I possibly should have thought about this before as dd1 starts tomorrow but, what do they actually learn in reception?

[GWenlockMaryLacey]

I mean in terms of reading, writing, numbers etc? Or is it more of a continuation of pre-school and that stuff comes in yr1?

What sort of thing can I expect her to be able to do by next July? No one has actually mentioned any of this.

I think it depends on the actual child! It could range, next July, from recognising some letters to being able to read Enid Blyton and from being able to count to ten to being able to count in tens and fives and twos and maybe more complicated things.

Actually, the range of achievement is probably way wider than that. It certainly was in my DD's Reception class (she's about to go into year 1).

Agree Haberdashery
My eldest finished Yr R as quite an accomplished little reader.
My youngest not so much and she did really 'badly' in that phonics test all the Yr 1s did this year.

On average I expect most children can read simple sentences in ORT books and maybe count in 10s. But it really is an individual thing.

That's really interesting. Taking into account the wide range of ability etc, they do start learning to read etc in reception? Any time it's been mentioned at the school it's been oh, it's very much the same as they've been doing in nursery. I don't know whether that was to reassure us about the transition or what.

They will learn phonics. How far they progress with that is very much up to the child in question (and the kind of teaching they are getting).

DS1 came out knowing less than he went in .
DS2 learnt to read and write sentences - ie he knows sentences start with capital letters and end in a full stop and can write phonetically (often choosing the right phonic). I think they were meant to learn to count forwards and backwards to 20 in 1s and 2s. Do simple adding and taking away sums. But DS2 also learnt to count to 100 in 2s, in 10s to 100 (And knows his 10 and 2 x tables) and in 5s to 100. He can work out money questions e.g. What coins can you use to make 10p and give different variations.
They did science experiments so he can talk about reversible and irreversible reactions.
He has had specific targets in PE e.g. to learn to jump 360degrees etc.
He has learnt loads about London and comparing it to our nearby town/rural village we live in (Geography) and obviously loads about the Olympics too.

DD started learning to read after 3 weeks when they did full time. They did 4 letters a week and got reading books as well.

Apart from reading they also started writing the letters at the same time. By Easter most children were able to write in recognisable letters. As our pre-schools taught printed letters and the school cursive all children had to re-learn from scratch.

Numbers: more focus of numbers, writing them properly, doing simple addition/subtraction like adding/take away 1.

They did a science week, an arts week, play theater, made models for various events like Chinese New Year and the Jubilee, learned a dance routine, learned about animals, plants and geography in projects.

I found it a lot more structured and focused than pre-school was. Asking DD what she did all day "Nothing", "Playing" and "I can't remember".

School may have an info evening/afternoon once things settle down to explain what they are doing or send info home.

DD's had one to explain how they were teaching reading (phonics) and maths. I found it useful.

DD1 learned a new letter every day to start, then phonics sounds. They started 'reading' after half term.

Ours started with the lowest level of ORT from day 1 and had a different book every day (which is just as well as they are very dull at the lower levels). They don't contain any words but the children learn to read the pictures then they all progressed at different speeds from there really. They had done the phonics by Christmas I think, although that was just the first run through. There was lots of reinforcement after that.

I think the reading target was the first 45 key words by the end of yr R. DS1 missed that but DS2 easily got more than that (by the end of yr 1 they were on the same reading level, just that DS1 was a slow starter)

They practiced writing on a daily basis, starting with making marks on the page and practicing pencil grip etc up to proper writing.

They learn to count, rather than recite numbers, do basic number bonds.

Probably most importantly, they learnt how to behave as part of a class, how to sit and listen, how to look after themselves more wrt to dressing, toiletting and generally taking care and how to deal with other people and children. It is a little more regimented place than a pre-school. Not that different to begin with but things certainly get more 'school-like' as the year goes on.

independence, putting on and taking off clothes, going to loo by self, phonics and blending to start reading (wide variety in range of reading by end R), counting, number lines, conting up in 2s and 5s if able enough, making friends, turn taking, sharing, listening!!

Everything they need for future learning that's why it's called the Foundation Stage because everything that follows is built upon it.

They learn basic phonics and numbers - and work from there - some will be reading quite fluently by the end of reception, some will be reading simple CVC words like cat, dog, van etc. For some children counting to 10 will be the aim, for others simple addition and subtraction, counting in 2, 5 or 10s etc. Also, and just as importantly they will learn to take turns, sit and listen and self-help skills like changing and looking after their own things like hats and gloves etc.

This is all really interesting! I could have written the OP!

Is there some government website with info about what YR children learn / should learn?