Reception September 2024

[Reception2024]

I thought I'd start a thread for anyone who like me is having a bit of a wobble today (or at any other time) and needs a hand hold! Or who has little ones about to embark on their reception journey and wants a space to chat to others in the same place.

DS joins reception in September, he's an only so I've no previous experience and it will also be my last. I've been so positive up to now and really excited for him but suddenly I've found the thought of him going off to school so overwhelming and I can't stop crying! He's such a wonderful boy and I guess it's a combination of wanting him to be happy and fulfilled, to worrying about the pressure of making friends and being in a new environment, to my 'baby' growing up and the end of an era. I know that he's ready and that his world will open up and that he'll have so many opportunities, and he'll be ok, it's just tough being a mum sometimes!

I'm normally a very balanced and positive person so today has taken me back a bit! Just wanted to send hugs to anyone else who is finding the next few months tricky or daunting

Also have an only starting in Sept. She actually starts on her birthday (oldest in year!) so even more wobbly.

I am totally confident that we chose the rights school for her, though, and it is obvious that she is very, very ready. People always talk about children who are sad about school- but she sauntered into tbe settling sessions and told me to go away until it was over. What do you do when your kid is like this? Do you just wonder whether you have a sociopath?!

It's going to be an emotional rollercoaster!

My daughter is about to finish Reception. She’s my only too, I’m one and done so it was my first experience. She did go to the nursery attached to the school for half days before starting Reception but hadn’t been to nursery before then.

I was so worried about it. I haven’t had to work since she was born so spent a lot of time with her and was worried about her suddenly being in school all day.

But she’s absolutely loved it! And I’ve loved having time to myself to do my things (retraining, learning a new language and volunteering). She settled in with no problems, has made lovely friends and the school have been great.

It’s a big thing but honestly you’ll both be fine. I was having such a wobble this time last year! I totally got that “end of an era” feeling but it got so much better in September when she started and I knew she was OK.

You’ll both be fine.

I can't cope with it. How do I know what shoe size to get them? She's so tiny.

Went to settling in the other day and mines a summer born and some of the kids were huge! They must have been the eldest

Take her to a shoe shop, get her measured and pray there isn't an instant growth spurt...

Well yeah that's the thing. Do I wait till the last minute?

I’m a reception teacher happy to answer any questions to ease any fears and anxieties or anything you daft asking but really want to know!

It's always going to be the thing, I think! I just had to take DD as she had clearly outgrown her shoes.

I guess it depends when you last did it all?

Following

Thank you! I might just buy some cheap ones then

Experienced Reception teacher here, happy to answer any questions.

It's completely natural to feel a mixture of emotions when your child is starting school. It's especially overwhelming when you're doing it for the first time.

The biggest adjustment for most people I think is accepting that your child is starting a new chapter of their life, independent from you, and probably for the first time in their little life you'll never fully know every detail about what they've been up to, only what they or the school tell you. It's very different from nursery in that you won't get a blow by blow account of their day at hand over. The teachers will tell you anything vital, such as if they've been hurt or not eaten their lunch. Most days though, they'll be handed over without an individual conversation and you'll just have to accept that this means their day has been fine (to the staff's knowledge).

Top tip - label absolutely everything, even things you don't expect them to take off. You won't believe how many children have the same pair of shoes! The personalised stickers or stamper you can order online are great, although a Sharpie also does the job for most things.

One piece of advice- don’t buy cheap shoes! I bought my daughter’s first school shoes from Shoezone. They scuffed terribly on day two. Within a month or two the strap had broken off. I then replaced them with a pair of Clarks shoes and they’ve lasted most of the year. Will only replace them over the holidays because they’re starting to get small otherwise they would have been fine for her to start Year 1 in.

Oh! Thank you

Oh and yes I agree with labelling eeeeeeeverything. We’ve had a couple of days of swimming through piles of lost properly trying to track down all the small things she has lost over the year. Labels. On. EVERYTHING! Including the child (only joking. Maybe 😂)

How do you label socks?

Stikin sticky labels! They’re the best. They stick to everything and don’t wash off.

Thank you again!!!

https://www.stikins.co.uk

We’ve used them through school nursery and reception and they’re excellent. Delivered the next day (handy because you don’t realise just how many things you need to label and how many stickers you need. You need lots 😂) and they wash and wash and don’t come off.

Agree on the Stikins, and also on cheap shoes (not just because of longevity, but also because of foot development)

I completely feel you. My eldest is off to Junior school and my youngest starts reception in September. I didn't feel this way when DS started Infants, definitely took it in my stride, but I've been really tearful today. I'm pleased for DD to be on her way, she is happy and excited to go, but it really aches this time around.

School shoes and trainers are the last things I buy just in case there are growth spurts! I bought the Start Rite foot measurer (Clarks also do one) adn I measure at home as sometimes shops sell out of the more popular shoes - least online you can shop around.

My daughter is about to finish Y1 and the best labels I have found (used a few) are petit fernand - they are indestructive. Others have come off in the wash.