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Primary education

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What should a child know by the end of reception?

10 replies

extraordinarygardener · 20/05/2026 19:02

Wondering where a reception child should be by the end of reception?

Ds can read very simple texts - he’s on phase 2 stage 5 at school but I’m reading phase 3 stages 1-3 with him at home and he seems fine. He can count to twenty and beyond but does get muddled sometimes. Still gets confused with days of the week and months of the year!

I guess I’m just wondering where he should be and what else to do to support him?

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SleepingStandingUp · 20/05/2026 19:22

what have school said? you must be due a parent evening shortly

Darkdiamond · 20/05/2026 19:28

What is the reading scheme you are talking about so we can have an idea of where he is specifically? Counting to twenty with a few muddled up numbers sounds normal. What is his number sense like? Does he know much about number composition, like different ways to make the numbers up to ten? And where did he start? Its hard to know what his progress is like if we don't know the baseline. Nothing you said sounds alarming though.

BoleynMemories13 · 20/05/2026 19:35

I'm a Reception teacher.

Each phonics scheme is different so I don't know his reading abilities from what you've said alone, as 'Phase 2', 'Level 3', 'Stage 5' etc aren't generic terms, they will be specific to that scheme.

Google the 'Early Learning Goals'. That is the official measure which children are judged upon in each area of learning at the end of Reception. The school will report the judgements to you in July, whether he is 'expected' or 'emerging' in each area. There is no exceeding (Greater Depth) in Reception any more.

He sounds like he's probably doing fine in the academic subjects, from the information you have given, but there's more to each judgement than the information you have provided, so I can't say for sure whether he would achieve the ELG in each area or not based on that alone. You'll find out soon enough from his teacher.

BoleynMemories13 · 20/05/2026 19:47

There are nicer, colourful copies online but here are the ELGs as a quick overview.

Children have to expected in the first 12 (Communication and Language, PSED, Physical Development, Literacy and Maths) to get GLD (Good Level of Development). Schools will report on these judgements in July).

Communication and Language — Listening, Attention and Understanding:
Children at the expected level of development will:

