Differentiating in Reception

[13lucky]

Hi there, my ds is in Reception (October born so one of the oldest). He is good at reading - we have the Chip, Biff, Kipper box set at home and he can read the Level 6 ones. They don't use these at school - they use the Read, Write programme and he does phonics everyday in a group and reading once a week in a guided reading group. The books he brings home are not challenging him - the current ones say Phase 3 on the back if this means anything to anyone here? He gets two books per week with no chance of changing them earlier than this because they discuss them in their group. I have asked whether we can have access to other books but have been told no. We do go to the library but I'm finding it difficult to find the correct level of book. I'm wondering whether I should be pushing the school to try and provide books more to his level. However I also understand that he needs to be part of a reading group to develop his social skills in discussing the story with his peers (something he struggles with as although he knows the answers, he is a shy boy). The other aspect I'm surprised at is that they don't do any formal maths in reception...obviously they do a lot of maths through play but they don't do any 7+3=10 for example. My ds was doing this at preschool and I'd like this to continue - obviously we can do this at home with him but I wondered why the school doesn't differentiate when they have children who are capable of this. I probably sound like a really pushy parent - I'm not - my ds just seems a bit bored. Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

I'm not doing extra work at home as it's reception and ideologically I believe it should be play based. They've got years and years in school and the most important thing is they enjoy it and aren't put off it at this stage. It's a long day and im using after school for fun stufd.

You're sons' maths sounds fantastic! If he can do those sums he's doing well. I think it becomes more formal in yr1 but teaching through Play is effective (as both your son and my daughter must show!)

free - if a school follows rml/rwi rather than jolly phonics they split the year into groups and teach instages. Is incredibly structured. I think each group is 6-8 kids. Our year has just under 90 children in. So the topo group is working on purple books, every day they have an rml session in their ability group, rehearse phonic sounds, read the book (again!) In pairs and use it to structure writing. The lower groups focus on first phase sounds etc. They're regularly reassesed and moved around groups.

In our case that's different to the bookband books they bring home. I know what number they're bringing home simply as my daughtet mentioned that she has to get a different one to her group
She's not aware of what the other groups do (rightly so) and I've only peeved it together as I know she's top group. They don't mix years.

Im frustrated she's not being taught at a faster pace as she can read all she's set with ease, but the other posts have helped me about her enjoying growing with confidence.

We've got songbirds at home which I enjoy and she enjoys. I'm not really wanting to teach her the new sounds though but they do them in adifferent order to rwi. I might just let her read and mention them as we go.

Certainly I'm pleased with the differentiation that is taking place. She's in an able group for reading and within the class they've brought her maths on. But there is that nagging feeling she could fly faster. And the other part of my brain tells me they wouldn't even be at school yet in many countries!!

At the next parents eve ask if they have done a reading test and what his reading age is. It's possibly age 7 if he is level 6?

I really wouldn't worry though - use reading owls on line to access more biff books free.

Sometimes it takes a while for teachers to fully work out where a child is. But also they might want him formally to jump through all the reading hoops to ensure he understands the plot and the sounds