What happens if your child can read before they start school?

[SkyWalker95]

I know most kids learn to read in reception, but what if they can already read independently? Surely they have to teach to their ability and won't make them just sit there while the others are learning their sounds right? But what would they be doing instead? I don't really know how primary education works

They learn phonics to help them deal with new words and they read their way up through the reading scheme. It's not a big problem.

Of course they don't sit there doing nothing whilst the others learn. Any half decent school will teach to their ability, and will check they know their phonics as PP has said.

This was my Ds (self taught) and he was fine, they quickly realised where he was and got him onto the appropriate colour band. I think he did sit through the phonics session each day but it can only have helped!as he had learnt differently.

DS1 joined in phonics with the rest of the class, but was given readers appropriate to his level, which they'd already worked out in nursery.

A bigger task was undoing the ass backwards way of writing that he'd taught himself.

It's the same sort of thing as if your child has learnt to write their name etc.

They'll join in with whole class teaching eg phonics then be set reading/writing work according to their ability.

Even if they can't read on starting many kids will pick it up extremely quickly and some will catch up to his level pretty quick or even overtake him. Be prepared for that.