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Preschool education

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What do they learn at preschool??

3 replies

mumclaire · 20/05/2008 22:32

Was just thinking what kind of things they're expected to know/be able to do when they start reception.
Just wondering as dd is starting playgroup soon and I'm planning to 'hothouse' her but need to know how advanced she will be
Seriously though, I know pre-school is playbased and no formal learning takes place but how do reception teachers assess their knowledge and ability?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
DontCallMeBaby · 20/05/2008 22:55

DD starts school in September, and all the school want her to be able to do are things like manage her own 'hygiene' (ie go to the loo by herself), get dressed and undressed, line up, know there are times sit down and be quiet etc. But then they are strikingly AGAINST parents teaching their children to read/write etc.

LyraSilvertongue · 20/05/2008 22:58

DS2 is starting reception in September. He's at the school nursery for 2.5 hours a day atm
He's been learning his letters and basic number work but it's all play based. Playing is the main thing at pre-school. They don't necessarily need to know anything at the start of reception.

TheDuchessOfNorksBride · 20/05/2008 23:29

Our pre-sch does what's already been said plus...

Writing: attempting to mark paper with pen, form letters (possibly with a pencil but also 'writing' in sand with finger etc), hold pencil correctly.

Reading: learn to recognise own name (useful for clothing labels, cloakroom peg etc), first letter sounds - ie. dog begins with 'duh' (and not the hard sound 'dee'), recognise some of the alphabet.

Maths: Counting sing-song style up to 20ish, counting items by pointing at each one individually up to about 10 or so. Knowing basic 2D shapes. Knowing 'bigger than' 'smaller than' and sorting into size order.

Science: can't remember!

Other: Colours, joining in with group activities, attempt to use scissors, have some independence in choosing activities and getting on with it, speaking in front of others.

All our children have Profiles which their key workers write comments in, tick boxes and generally monitor learning - it is handed to their Reception teacher when they go up to school.

But they don't HAVE to learn any of this. We have children that leave that can tell the time and count backwards from 100 and add-up and we have children that leave that don't know what letter their name begins with or know grey from pink. By the end of Year 1 or 2 they are all mostly at similar levels.

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