Do children starting Reception need to be able to do this/ (academic)

[upwardsandonwards33]

My dd's nursery really does not push reading, writing at all. It's mostly about the play. I don't mind this really but friends who have children in different nurseries but going to the same Reception class as dd, say that their children are able to read CVC words. They aren't lying - I know their children.

Should a child be able to at least do the following by Sept entry into Reception:

• recognise and say simple sounds- all the basic A-Z sounds.
• form correctly lower case letters
• form correctly numbers 0-9
• hold pencil correctly

DD is bright but does not want to do much with me so I am not pushing it too much but I could do five mins a day if it is a help.

I am aware that once in a class of 30, the teacher may not necessarily give too much individual attention so am willing to do my bit.

Sirfred
Build fitness, vocabulary, problem solving etc. leave the simple skills that most acquire to the place most people acquire them

How do you build vocab, problem solving?

I would try and build her vocal by reading to her. Lots. And discussing the stories. Get her to do your local library's Reading Challenge over the summer.
For problem solving, I would play games. Guess Who? sort of thing, or Frustration.

Bloody hell. No. There's some children who aren't ready to do that leaving Reception.

How do you build vocab, problem solving?

Vocab: Lots of talking, lots of reading, singing songs (especially old fashioned nursery rhymes), watching good-quality television programmes etc.

Problem solving: Lots of craft, Lego, things with a process. Don't swoop in and fix things for them- model finding a solution (e.g. untying a knot or getting a new piece of string to try again, putting the sellotape on the table so it doesn't twirl).

Ds couldn't do any of those.

happy2behomely

I wouldn't say a just turned 4 year old being able to write mum, dad and her own name is "usual" - only a couple of the oldest children in my son's pre-school class can write their name though they can all read their name (they're all moving into p1 in August, so aged 5y3m to 4y4m right now).

I taught Reception for many years, and when parents asked me how they could help their child academically, I suggested they did 3 things

• talk with their child

• read to their child
• play with their child

The most important thing, IMHO, is that she enjoys school and enjoys learning.

I wouldn't say a just turned 4 year old being able to write mum, dad and her own name is "usual"

I agree. Here in Mexico, they don't have learn these things until they are six though.

I would work on the number 2's. I honestly wouldn't worry about the academics, it will come.

Atenco and Gherkin. No, maybe it isn't usual but I think it's well within the range of normal. I just used it as an example to contrast with her inability to do other things that some children her age might find easy. She was still in nappies past 3 and she still sleeps with us most nights.

One of the reasons I now home educate is that I was tired of the constant comparison to other children or the 'expected standard'.

All children should be encouraged to love learning and to develop interests of their own.

Our nursery taught phonics songs and number songs which was a fantastic prep.
Drawing random nonsense and trying to teach them to write their names.
Reading to them frequently also helped with concentration.
Nursery was great prep and really took her to the Christmas holidays before stuff became 'new'.

I don't imagine they need to be able to. But it probably helps those that can to get ahead and have confidence as they're consolidating, rather than learning it first time.

I've got one just finishing reception and one starting in September. The older one was one of the oldest in the year, the younger one is august born. Priorities are toileting independently, having the confidence to speak to adults, and recognising their name (in PE kit etc). And dressing including shoes.
We also read every day but that's something my family just do, it isn't a chore.
I believe talking together, sharing an interest in the world are key. Although that do sometimes manifest as 'looking up the answers to their questions on YouTube'.

Look at the EYFS development stuff above however read closely the characteristics of effective learning. These are the children who succeed ; those with good learning attitudes. This applies whatever their age. For instance the child who is prepared to ' have a go', to try, fail but try again is going to learn well. The child who gives up isn't.

My dd will start reception in September, she can:

• count reliably to about 20
• completely manage her toilet I got
• can dress herself for the most part, but has gotten a bit lazy with it so I think we need to practice this over the summer
• write her name
• copy out other letters when shown
• knows about 10 letters by sight and numbers up to about 20
• she can hold her pencil properly

Her older brother is going into year 3 and his list at her age was totally the opposite: had known all letters since 2yrs, could read cvc words but was nowhere near as physically developed as dd.

