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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Reception Reading/ Numeracy Expectations

35 replies

OlafCarrotNose · 11/01/2018 10:39

My DS is in reception and we've been told by his teacher he's struggling in certain areas of numeracy/ reading compared to the rest of his cohort.

But he can:
Count to 100
Double numbers 1-10
Count in 2s, 5s and 10s
Knows 2D and some 3D shapes
Repeat patterns
Do one more than or one less than numbers 1-20
Do basic sums on his fingers and write the equation (1+3=4) etc

This seems to be broadly in line with what's expected at this age, doesn't it? I don't want to push him when I don't need to. He hates doing anything school like at home. And I know he'd hate even the "games" that have been suggested.

I can see that he may be behind in reading. He can blend simple words like cat, bin, pin, Sam, dip, mat etc and recognise some tricky words like "they" or "said" but nothing beyond that. He does enjoy looking at words and sounds so maybe I could at that with him. But what kind of thing should I be going over?

OP posts:

Froggyonaplate · 11/01/2018 21:43

The maths stuff she's asking you to do is past Reception requirements but from what you said earlier about groups/sets it sounds like they have a group that they're really pushing to get exceeding(or to move on to year 1 work) and he's in the group but only just if that makes sense? So he may get moved down a group but be more comfortable there.
Reading, if he reads daily then I can't see the point in stressing over fluency.,, it'll come!
I'm not a fan of homework at such a young age... We'll end up with a generation of stress heads. Your ds sounds fine!

(NC, formerly Scarlett)

Jafinar · 12/01/2018 02:42

I think eithe the school sound pushy or he isn't demonstrating what he knows at school. Some kids really only show knowledge at home. Personally I get the impression it's a pushy school though?

Pengggwn · 12/01/2018 06:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sleephead1 · 12/01/2018 07:07

Op has he just started In September ? I think he can do loads I can't believe that would be classed as behind! It's awful this pressure to put on little ones and familys I mean he's been at school a couple of months. I honestly wouldn't worry about what he can do at all. But I would be concerned about the pushyness of the school.

Pengggwn · 12/01/2018 07:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

OlafCarrotNose · 12/01/2018 11:52

Peng I guess I don't care that/ if he's ahead of his peers. 4 is tiny. I don't understand the pressure. He is bright. Questions how everything works. Loves doing science experiments at home etc. I'd rather spend time having fun with him than trying to turn him into a "bright" child. If he's bright that will shine through without me or anyone else forcing it.

OP posts:

Original poster

OlafCarrotNose · 12/01/2018 11:54

The school knows what he can do. The teacher gave me the list on the first post of where he's at. I'm just upset that they want even more from him. He's not even 5 for another 6 months!

OP posts:

user789653241 · 12/01/2018 12:08

If he is not 5 for another 6 months and doing all that, I think he is definitely one of the brightest. He will progress anyway with his own pace. Maybe teacher is keen to stretch able children, which I think is a great thing. (Have you seen so many threads about how dc's are under challenged by many posters?)
You don't have to pressure him to do anything, but you can incorporate a lot of practical maths into everyday life. With reading, just enjoying the books together should be enough, imo.

brilliotic · 12/01/2018 12:32

Hi Olaf,

with the maths stuff, it definitely sounds as if the teacher is trying to stretch/challenge your child. Contrast that to my DS, whose teacher said to us at about this point in YR 'Well he can do all he needs to be able to do by end of YR, so (she used different words for the following) I won't be teaching him anything for the rest of the school year'.

And indeed, he spent most of YR playing with dinosaurs. (Which I wasn't too upset about, tbh, as I feel strongly that even if a child is capable of learning more&faster, it isn't necessary in the child's best interest to do so, though I would not stop/hinder a child from progressing either, obviously.) He left YR at pretty much the same level as he entered it, in maths.

I get the impression that you feel somewhat similary.

Still it is probably preferable that the teacher does challenge/stretch your child, compared to what our teacher did. But that is enough; you do not need to further work your child at home. If I were you I would continue doing exactly what you have been doing so far - clearly, your child has been learning a lot and is way ahead of where they need to be, so whatever you've been doing (e.g. allowing him lots of free time outside of school) has been working well.

Mammyofonlyone · 12/01/2018 13:54

Sorry I didn't have time to read all the posts but I wanted to post to share my experience and hopefully give a little reassurance. From what you describe re: numeracy, I'd say that is really good (based on my limited experience). My daughter is not five for some months and sounds like she is on a par numerically. She is one of the furthest ahead in her year (I'm not saying brightest because I don't think the two things go hand in hand) at a small, well resourced, independent school (if that affects your opinion).
Try not to worry, he sounds like he's doing very well. Maybe ask for specifics of what others can do but that he cannot?
HTH

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