Starting reception

[raymondanddebra]

My son is due to start reception next year. He's behind on speech but deffo is getting there and we are putting an EHCP in place just to be safe

My query now however is he's very outdoorsy and isn't massively into colouring/using a pen etc. Is that a big deal for reception?

He’s got almost a full year until he starts! At his age that’s equivalent to a third of his life so far. It’s great that you’re planning ahead with the EHCP but don’t worry about anything else right now. Yes they do colouring/writing with pencils in reception but I think most 3 year olds prefer playing outdoors to quietly colouring. Are you doing any nursery/pre school? If yes then they’ll do things like that regularly so there’s even less need for you to worry about it. I know it’s easy to worry especially if you suspect additional needs but you’re way overthinking this one

It's still mostly play based in reception, with quite a lot of running round outside. There's no desks in DS's reception classroom, just a drawing/ painting station the can come and go from alongside other play areas. The actual "lesson's" are usually sitting in a circle on the carpet not writing in books, and the letter formation work he's do so far has been with a stick in mud or painting with water on the wall as often as it has been pen on paper.

I wouldn't worry, he's still got almost a year anyway, and even if he starts without much drawing experience, by Christmas he'll have caught up.

Now is your chance to look around at what your local schools offer. Mine isn't considered good primary by many, but has brilliant outdoor provision and weekly forest school days for every class.

Thanks everyone for the reassurance. Yes he goes to nursery every morning for 3 hours so they are trying to encourage drawing etc as am I at home

It is a lot of play based stuff in reception, and they will assess him when he starts so they know what to focus on. My daughter is now in Yr 2, and complaining that she doesn't get to play anymore and it's all 'real lessons!'

That sounds very normal for a 3 year old. Mine couldn't hold a pencil properly when she started school (not for want of being shown, with good advice from teacher friends), but she mastered it in the first half-term at school.

If his needs are such that he qualifies for an EHCP, they must be fairly significant, ie, more than just delayed speech? With an EHCP, you won’t use the normal route for school application, it will be done via the EHCP. The plan will be sent to your chosen schools and they will look at all his needs and decide whether they can meet them. You should visit as many schools as you can so that you can assess which ones would suit your child.

What Yellowmellow2 said.

What you describe in your OP is 100% normal and fine for lots of dc IN Reception, let alone a year before they start.

If your dc has an EHCP then that is a vastly different scenario (and school application process).

My child started this September, they spend a lot of time playing outside, every day they comes home with shoes full of sand from the sandpit. I really wouldn't worry, to me reception has felt very like nursery so far with a bit more phonics thrown in.

Actually... I have been advised to apply to mainstream schools if I wish to, and also to apply for the EHCP which nursery are doing - and then once I have a school offer and EHCP I will meet with the schools SENCO to discuss - this is what both my preferred schools have told me

If your child has an EHCP, then you apply for mainstream schools via the EHCP. It will depend on the timings, ie, if the EHCP is agreed before or after the primary school admissions deadline date.

Yes, if the EHCP isn't through, before Primary admissions application date, you should apply via the normal route. After all, you might not get a final EHCP.
You won't get an EHCP "just to be safe" or "because he is behind on his speech" so that is very good advice.
As mellow says though, once the EHCP gets to draft, you will be asked for your school preference and the schools' governing bodies will be approached to see if they can meet your child's needs as set out in the EHCP.

Lots of schools are having open days soon
Go and see the provision
I think you will find that most are play based and spend a lot of time outdoors

I would assume there is more to his needs than just delayed speech?

A year is a huge amount of time for a 3 year old but yes reception is still largely play based.

@Mumofsend Paedtrician seems to think he may have autism although we waiting for the assessment. Some traits of his behaviour are

He does make eye contact if he knows you well - not so much otherwise. This was worse but has improved tons since starting nursery

Has never pointed

Isn't massively into pretend play although he's getting there and now makes me cups of pretend play

He finds my hair on the carpet and examines very closely. He is very thorough in general

He doesn't really have friends at nursery. He's ok for the kids to be around him and he joins in but he's a bit of a loner I think although to be honest I was exactly like that and still am lol!!

He's very routine based (like me also) and gets upset if it changes. Takes him a few days to get used to a big change whereas other kids just get on with it

Those are the main things the nursery have told me

Cups of pretend tea that's meant to say

It’s good that the nursery have picked this up and that he’s being assessed at an early stage. Good luck OP. I hope he gets the support he needs.

@Yellowmellow2 thanks me too