My friend who is a reception teacher said the children wiping their own bum is sufficient enough! She can teach them to write names, phonics etc!

Phew! I am beginning to breathe a sigh of relief.... except I would be better at teacher dd how to write. I am just not that good at having conversations and playing with her.
She wants to do art and craft and play dough stuff which I detest
I tell her that dh will do it with her.
She can sit very well - was a flowergirl six months ago and sat through the entire church service without a peep but with me....she bounces around so much. I take her to gymnastics, ballet and swimming so she has an outlet.

My son will be 4 in July, starts school in September. He can't do any of these things. He also can't fully dress himself, can't toilet on his own and needs help to wash his hands. He still wants to hold hands when walking down the stairs.
Some of his peers can write their name, read a little, count higher etc but many of them are anything up to 10 months older than him.
I'm worried that he is not ready for school, but all I can do is keep teaching him to be independent.
Having said all that, he is bright as a button, has a brilliant sense of humour and has an amazing memory for his age. Kids learn differently at different times and I just hope I'm doing enough to help him move to the next stage!

I was going to suggest sports classes as a way to get ready for school. When I watch my daughter trot into ballet classes/gymnastics and strike up conversations/listen to the teacher, I always think that it is wonderful preparation for school.

All said above is true. Expectations are generally related to personal care and social skills.
DD1 knew her A-Z and if anything she said she was bored the first term of reception as they took no account of this and taught her A-Z.
DD2 is desperate to read and so is now sounding out 3 letter words like dog and very chuffed. Mostly driven by DD1. So she is ahead of DD1 for reading at the same age however not as advanced in writing.
A friend of mine whose kids go to highly sought after London primary was sad to find with DS1 kids were streamed from day 1 and those who could already read (!) Went in a separate group. So her DD1 is starting reception can already read pretty well and has already been pre selected by yhe school for the reception elite group! I think this is amazing but easier to achieve with 2nd child as they are always wanting to do what the 1st child can do...

Oh and ditto comment report sports classes. It means the children can listen to the teacher. Don't worry there will be all levels in reception. We expected a lot from reception and tbh it was just nursery with 10 minutes of letters and sounds per day..

Definitely social skills are more important. Being able to go to the toilet, listen, have the confidence to ask if they need something, wait in line.

Holding a pencil and recognising their own name is definitely helpful.

Hmm... my nearly 5 year old child who starts school in September cannot take their own top off, put their own socks on or wipe their own bum. I actually don't think they can reach their own bum properly yet but I'll try. How on earth do you teach a 4 year old to take tops off/put socks on? I didn't realise they should be doing these things already as stupid as that may seem!

My 4 yo can Def get shoes and socks on and off. The only tricky thing is the top!

My child literally just can't do it. Can't get the open but around their toes!

My DS, July born and now at the end of reception, still can't do this. He's just not into reading and writing despite enjoying being read to. He can't recognise numbers above 5 despite having been in reception almost one academic year. His teachers however say this is definitely in the normal range and that they can see he's bright, has a good spoken vocabulary, can see he 'does a lot of things' (which is true, we take him a lot of places, travel, he eats brilliantly, knows a few foreign words and he knows a lot about animals, dinosaurs etc) and not to worry as he will get there eventually. It's hard not to compare when some of the kids are reading fluently and writing whole sentences, especially the girls for some reason, but I do go into class and read with the kids and can tell he's definitely not the only one who's not reading properly yet.

In terms of dressing and going to the loo he likes me to help him at home but at school has learned to do it all independently without any issues so I know he can do it.

They all really do develop at different levels and when I feel worried at all that he's not great at reading or numbers yet I try to remember that the teachers think this is perfectly normal and that he has plenty of other skills that not all kids have yet too.