What should children be able to DO when they start in reception?

[kickingKcurlyC]

I know there will be a range of academic ability, and I'm not really worrying about teaching the times tables or the capitals of all European countries, or anything like that...

I mean, what does it help to be able to do for yourself when you start, as in, the practical stuff -

Do they need to be fully capable of dressing themselves?

Will they stand out if they can't eat well with a knife and fork?

Any advice? :)

The getting dressed they get used to. My ds could get himself dressed (due to me pushing him to) but didn't really want the hassle. So the first few weeks he either tried to put the pe kit over the top of his uniform, or removed everything including pants before dressing himself

After two terms he now doesn't usually come out with his jumper and shorts backwards and his socks and t-shirt inside out, but still does occasionally.

I taught my son to do it bending over slightly as that was the only way he could comfortable reach. I have a funny story about the getting dressed scenario, i was getting my 2 year old dd dressed while DS (4) was getting himself dressed in his bedroom with the clothes i put out for him on his bed, once dressed dh took him to nursery at this point i will still getting dd dressed so called goodbye to him. When i picked him up from nursery, the manager said "Herbie complained of being to hot today, it is advisable to dress children in less layers during the summer month" when he came out of the playground to meet me i realised he had just put his clothes over the top of his pyjamas (he hadn't bothered to take his pyjamas off before getting dressed), as they were stripped long john ones i suppose to the nursery it just looked as if he had a vest, striped t-shirt, then breton top and then a jumper.

FWIW, DD couldn't wipe her bum when she started school, and would not use cutlery - she would still rather eat most things with her fingers aged 8 (except pizza, the weirdo). But she did very much know that school was not nursery or home, and that she wouldn't be getting her bottom wiped for her; she'd also been very well trained by nursery into lining up, listening, waiting her turn, all that good stuff. Lots of other things she did only when she had no choice in the matter (getting dressed) and others she positively embraced (we had practice packed lunches for a week before she started staying for lunch at school, and she would have had them for every meal if I'd let her).

Talk, share, communicate with adults and other children, play, show an interest to learn new things, dress themselves, go to the toilet, remember things, look after their own belongings, respect adults and do the things they're required to do, be independent of mummy and daddy, be starting to understand other peoples' feelings.