Repeating Reception advice needed please

[Minmin2011]

My little girl turns 5 next week, shes the youngest in the class, just as she was settling in to primary school lockdown hit, we had issues with her settling such as weeing at school & being clingy so the timing was bad.
I reluctantly decided that she will not return to school until September as she has 2 siblings that could not go back until September anyway and I also am a keyworker on the front line being extra careful. Anyway today I bumped into another mother boasting how much her child has learnt at school in the past 5 weeks, my little girl is behind enough as it is and this makes me think she has missed out on even more, therefore should or can I request she repeats reception, what would you do? Sorry to ramble but I cant stop thinking I made a mistake by not sending her back.

I think it would be very unusual for a school to consider this, particularly so late on. Class sizes are already determined for September. Many children will not have kept up their learning and/or regress over the break. There will need to be period of revision, adjustment and consolidation for all.

This is virtually impossible in a state school. A private school may be more accommodating but schools will be heated up to help children get up to speed come September - I really wouldn't worry so much

As PP it is almost impossible for state school. Many of the children will be in the same boat so try not to worry

Why would being a key worker make you not send your child to school?

Repeating Reception year isn't going to happen. You can help your DD over the summer holiday by reading with and to her every day, encouraging drawing, writing, counting etc. And helping her by reinforcing phonics.

This will give her a huge boost ready for September.

My nephew repeated reception and is now a year behind for his age. He has ADHD and is delayed so he has a EHCP with 1 to 1 support. He is also an August baby. So it does not happen but not just because the parent requests it.

Ignore the other mum. Most kids will be a bit behind where they would have been otherwise but it really doesn't matter at reception age. All teachers will be aware that some children will need more help than others to settle back into school life.

OP, I really wouldn't worry too much, my son went back into reception as soon as they were allowed and they were pretty much just playing, painting etc, very little actual learning. Personally I would just read with your daughter loads, maybe practise writing etc

Ach op, you’re damned in you do and you’re damned if you don’t.

So like your pal my wee boy has also thrived a bit under lockdown. Sounds great! But he also has an ASD diagnosis so the other things, and I feel the more important reception age things, he’s behind on again. Co-operating with his peers for example. Listening to an adult that isn’t me is another.
Also just because he can nail his tricky words with me doesn’t mean in busy classroom he will be able to.

The women you’ve spoken is silly to think her child will emulate what she has learned at home in a busy Covid classroom.

Year one might even be better than usual for children who are struggling as the teachers will need to recover reception work.

Can you find 10-20 mins each day to go over some of the reception learning? It’s amazing what a tiny amount of repetition can do to solidify things in their brains.

Thank you x

If your school is anything like mine, only about a third of the class returned. i know for a fact some children gave up on the home learning pretty quickly. I do get your concerns about being the youngest. My boy is 5 on Wednesday and probably the youngest in the class. He is a bright boy but reception has been a real struggle for him, particularly writing. If I had my time again, I would have tried for a reception place at compulsary school age. As others have said, there's probably nothing you can do now unless your new reception class isn't full but I would advise you to join the facebook group 'Flexible admissions for summer borns.' there are some very knowledgable people who might be able to help.

I’m sure the school will reassure you.
Ours have said that the year ones will be following an early years curriculum when they go back rather than progressing onto key stage 1.
My summer born reception child went back in June and she’s had a nice time at school but the learning/formal work side has not been very intense.

I would echo what someone said above that she will benefit more from you doing some phonics, letter formation and numbers over the summer.

Don't worry, i 'm sure she will be fine. She is going to be a lot more mature , a whole years worth, than she was last September, she will have absorbed and learned about the social side of school and should be better placed to settle back into the swing of things but with a more confident attitude because by and large she knows how school operates now . You might have a couple of wobbly days, it is all going to look a bit different, but I am sure she will be fine . Ignore your friends comments, your child has learned loads with home learning, especially with older siblings and listening into them, maybe her child has learned a lot at school in a few weeks because she didn't learn much at home and has had to catch up fast . You could try saying that to her if she tries to boast again.

Work wise there will be lots of children who have stalled a bit in their learning, the schools know this and are planning for it. After all it is in their interest to make sure they have confident learners , with secure skills ready to move on at a pace and level appropriate to them rather than a class of kids with gaps in their learning that will hold them back and make them anxious.

I doubt school would give this any consideration, I've worked in primary education for decades and I've only seen this happen twice.
Once for a girl who spoke no English and had serious issues with her development generally and secondly for a boy who eventually ended up leaving mainstream education as his needs couldn't be met.

As others have said, focus on doing lots of fun but productive activities at home. Lots of reading, looking for colours/numbers when you're out and about, as well as more practical stuff like dressing/undressing independently etc

Reception would need a place which you would need to apply for. And for the school to agree .

My dd is starting in sept and was recently 5. It's not going to be the best yr r. But at least she wont have already missed some of yr r and then probably yr1 and also be youngest.
Tbh i now agree with others about social and behaviour side being most important as i have an older dc.
Most of reading is done at home anyway. And i doubt they have been nor will going forward sit 1-2-1 reading with them.

Did she meet all the eyfs targets?
Some of the reading books are free online like
Oxford owls
Engage
Big cats was not sure if it is.

But imo i wouldnt consider it just because of that time lost in yr r. Because they do the assessments by abiut may anyway so would have done most of the work by end march.

However it is very likely if schools go full then most kids will miss minimum of 2w. Or as long as it takes tests to come back several times. And that is more disruptive to learning than the home education we did as at least that wax everyone doing the same in your class. And they seem to get more work done in autumn term