My son just turned 5 & started reception in September & I'd noticed all his friends seem to be able to write & read a bit, & he is not doing either. (He can write a couple of letters but that seems to be it.) I wasn't worried until a few weeks ago he started saying he didn't want to go to school. There was one day I more or less had to carry him in. So I spoke to his teacher (who I think is v good) & explained, & he said he'd been meaning to talk to me because my son is struggling. He wondered if it could be because he was premature as he couldn't see an obvious reason for it. We had a good conversation & came up with some ideas...instead of trying to get my son to write at home we would try to get him to draw (he always says he doesn't want to or can't) & that might make the moment of picking up a pen less scary when he does it at school. We also agreed that if he says he can't, we would just say "all you have to do is try". And obviously lots of praise for any trying. We agreed that school would get him to draw twice a day, to try to build that up too & build his confidence. And I'd just continue reading to him as I do anyway. That was two and a half weeks ago & in the meantime he missed 7 days of school due to covid. So when we were at home I worked really hard with him to get him to do a bit of drawing (& writing, as he seemed interested) every day, & to read more with him, just to build up his confidence really. And I have a followup meeting at school this afternoon. And mainly I want to listen to what they have to say, but also I wonder if there's anything I should be asking for or suggesting. My son can't say some sounds & had a few sessions of speech therapy before starting school & we decided it was pushing him too hard & to drop it & let him settle, but I wonder if it is time to restart (perhaps at school so the TAs can be involved a bit). I also tried to talk to my son about why he didn't want to go to school. The only consistent things were that he didn't like the toys there & they were better at his nursery; but also he said he didn't like sitting in the reading chair because he can't read; & he said there was too much to do & he couldn't choose what to do. I thought the choice issue was maybe worth mentioning as it sounds like he could do with more direction maybe? I don't know what else. I feel like he is really daunted at school & find that heartbreaking at only just 5! The other thing is the teacher said he doesn't participate willingly in telling stories & singing...but he does both at home & at his weekend drama class. So I wonder what is different about doing it at school. I should add he also had a terrible time particularly in the first lockdown when he was just three. He totally lost confidence & it took months of work from me and nursery to get it back. I'm quite worried because before then he was very interested in letters and numbers, & now he seems to think they are too hard. So I wonder how much all the upheaval & general awfulness of the pandemic are to blame. I'd love any advice on what to do & what (if anything) I could suggest to school. Thank you so much.