What are the main differences between Reception and Y1?

[imaginaryfriend]

My dd's moving into Y1 next September and everyone I've spoken to says that in Y1 'the fun stops and the work starts' or words to that effect.

Can anyone who's experienced the shift tell me what they learned / how their kids handled it? What kinds of things do they do all day?

.

That isn't really true of my children's school. Yr1 still has lots of fun and play, and I know my ds preferred it to reception, as there was more interesting stuff to do. Lots of fun outings too including making pizza at Pizza Express, and a Victorian day with a punch and judy performance at the school and all kids in fancy dress.

Agree still lots of fun but have found that there is more 'work' to do - eg spellings to practice rather than word wall.

We don't get that yet.

More detail!

To be honest find the spellings easier to deal with than the random requests that come with a couple of days notice - eg own clothes day with a colour theme, bring in interesting picture of child when baby etc

Think it really varies. There is more reading and writing I suppose, and a little homework, but still a lot of playing.

Sorry - x post - 10 words each week to learn to spell - test on Friday - usually themed around sounds eg school, blue, look etc. Worst bit is Year 1 son not interested but reception son loves doing them

But generally day to day in the class what do they do?

How do I know! I'm not at school
seriously, I don't know what they do every minute of every day. My ds is learning and having fun, that's all I know.

Anybody else know? Just general structure / timetable / what's expected from them?

They seemed to do more group work - on work sheets etc. Bit more reading with an adult, spellings etc & at our school, they used topics such as space/nature/transport to cover lots of different subjects.

Writing gets worked on far more, as does simple maths. PE gets upped to twice a week.

Still have play periods.

My DS is Yr 2 now but my DD starts Yr 1 in September also.

At our infants school reception is play based where the chidren get to choose the activities they want to do. This includes painting, outside play, computers, homecorner, book corner, puzzles and other activities as arranged by the teacher (sewing, cooking, water, sand, etc)

Where as year 1 is much more sitting at desks and following a timetable. I.e. when is literacy time everyone does literacy etc. The children don't get to choose what they want to do.

HTH

In Rec they learn sounds, numbers and have a home corner. They do register and go to assembly and do lots of structurd play.

In Y1 there is no home corner, less play, more focus on sounds and words, reading books, homework sheets, carpet talk time.still fun but more learning.

Thanks.

And how do they make the transition to Y1 in terms of what they've been doing in Reception? Does the Reception teacher give a 'report' to the Y1 teacher to let them know what they've achieved etc.?

yes thats about it. They keep records of progress and these go to the new teacher.

At our school the teachers have meeting to discuss each pupil.

Year1 builds on the foundations they covered in reception.

and they are streamed according to their ability

They are alraedy streamed in reception, no?
Quite subtly but still...

not streamed in Reception but they are in y1

I think the biggest difference is the curriculum and the style of teaching. They are assessed against the foundation stage profile which the reception teacher will give to the year 1 teacher. In year 1 they follow the national curriculum.

In reception they learn through play and have a lot of free choice. However my son still had some play and free choice in year 1. Infact the two year 1 classes had an outdoor area with their own sandpit and role play area. The difference though is that play is used as reward rather than the medium for teaching.

Collision, a lot of schools steam children on ablity as early as nursery. Admitally its painfully obvious in year 1.

we came to our school in rec a little late so was not aware of any streaming.

will be interesting with ds2 as he starts nursery in sept.

I am aware of many schools streaming in reception

Yes, gentle reception streaming here although I'm not sure all the mums are aware of it. So do they tend to stay in the stream they were in in Reception or all get shuffled about?