reception and private schools

[dancingwithchocolate]

I am curious to know what an average Reception age child at a good private school (let's say any of the competitive and established North London ones) would be expected to do by the end of the summer term ie. what level would be normal/good for reading, writing, numeracy.
Thanks

"A good indie will have class sizes small enough and teachers expert enough to ensure that children develop at a pace that's appropriate for them as individuals. One child might be doing cursive writing and reading ORT6 and another might still be recognising flash cards."

Well, what do you know? Just like a good state school! Apart from the small class sizes, obviously- but IMHO it's not class size that's important, it's child:adult ratio.

And I don't agree about the too late at year 6 thing, either. I know private school enthusiasts think that they learn nothing but how to claim jpb seeker's allowance at state schools, but it's not true, you know!

We have 30 per class seeker ratio 1-15

My sons went from a state primary to a selective independent school at age 13 and 11 respectively. There is such a lot of nonsense talked about the difficulty of getting into schools that cost £14K per annum. Really.

Absolutely agree that quality of teaching can be as good in a state school. But OP didn't ask about state schools. She asked about private ones.

Exactly, mrz. This "smaller class size" thing really annoys me. "oh, my word, little Jocasta is so sensitive she would be completely lost in a class of 30. That's why we just had to send her to St Custard's. Besides she's so very bright you know. She gets so bored playing, and the teachers won't stretch her at Bash Street mixed Infants. It's a lovely school of course, but it wouldn't be right for her. She needs to be stretched.........."

I'm all for the learning through play and then learning later at 6 or so. IMO you could teach the reception curriculum re writing and phonics in a week or maybe a month at 6. So why do we spend 2 years playing at it. Ho hum.

We're hoping you're wrong about too late to go indie at yr 7 since our ds will be going for senior next year. Fully comprehensive (academically of course not financially) with lots of SEN and outcomes throughout the whole range at 18 so am sure my low level 5 son will be fine.

To be fair, I think the teacher/adult:pupil ratio is preferable in prep schools, on average.

At my young children's state primary, the teachers/helpers are really up against it.

The city boys head (v academically selective secondary) said there's no difference in the success rates of state and prep applicants to them. Had the stats to prove it. This at y5 and 6. Do think there's a vested interest in propagating this idea that kids in private schools are light years ahead. Reality is many state school kids are ahead of the average. It being an average and all.
Having said that, my nov born reception daughter is far from ort 10 and writing paragraphs (er or even sentences)!

There's a far larger pool of extremely able children in the state sector than in the private sector, because there are far more children in the former. And I don't think there is anything taught at primary level, in the state or the private sector, that is beyond the ability of an extremely able child to pick up extremely quickly.