Can your child starting reception in Sept read/write?

[puddymuddles]

Just that really. DD was 4 in April and isn't interested and I haven't pushed it especially as I have a 2 year old and a newborn and haven't got time! She is happy and healthy and her speech is really good, she loves playing fantasy games and making up stories.

I was not bothered until now but have spoken to a few parents and their DCs can all read or at least recognize all letters and sounds of letters together. Or are they all exaggerating?

I think the most important thing is DD is happy and kind and enjoys school but don't want her to be the only one who is behind. or am I being silly?

Both dcs knew nothing, it would not have occurred to me even in my wildest dreams to teach them how to read before the start of school!

Having said that, I read a lot to them, we sang songs, learned colours and did a bit of counting. They are both in the top sets of their classes now.

There is absolutely no need to teach your children reading or writing before they start reception unless you are one of those competitive parents . They are supposed to learn all of that in school!

I've taught all three of my children to read before starting school, as I don't trust the teachers to do it properly. The school (although I'm otherwise happy with it) uses look-and-say books and mixed methods. I've made sure all three of mine have learned using synthetic phonics. DC3 starts in September, and can read quite fluently. Her writing isn't great, but she can spell!

My DD has just finished reception. When she started she could write and read her own name, mum, dad and our cat's name. She knew some letter sounds. She finished the year able to write sentences ok and is above expected reading level for end of reception tho not one of the top readers.
I wouldn't worry. I found school introduced it all well and we have supported it at home. I don't think school expect children to start being able to read and write.

Dd (4) starts in September. She is autumn born.

She can recognise, write, and show the correct number of fingers for the numbers up to 10, and is working on the numbers up to 20. She can do some basic addition.

In relation to Letters, she doesn't show much interest in this but can recognise and write her name, and knows some of the letters (maybe 10).

In terms of skills that they recommenderecommend children can do before school (dressing, toileting etc) she is very good at these.

My ds has just finished Reception - upon entering (July birthday in case it's relevant) he could recognise all letters by their names rather than their sounds, and new his numbers up to about 30. He could write his nickname which is 2 letters long and that was it really - wasn't really that interested in mark making at all.

Forgot to put: he could do a bit of addition but only in the sense of "if I've got 2 bananas and then buy 3 more how many do I have?" - if I'd asked him what's 2 + 3 he would have looked blank.

Your DD sounds just like mine when she started Reception last September. She had great speech, a love of making things up and enjoyed "reading" to her toys using her interpretation of the pictures in the books. She had no interest in learning to actually read (in that she rarely asked us what the words were and was quite happy with her own stories). She wasn't too bad at her letters and could write her name and some other things IIRC.

Having done a year in Reception, she is now doing pretty well at reading and wants to read to us rather than have us read to her (unless she is very tired). She writes and spells well and loves writing her own stories etc.

I honestly wouldn't worry - so long as you support her reading etc over the coming year, she will do fine. They really do pick it up very quickly once they are immersed in it.

Thanks everyone. I can see that she won't be the only one so am relieved.

I was a secondary school teacher before having my children and I set out not to be one of those over competitive pushy parents! However I was wondering if I had gone too much to the other extreme.

Pippidoes - I had exactly your attitude until recently a couple of friends with children going in to reception told me all the children at the pre school their kids were at can read and write and it was expected! it certainly wasn't expected when I was at school.

Yes DD can take herself to the toilet but does have a few problems with putting on some clothes eg buttons and gets her feet stuck in leggings and tights so I have to help her.

Welcome to the world of primary angst and boasting , your dd will be just fine!

Having been a parent reader for a long, long time I have also found that you need to take other childrens' achievements with a huge pinch of salt. I never comment on my dcs achievements, never disclose book bands and make sure book bags stay with me whenever possible, so that other parents can't nose through them.

When Ds started school he could recognise his name and that was it.

Dd starts this year - she recognises about 90% of letters and can write a few simple words and do simple sums. She also loves drawing. She's been much much more interested in it all than ds.

If I were you ld try and do things to strengthen her fine Motor skills and just make sure she's ok with dressing herself / recognising her name / carrying a tray etc etc.

Yes Pippi I am just starting to find out about the boasting!! I will definitely be taking your advice about book bags.

At the school visit day for the new Reception I overheard a parent asking the Head how she could ensure her child wasn't bored as he is 'so advanced'. Even if your child were a genius surely you would wait for the teacher to realise that and not say it!!