  • listen attentively and respond to what they hear with relevant questions, comments, and actions when being read to, and during whole class discussions and small group interactions;
  • make comments about what they have heard and ask questions to clarify their understanding;
  • hold conversation when engaged in back-and-forth exchanges with their teacher and peers.
Communication and Language — Speaking: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • participate in small groups, class and one-to-one discussions, offering their own ideas, using recently introduced vocabulary;
  • offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction, rhymes, and poems when appropriate;
  • express their ideas and feelings about their experiences using full sentences, including use of past, present, and future tenses and making use of conjunctions, with modelling and support from their teacher.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development — Self-Regulation: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • show an understanding of their own feelings and those of others, and begin to regulate their behaviour accordingly;
  • set and work towards simple goals, being able to wait for what they want and control their immediate impulses when appropriate;
  • give focused attention to what the teacher says, responding appropriately even when engaged in an activity, and show an ability to follow instructions involving several ideas or actions.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development — Managing Self: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • be confident to try new activities and show independence, resilience, and perseverance in the face of challenge;
  • explain the reasons for rules, know right from wrong, and try to behave accordingly;
  • manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs, including dressing, going to the toilet, and understanding the importance of healthy food choices.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development — Building Relationships: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • work and play cooperatively, and take turns with others;
  • form positive attachments to adults and friendships with peers;
  • show sensitivity to their own and to others’ needs.
Physical Development — Gross Motor Skills: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • negotiate space and obstacles safely, with consideration for themselves and others;
  • demonstrate strength, balance, and coordination when playing;
  • move energetically, such as running, jumping, dancing, hopping, skipping and climbing.
Physical Development — Fine Motor Skills: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • hold a pencil effectively in preparation for fluent writing – using the tripod grip in almost all cases;
  • use a range of small tools, including scissors, paintbrushes and cutlery, and begin to show accuracy and care when drawing.
Literacy — Comprehension: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and recently introduced vocabulary;
  • anticipate, where appropriate, key events in stories;
  • use and understand recently introduced vocabulary during discussions about stories, non-fiction, rhymes, poems, and during role-play.
Literacy — Word Reading: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • say a sound for each letter in the alphabet and at least 10 digraphs;
  • read words consistent with their phonic knowledge by sound-blending;
  • read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, including some common exception words.
Literacy — Writing: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • write recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed;
  • spell words by identifying sounds in them and representing the sounds with a letter or letters;
  • write simple phrases and sentences that can be read by others.
Mathematics — Number: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • have a deep understanding of number to 10, including the composition of each number;
  • subitise (recognise quantities without counting) up to 5;
  • automatically recall (without reference to rhymes, counting or other aids) number bonds up to 5 (including subtraction facts) and some number bonds to 10, including double facts.
Mathematics — Numerical Patterns: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • verbally count beyond 20, recognising the pattern of the counting system;
  • compare quantities of up to 10 in different contexts, recognising when one quantity is greater than, less than, or the same as the other quantity;
  • explore and represent patterns within numbers up to 10, including evens and odds, double facts, and how quantities can be distributed equally.
Understanding the World — Past and Present: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society;
  • know some similarities and differences between things in the past and now, drawing on their experiences and what has been learned in class;
  • understand the past through settings, characters, and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling.
Understanding the World — People, Culture and Communities: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • describe their immediate environment using knowledge from observation, discussion, stories, non-fiction texts, and maps;
  • know some similarities and differences between different religious and cultural communities in this country, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class;
  • explain some similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries, drawing on knowledge from stories, non-fiction texts and, when appropriate, maps.
Understanding the World — The Natural World: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • explore the natural world around them, making observations and drawing pictures of animals and plants;
  • know some similarities and differences between the natural world around them and contrasting environments, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class;
  • understand some important processes and changes in the natural world around them, including the seasons and changing states of matter.
Expressive Arts and Design — Creating with Materials: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function;
  • share their creations, explaining the process they have used;
  • make use of props and materials when role playing characters in narratives and stories.
Expressive Arts and Design — Being Imaginative and Expressive: Children at the expected level of development will:
  • invent, adapt, and recount narratives and stories with peers and their teacher;
  • sing a range of well-known nursery rhymes and songs;
  • perform songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others, and, when appropriate, try to move in time with music.
extraordinarygardener · 20/05/2026 20:25

@Darkdiamond thank you, it is Little Wandle. I’m not totally sure what you mean by baseline; he couldn’t read or anything before he started.

Thanks @BoleynMemories13 , I appreciate you replying to me. That’s very helpful.

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MerryGuide · 21/05/2026 13:24

Weve got our first stage 4 reading book brought home this week (little wandle), I think phase 3 is mainly spring term so seems odd if theyre only giving stage 2 books if youre saying he's not struggling.

We practice number bonds to 10 at home quite a lot, plus subitising (sp!?) Just in whatever we're doing "your 6 dolls need a snack, you've got 2 out how many more do you need" type thing.

Reading that list of goals above I think we need some tripod grip focus. Its a lot of goals so I can see why they dont go into that detail at parents evenings but it does make it harder for parents to know how they're doing

Bliiink · 21/05/2026 13:27

Phase 2 LW books are linked to phase 2 phonics. Many children will be on Phase 4 by now, some revising Phase 3. I'd just ask for a wee chat with the teacher to check he's on track and what phase he's on in phonics lessons. Some schools are very cautious with the books they send home.

extraordinarygardener · 21/05/2026 13:37

I’m not saying he isn’t struggling - I don’t know to be honest, that’s why I asked here. Most of the class seem to be on phase 3. I don’t think anybody is phase 4 yet, I’ve read phase 3 with him and he is fine.

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extraordinarygardener · 21/05/2026 13:55

So from digging around I can see that phase 5 set 4 is expected by the end of year 1. So phase 3 in some capacity seems more likely for end of reception.

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Bliiink · 21/05/2026 21:51

Phase 4 phonics is definitely usually taught in Reception and phonics books should align to the sounds children are being taught, so many children will read Phase 4 in Reception. Phase 5 is Y1 and a lengthy one. Having said that, as long as he is blending at this stage, he will almost certainly be absolutely fine.

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