, she can read, write short sentences, addition/subtraction up to 20 ish, understands basic science and has a grasp of times tables, can tell the time, can answer questions such as if I left home at 1pm and the car journey took 3 hours when did I arrive . The only child in DDs class that is the same level as yours is the one with special needs