Reception - Curriculum & readings

[FunnyBear]

My daughter starts Reception in September. I am looking to complement her learning at home. Is there a reference national curriculum, and do schools usually publish their Reception curriculum? What readings in mathematics & vocabulary would you recommend, for the Reception year? Thanks a lot!

They follow the EYFS which starts at birth in nurseries
www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2012/03/Development-Matters-FINAL-PRINT-AMENDED.pdf

My top tip is to try extremely hard not to become a pushy parent. Schooling and education is a marathon, not a sprint. The most important thing at this stage isn't actually reading, mathematics or vocabulary. It's learning to enjoy learning!

By all means, read the information linked above. Educate yourself about phonics and how reading is taught so that you know how your child is learning. Look at the EYFS goals so you understand what sort of things your child should be able to do by the end of the year. But don't push it. Leave the actual teaching to the school.

If you want to supplement learning the read with your child - lots! Don't stop reading books to them just because they begin to bring home books from school to read themselves. Lots of evidecne seems to suggest that the single best thing you can do to boost a young child is read a wide variety of things with them. Play lots of games - board games are great for number skills. Play shops to learn about money. Cook together and get them to weigh and measure. Honestly, doing lots of fun stuff but talking constantly is the best way to help your child learn, not trying to follow a curriculum, or mimic what they are doing at school (and remember that what they do at school won't be lots of formal sit down teaching anyway).

http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2017/03/EYFSSTATUTORYFRAMEWORK_2017.pdf this is the actual EYFS curriculum the development matters in previous link is Non statutory guidance

In our area, kids learn to read from the biff and kipper books. You can buy a pack on amazon. There are also other learning to read books there. Obviously, only start the reading if you DC has learned phonics.

Best value for biff and chip is book people sets.

I'd get the song birds rather than the biff and chip though as the biff and chips aren't fully phonetic.

Make sure you buy the newer decodable books not Look and Say versions if you invest in books.

I would be a bit wary of getting the exact same books she'll have at school though. There's a risk she'll be hired when she gets them at school if she's already familiar with them?

I'd avoid buying any unless the school sends home the older Biff and Chip books

The other issue is that if you have a child who picks up reading fast you could end up with books that are useful for a very short amount of time.

Plus if you don't mind using screens you can read lots free online on oxford owl.

Concentrate on self care and social skills rather than academics, so putting on shoes, coats, changing for PE, using the bathroom independently.

If you teach reading and writing at home you risk confusing your child's learning, it's far harder for school to correct, for example, poor pencil grip, than to teach it from scratch.

There are lots of lovely things to do with your child that will help their learning, play games, sing songs, cook, explore nature.

@Caroian I had downloaded the Jolly Phonics app to learn about phonics myself, my child likes the app as her school uses the same. However, am wary of phone app-based aids - I'm at the stage where I'm wondering why my child is not yet curious to pick books & try read or decode words herself, rather than taking the easy way out & asking me to read her all her books! We usually read 2-3 books at bed time - mostly borrowed from the Pimlico library! Love various Orchard Toys board games that we play at home - Pop to the Shops, Bus Stop etc - but are there any other must-play board games? Cook together to weigh & measure is a brilliant suggestion. Thanks!

@mrz EYFS Statutory Framework 2017 should be essential reading for every parent, thanks! We looked at Song Birds & Biff-Chip at bookpeople, the Children's collections 3+/4+ more generally - Snapdragon, Dr Seuss, Usborne Farmyard Tales, "I am reading" etc, which should last a year!

@Mamabear12 @Tomorrowillbeachicken @Eggandchipsfortea93 Her school uses Dandelion Readers & Twinkl - which are fair but my little one finds some stories boring! Would you have any thoughts on Numicon, Montessori materials or mental math?

@WellyMummy Thanks! Our little one is not yet there ref pencil grip and scissor work for instance, I've just ensured I could try replicate her nursery environment at home as best possible - so to have a similar make of pencils, pens, paints, scissors etc as at school, She's more curious about using the laptop to explore letters/words & am not sure if that's a trait to encourage?

What's a good way to spend the term break before Reception & how best should a parent support their child during Reception year?

My ds is just finishing reception - she really enjoys a game called sum swamp, which is a nice "fun" way to practice maths.

www.amazon.co.uk/Learning-Resources-Swamp-Addition-Subtraction/dp/B00004TDLD?tag=mumsnetforum-21

she will need to be able to carry her tray across the lunch room and wipe her own bum after a poo. We were also told to play with playdoh a lot because it tones up their fingers so writing is easier.