Maths in Reception

[Puzzledmumof3]

Hi

My second son is in reception and I think is not being challenged at all. I’m not concerned with pushing him ahead but he seems bored generally and can be silly/misbehave which I wonder if is part to do with it.

I just wondered if all receptions were like this as I understand with 30 kids in the class it is tricky to provide differentiation.

To clarify he is def not a genius but is older in the year and can for example add two lots of two digit numbers, count in 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s, add multiple number together, do simple multiplication etc.

Thanks

In my experience, yes talk with his teacher but also find out if he has other areas of the curriculum to work on.
Often children who have strengths in one aspect of the seven areas of learning have gaps in others. This would be the focus of my planning as a teacher.

It is a whole new way of teaching and it isn't easy to promote especially when some children have an affinity for number. It is trying to ensure that children know numbers completely in all forms so for example 5 is recognisable on a dice, domino, 10 chart, fingers, click, coin etc. it then means they never need to count the dots because they just know.

We also introduce the children to new representations including part, part, whole models, bar models, first, then, now charts. There is a whole new language to maths including augmentation and reduction!

Oh, my. Never listen to those who tell that in y1 maths will be harder/mature/more structured it's a lie or a nice fairy tale for adults.

Find a textbook and some workbook with tasks a small step ahead than your kid can do.

Puzzles and games can be if it's fine for your kid. But if he/she is fine with more abstract structures use them. Do step back only in case it's hard for kid to understand the new topic, this way try to explain it with pasta/pizza etc.

If your kid is fine with multiplication you can try to explain fractions halves, quarters, triples and also another way of writing 1/2, 1/4, 1/3.

My experience was that reception was quite a frustrating year for my summer-born child who was ahead in academic terms but found it tricky to invent extension work for herself (partly because she was, you know, 4). Year 1 has been a totally different proposition because the teacher is very invested in giving appropriate support, so has been giving DD a mix of year 2,3 and 4 maths work to find where she has gaps and where she can progress. DD loves it. So it can get better in year 1 with a good teacher.

My advice would be to foster his interest at home (Doodlemaths, times table rockstar etc may help).