Questions/Fears about starting Reception

[strawberrylove]

Please help me if you can. I am a Reception teacher and I am in the process of putting together a new information pack/PowerPoint for the new reception parents. I would like to try and answer as many questions as I can within the pack and put all the little fears/worries you may have to rest if I can!

So what are you worried about? No matter how small. Or what questions would you want to ask about your new school?

Thank you, I don't have children so I haven't been in the position myself x

This is a good idea. I have one son in Year one and a daughter about to start Reception. Ideas I have are:

• what is expected of the children re literacy / numeracy on the first day (I worried that a load of other kids would be able to read really well);
• how do you get the class to mix socially? If someone seems to find it hard to make friends, what do you do?
• toileting - if they need to go to the toilet during a lesson, can they go?

Thanks @CruCru that's really helpful! I will put all of these into the FAQ section! I want parents to leave feeling reassured. There are always parents who dont like to ask so I was to try and answer as many as I can x

Great idea. To be honest I didn’t worry about the academic side but more reassurance that they will be looked after. Will you help them with their dinner, if they cry will someone reassure them, do you help them make friends if they don’t know anyone else etc. I found it very hard to hand my dc over to strangers at the start, it felt so alien. Reassurance that if there is a problem they can speak to you as well. Ds’s teacher always said if you are unsure just ask, she would rather that than a problem build up and not be addressed

• How do I report sickness and do I need to follow up with a letter?
• Which day is PE / Forest School etc.?
• How can they access water through the day?
• When will parents evening be?
• Do you give out / put in book bags party invites/christmas cards/ sweets on birthdays?

Great Idea, my main concern is about kids learning at different levels/speeds and how do you deal with that.

Great thank you, these are all so helpful x

My DC are older but I work in reception too so these are a few of the things I've been asked

When/how can I contact you if I have a problem/am worried about something?
Where can I find lost property? (actually I still want to know this)
What should I be doing to get my child ready?
What do I need to buy?
Will you help them get ready for PE/do up shoes/trousers/coats?
My child doesn't like fruit/water/milk, can I send in something different for snack?
What are the school dinners like?

1. What are they expected to know re literacy and numeracy?
2. What self care skills do they require (E. G. Showering, shoe laces)
3. What is expected of parents (E. G. Reading practice, homework supervision)
4. What will be done to support children who are behind.
5. What kind of foods are on the menu and what is done about fussy eaters?

A very useful idea!

The absolutely crucial thing for DH and I (and most working parents I expect) is a schedule of dates where parents will be invited to see the classroom / watch a performance / view your child's work. No one wants their child to be the one with no mummy or daddy but giving only a few days' notice makes it difficult!

Also: clear guidance on how the teachers would like to be communicated with. Is a chat at drop off acceptable? If not, are emails ok? If it's better to book an appointment what's the process for this?

Great idea. These were the things I was worried about:

Where is lost property?
Will someone help him with his shirt buttons when he does pe?
Will someone help him carry his lunch tray/cut up his food?
Will someone phone me if he is upset?
How do I check if my child has nits?
If my child is ill on a school day should I phone, text or email the school?
Are any foods banned from packed lunches?
Can I have a list of all the children's first names so I can do Christmas cards/party invites?
Does it matter that my child can't write his name?
How many adults go with the class on school trips?
Will I be the only parent crying on the first day?

When my eldest started in reception I wanted to know

What time does school start and end?
What will he need? Book bag, water bottle etc
What is the procedure at drop off to begin with? Can I come into the classroom?
How can I help him to settle in?
Who is the SENCO?
How can I arrange a meeting with class teacher/my boy's TA/the SENCO?

I probably did not need to know this, but was reassured to be told about all of the things that were happening to help DS settle in and be more comfortable.

Worries I had before my first started.

How does lunch work? Do they choose what they want in advance etc? Will they be helped with getting their lunch to begin with?

Do they need a water bottle? Is a metal one ok?

Do they need a snack?

Basically:

Poo and pee accidents.
PE days and changing (and lost property/name labelling PLEASE in that)
Reading books when it's time - how do they go about changing them/number of times expected to read each one/frequency
Getting a meeting with the teacher, SENCO etc (our SENCO does an "any concerns at all" drop in early on in the second half term for any parents to get their child on the radar if needs be or follow up initial concerns raised at the first parents evening which I think is a really good idea)
Routines - book bags, water bottles, dropping off, collecting etc - all that stuff. Also absence reporting.
How to go about helping in school/getting cleared to help on trips/how you pick helpers for the trips (so people don't get on MN assuming it's down to the magic of being on the PTA and the like) etc - especially if your school's like ours and does parent helper inductions and the like right near the start of the year.

Our school also does meet the teacher sessions in all year groups at the start of term where each class teacher goes through all the routine based stuff and curriculum based stuff for that particular class - they do it during the day but at the end of the day for like 20 mins so as many as can make it can do so.

How much do you help with undressing/dressing for PE and managing "difficult" food items at lunch?

How is the day structured? What sessions are in classes, which sessions are free play etc?

How often are reading books changed or does the child know when to change their own? When do they move up a level?

When is a good time to speak to the teacher if I have any concerns or just want reassuring?

*What exactly IS forest school? All I know is "den-building, working outside, learning to appreciate the outdoors", but that isn't actually telling me what it is, so I struggle to talk with my daughter about it.

*My daughter was recently struck down with a tummy bug while at preschool, was looked after by staff until I collected her. She was then anxious about Big School and if her teachers would look after her there. So, please please make sure the children as well as the parents know this sort of thing?

How the drop off works
That you’ll help with dressing etc
That you’ll help gifted children progress not just focus on slower ones /the average
That you’ll help the kids eat healthily and drink enough
Where we have to look to keep up to date on dates and events etc
Put us in contact with Other school mums