What does DS need to be able to do before starting primary in Sept?

[Prometheus]

DS will be 4 in August and then starts primary school on 1 September. He will also go to the after school club attached to the school.

Can anyone advise what he needs to be able to do before starting school so that I know what to prepare him for over the summer please?

Currently he:

• is fully toilet trained although he needs help wiping his bum
• knows how to wash his hands with soap
• can dress himself if he is handed the clothes the 'right' way round but often gets too frustrated and tantrums
• can sometimes put his own shoes on but again he often gets too frustrated
• can count to about 15 before getting muddled
• can write his name (just about) but it is only 3 letters
• can recite the alphabet but he thinks it is a song and doesn't realise it relates to letters

The school haven't been in touch yet so I'm not sure what help they give. I am guessing that he will need to be able to wipe his own bum and get dressed by himself. Am I missing anything that you can think of please? Thank you

I think that your son will be fine in reception. Lots of four year olds are just like him. Self care and social skills are the most important things to teach a four year old. The school can do the rest.

He will be fine! Reception is full of kids with a wide range of abilities due to the huge variation between "just turned 4" and "about to turn 5".
Even then, we were lucky enough (IMO) to have DS born the day before term starts, so he will be in reception pretty much the day he turns 5.
Currently he:

• is toilet trained but occasionally needs to be reminded to wipe
• knows how to wash his hands with soap (but sometimes "forgets")
• can dress himself but 50% of the time gets his shoes on the wrong feet
• can count to about 10 - sometimes
• can write his name (but it is only 3 letters)
• cannot recite the alphabet

I expect he will be about average in reception in terms of abilities.
And as he will be the oldest in his year, I am sure your DS has nothing to worry about.

I think the most important skills are being independent.

So getting dressed and undressed it the first bit. Lots of practice as soon as you know the uniform, especially if it requires a shirt and tie. They have to change for PE and the teacher and TA, while happy to assist, can't help all 30 children. But to reassure you - none of the children cares if they come out with the jumper the wrong way round :-)

Shoes and also Wellies plus coat are also important. I know lots of them struggle with zips, so try to get a coat which also has velcro.

If you opt for packed lunch he will have to open boxes and packets himself. The same goes for any bottles or drink packs.

Being happy to go to any adult and ask for help.

For "educational" knowledge: reading his name, which also helps to identify his things under a pile of nearly 30 identical ones. If he struggles with pencil grip you could work on his fine motor skills, it will just make things easier. Some manly arts & craft, drawing on a blackboard, using small stickers, cutting with scissors all help.

Don't worry about the academic things. Stuff like lining up, putting up his hand, changing for PE, opening food in his lunch box, turn taking, waiting patiently etc is far more important.

That all sounds fine!

Recognising his own name (and name tapes) is far more useful than being able to write it (especially if they all wear uniform sweatshirts).

Other useful skills:

• be able to hang up a coat
• be able to blow nose and throw away (not just strew) a tissue
• open everything you would be likely to put in a lunchbox (including the lunchbox itself) or be able to carry a plate (or plate on tray)
• be able to sit and listen for a few minutes
• follow straightforward instructions
• change in and out of PE kit, if they have one, and put removed uniform in one pile he can find.

The most important things in reception are being able to "look after himself".

As a reception teacher I would expect DCs to be able to use the toilet and wash hands afterwards without assistance. We can't leave the rest of the class to go away to wipe bottoms every few minutes.

To be able to dress and undress for PE without much assistance.

To be able to take off and put on an outside coat.

Most reception teachers expect to have to help some children with shoes but remember there may be 25 -30 children and just a teacher and a TA so most should be able to sort themselves out.

There's plenty of time until September help him learn the basics before he starts.

What about using scissors and a knife and fork? In addition to dressing, undressing and asking for help I'd say they are nice to have skills by 4.

Brilliant - thank you everyone . I am reassured

He will be the youngest in his year being an August baby so I was a bit worried that he might be behind on some things. I plan to get him up to speed with bum wiping, dressing, shoes and opening packets/bottles over the summer as I think those are the areas he hasn't quite mastered yet.

Getting dressed and undressed are the main things, along with putting on shoes and coat. But many of them find those things tricky, especially when there's zips or buttons to deal with, so just encourage him to be able to do it as much as possible.

The other big thing that often gets overlooked is the ability to recognise and look after their own things. Being able to put clothes back into pe bags, or put uniform in a pile or in the bag will help prevent things going missing, reception children can get quite upset when they can't find their clothes. Teach him to put socks inside shoes straight after taking them off.

As a reception class TA I would say the most important things are being able to put on and take off his coat, going to the toilet independently and being able to ask for help when needed. So many children arrive in school having had their needs anticipated that they expect us to know what they need or want.