306 Yes fine motor skills need to be worked on, the nursery advised me the same.

DD2 is a winter baby so will be almost 5 when she starts.

She can write her first name and surname and pick it out amongst others. She can also write her sisters name and Mummy and Daddy. She can copy all of the alphabet and can write most of it without having to copy. She forgets which way a 'g' and 'y' goes sometimes and hasn't mastered a q at all.

Her nursery say she can count individual items up to 29. I haven't tested this.

She knows all the letter name's and the (correct) phonic sound on sight of each letter.

She read for the first time about a week ago - cat, mat, hat etc.

Tonight I tried reading again for the second time and she read the line 'bat in a hat' with help from me on how to blend the sounds.

That's a mixture of being taught by me, her 7yo sister and her nursery. I think she's picked most up from her sister - I was very surprised to find out she could write Mummy and Daddy. DD1 was very nonchalant about teaching her that ''she asked so I showed her''

The other day I had one nappy (for dd3) in my hand and said I needed 3 altogether. She bought me another 2. Is that maths?

DS1 could read and (to an extent) write before starting reception. He joined school in a mixed year R/ year 1 class and started straight on the year 1 work. He finished year 2 with level 3B's in everything.

DS2 had absolutely no interest in reading or writing, so we didn't push it. He's gathered interest in his own time and finished year 2 with level 3C's in everything.

So, I think each child will develop in their own time. No need to fret and no need to push anything before they are ready.

DD1 started unable to read. She is second in her class on the reading scheme at end of year one (I know this because she has got mega competitive with the only child ahead of her. Not because I am anal! ) She could write her name, but it's an easy one.

DD2 starts next month, can't read, can only write her initial but is showing an interest in maths

I am not worried about either of them.

Mine could recognise their name, and a few logos, but that was about it. They both learned to read just fine, and are now (going into Y1 and Y4) working well above the expected levels for their age.

Do people look through book bags

The other day I had one nappy (for dd3) in my hand and said I needed 3 altogether. She bought me another 2. Is that maths?

Sure is!

Just to say, a book that my not-so-interested-in-books-as-DS1 DD2 has really got into (after DS1 bought it at book sale) is Jolly Stories - a book of stories introducing all the phonics (produced by the Jolly Phonics people). There are blending word games for every phonic that have really helped DD to 'hear' sounded out words.

She was about 3 and a bit when she started to get it; I had forgotten that sounding is difficult for children but it clicked after not long. Make sure though your diction is very clear when sounding; just the pure sound of the letter and no extra 'uh's. Letters like b, c, t, w are common ones where people add an 'uh'. I think some children struggle with sounding because they are being dealt the wrong sounds by their adults! If you get the Jolly Songs CD of phonics for the car, that can really help them (and you) learn. I kind of think that's not setting them up so much for boredom as they will hopefully derive pleasure from singing when they do them in class.

I think if you have a child that loves to listen to stories and who seeks that out as an activity eg. at preschool, they are likely to take to reading more easily.

Yes. My DD now 4 and 3/4 has been reading since 3 and writing for a year I think. She wanted to do it herself and picked it up with help from an older sibling. As others have said there is a huge range of abilities when reception children start, I have no idea how teachers cope.

Yes. Ds2 has just turned 4 (June)and will start school in September. He has been doing basic reading and writing since he just turned 3. However he has a brother a year older so he basically learnt everything ds1 did in the last year as they always have done ds1 reading and writing homework together as he wanted to

My eldest could only write and recognise her name. Maths wise she could usually count to 20. She's 6 now and actually doing really well, certainly not bottom of the class and she was not unusual in reception at all. I would say most children were at that stage actually.

My DD is just 4.
She can read a little bit, she's fairly good at sounding out words.
She can write a little bit, again by sounding out, sometimes she gets letters back to front or writes right to left.
She can read her name, but she can't reliably write it - she tries to sound it out, and ends up spelling it wrong!
She can recognise numbers up to 100, and can add and subtract, not sure how high she can write numbers - I imagine she'd be likely to often get the digits reversed for numbers above 10.

My dd can recognise every letter, but can't read words apart from a few names. She can write names but sometimes gets letters jumbled. I'm not too fussed I think 4 is still very young and they have time to develop

Ds1 could read pretty well - books not just sound out words, could write a small amount.
Ds2 couldn't read or write, he only really "got" reading towards the end of yr 3.

There will be a massive range of academic abilities.

More importantly can she deal with her own toileting needs, put on her coat and shoes properly, deal with her lunch etc.