Are there any schools that don't teach reading or writing til Summer term?

[nappyaddict]

And if so does that just mean whole words or does it mean even learning to say and recognise the alphabet and phonics sounds?

Errr, probably not....

my daughters school did not send reading books back with her till the summer term last year ( reception). They certainly seemed to do more writing in the last term too.

the firt 2 terms they concentrated on learning letters and phonics.

Are you trying to find such a school or avoid one?

wtirting and reading is a process.
Some children will physically be ready for writing earlier than others and all children will be encouraged during free writing to have a go on their own and develop their pre witing and writing skills ..... this could meen that they write symbols which are meeningful to them (emergent writing) or just simply making marks on paper. Others may be writing random letters. You will also encourage them to write left to right.

During adult focused activities and whole class sessions the children will be shown how to write letters correctly in lots of different medium, play dough, paint,shaving foam etc and also pencils. This will also be encouraged during free sessions.

With reading similarly the children will read when they are ready. They will all learn phonics and different skills for reading.

Our school didn't formally teach them to read in reception. Children who could weren't discouraged and there were lots of activities in the class - all through play - where they could write/ read/ learn if they were interested. They did some phonics every day from Spring term but the children were just encouraged to bring home whatever books they liked from the class library. We were asked to read with them or let them read if they wanted to/ could. I think it's unusual, but they're in Yr2 now and all reading to at least the National average and a fair chunk of the children are way above that. I'd say if a school is doing this, it's a definite policy that's been thought through, so ask them for their rationale. If they haven't got one, then worry!

Smee your schools approach sounds very like my DCs. It does seem to work for most kids. They never have a formal reading scheme, and always just choose books that they want to read. At the beginning of Y2, those that haven't reached the expected reading levels are gien extra support.

smee and seeline what could your DCs do by the end of reception?

When DS1 was in Reception he wasn't taught to read, his teacher was of the opinion that they should be too busy playing to be bothering with reading schemes etc. They still learnt letters etc obviously.

By the time DS2 was in Reception the teacher that DS1 had had retired and been replaced by a far younger teacher who was more into homework and reading schemes. She didn't send books home in the first term though.

DS1 and 2 are now 6 and 8 and I don't think there is that much difference in how well their years could read by the time they got to Year 2.

DD has been in Reception since Easter and hasn't had a reading book home yet.

What could DS1 read or write by the end of reception? Was it just single letters, sounds, or short words?

Nappy - DS wasn't that interested in learning during reception, despite being bright. He could manage three letter words, and knew his letter sounds. When he decided he wanted to learn to read, about half way through Y1, he picked it up very quickly, and now just starting Y4 is reading fluently and enjoying it - which I think is important. DD was entirely different and I think virtually taught herself within the first 6 weeks or so of starting Reception. I helped in her class regualrly last year (so Y1) listening to children reading, and there was a complete range of abilities and approaches, some still not knowing letter sounds at the beginning (although they all did by the end). All could read the basics by the end of Y1. I still amintain the most important thing is getting your child to enjoy books - if that means you reading to them great. They will want to join in at some stage.

The children that didn't know letter sounds at the start of year 1, were they known to SENCO or anything. Did they know some letter sounds or none at all?

No not SEN - they all knew some, most of them knew most. Many hadn't mastered blending the sounds though.

Apparently they should be able to recognise 18 letter sounds by the end of reception.

What could DS1 read or write by the end of reception? Was it just single letters, sounds, or short words?

He certainly knew all his letters as he knew those before going into reception. TBH I can't remember exactly what he could read and write when he went into Year 1, but it wasn't an awful lot (and nor could any of his classmates). But he picked up reading pretty quickly from that point on and reads well in two languages now (year 3).

we do jolly phonics and we aim for R to know learn 44 sounds I think (could be 45, or 43) by the end of reception

"we do jolly phonics and we aim for R to know learn 44 sounds I think (could be 45, or 43) by the end of reception"

Jolly Phonics only teaches 40 'sounds'.

@mr t..
Do your YR children do anything with the 'sounds' they have been taught?

I'm intrigued by some of the posts on this thread.

DD1 started reception last week and had her first full day yesterday. She has already brought home a reading book, the first set of key words and some handwriting sheets for the first 4 sounds.

I can't help thinking they've gone off a bit fast...

Jolly Phonics introduces 42 sounds which we usually teach before Christmas (along with blending and segmenting using the sounds) We also teach a handful of "tricky" words in the very early stages before children have the phonic knowledge to decode them.