Is it normal for a child to learn nothing in reception?

[Aloha]

Because I don't think my ds has learned anything at all. He doesn't hate it. Most of the time he enjoys it. But I don't think he's learned anything.

My ds is at the older end of reception. He could read before he started but couldn't write so he's learned to do that.

He's learnt about religions (we're not religious so I think he found this interesting!).

He's learnt (with other boys) to organise themselves into groups to play football in the playground (I always find that quite impressive tbh!).

DD couldn't read when she started school, but she could write all letters, and had a goog grasp of numbers. She is now starting to read, and is writing some things independently.

I think the main thing she has learnt is a little independence at school, how to settle, the school routines, and how to be really happy at school.

I go in to help once a week, and have observed that a lot of the learning is oral, there is a lot of class/teacher discussion, and small group work, which may well not have a recorded outcome.

My DS is now at the end of year 2, and he sounds a bit like your DS, he could read fluently etc., before he went to school. Tthe work changes in Y1, to more obviously structured and formalised, with more work written down, and lots of topics which DS has inhaled, and explained to us in much enthusiastic detail.

Hope that helps a bit

lol @ football

That IS impressive

I suppose I can see how interested he is in Greek myths, all about the English Civil War (what happened to all the of the Parliamentarians when the King came back? um, er, I don't know...I'll look it up) - not all the time obviously, but he is interested and I think would love all that.
I know I must sound GHASTLY and pushy, but really I'm not. And I remember being bored witless at school myself so worry from that point of view, though I try very hard not to project my experience onto ds (and get ticked off about it by dh!)

Aloha is he not, cough, er G and T?

you could push for that?

Although a girl in the village (who was very academically advanced) left the village school to go privately as they weren't willing to push her academically (according to her mum anyway!) and she is flourishing in the private school environment (she is doing Latin - she is only 8!), she loves it.

And anyway, playing is their "work" at this age!

And maybe learning that even though he knows all his colours, other children can't and that's OK too. This was a particular issue with my ds, who had to learn not to say in a loud, astonished voice " That's not blue - it's more of a turquoise - don't you know THAT?"

yes, enid is right about year 2 .

They start doing History and Geography and Science - they get to do experiments and much more interesting work.

Lol at Samuel Pepys (and the Great Fire of London). We trekked up Monument with lots of other yr2 age kids a couple of months ago. Must be in the national curriculum!

us carrot munchers had to learn about London first

Enid, nerdy mums r us!
I like that idea Thomcat - and it's really inclusive too.
Actually, he wants to plant another sunflower plant - the one he grew at school was eaten by snails in teh garden with a day of being planted (I hate bloody snails) so I could do that.
I'm really not having a go at teachers or anythign, but a bit nonplussed and slightly concerned.

lol @ Greek Myths

It's trickly Aloha when you were bored yourself in school - that's what I worry about because I was bored too until I started college and then really grasped that I could just learn about ANYTHING if I wanted to

I guess you just have to hope he'll be really interested in reading and will shut himself away in the library for a few years (and stop asking you hard questions)

I have a very nice Ladybird book of the Seashore...

I think it's a shame when they are really KEEN to learn but not guided

have to say on an academic level i found school boring too
but on a social level i had a blast

i like to think that in todays system somebody would have picked up on this.....

Discovering boys was good but that was a bit later

dd1 loves the Greek Myths and has done for a year or so now. Can highly recommend teh Orchard book by Geraldine Mc..someone

does he seem bored Aloha?

you said he was good with numbers, do they give him extension work?

McCaughrean enid. marvellous writer for older children too

dd1 loves the Tony Robinson book on Kings & Queens (they're not doing any history during the summer term, so bought it for her as a history fix. it's hysterical )

there's also a nice set on the Book People at the moment (Greek and ROman Myths - a collection of 8 books) illustrated by Tony Ross (it's meant for older kids - sort of dd's age - yr2- I guess but it's written beautifully).

His behaviour seems to be going downhill atm, and he does say it is boring sometimes. I'm not panicking, just a bit concerned.

school sooooooo boring, yes, and it's a real worry

do they have parents' evenings in Reception?

[btw, Claire Bloom's biography of Pepys very good on the 'feel' of the political transition at the Restoration IMO]

oh wow, have just looked them up and they are the ones by Geraldine McCaughrean

here on the book people

not Claire Bloom, the other Claire Thingy.

also end of term wind down

lots going on with productions, sports day etc

kids DO get restless this term

this is ours

dd1 fascinated by the story of arachne