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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

A Q. for those with children who have just started in Reception.

43 replies

wangle99 · 15/10/2008 12:12

Has your child brought home any reading books? words to learn? or anything along these lines?

DS started full time in September and they don't appear to be doing any literacy work at all. I know they are doing number work because DS comes home full of it!

Just wondered if this was the norm. Thank you.

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Original poster

wangle99 · 15/10/2008 14:14

Hmm what I suspected really, other schools in the area where I have friends their children are already doing really well, DS asked 'why aren't I getting books to learn to read' its really heartbreaking as he is so desperate to read!

I might ask the teacher see what she says, perhaps she has a reason. Who knows!

Thanks for your input though.

OP posts:

aDad · 15/10/2008 14:15

so far just the wordless phonics books

JP letter worksheets each week

One library book a week

Marne · 15/10/2008 14:15

Dd started in september, i spoke to the teacher as dd was'nt getting any bbooks and can read (learnt at nursery) so now she brings home a new book twice a week (kipper book) and also a normal reading book from the book shelf. They started jolly phonics 2 weeks ago and get a letter to learn evry other day (in a little book).

Dd loves the jolly phonics songs and sings them to me evry morning.

She's had no numeracy work so far.

Dd loves reading and would be happy with a book each day, she loves reading her books over and over again.

Maybe they will get more after half term?

egypt · 15/10/2008 14:16

we get a 2 self chosen library books per week

a jolly phonics letter cards and games pack once a week. (4 letters per week, basically on cards in pairs which allows the playing of pairs and snap etc.) and pics of the actions to match

a reading book 3 times a week from various schemes, some phonic based - ginn and some comprehension based - ORT. they started off with pic books for about 2 weeks. she can't read anything, mind, and is on word books already.

chocolatemummy · 15/10/2008 14:20

yep, pretty much the same here, a book every week with another book to say how we got on and they sign it off each week when they chnge the bok and highlight what words need to be worked on

sundew · 15/10/2008 14:24

wangle why are you so worried - the teacher in your school will be qualified and know what 'stage' the children are supposed to be at by the end of the reception year.

My understanding (and experience) is that reception is an extension of nursery and should be learning through play. In fact if you ask dd2 what she did at school - she will say she played, she doesn't even notice the learning bit as it is blended into the activities that are planned for that day.

A child started in dd1s class at the beginning of year2 - he had had no formal education (from europe so formal age to start school is 6). After 2 / 3 months he was at the same attainment level as the rest of the class.

Elkat · 15/10/2008 18:05

My DD is in reception and she has homework as follows...

A reading book once a week. (All children start off with a picture only book with no words - that they have to make up a story to. When they are ready they move on to books with words).
A library book once a week. This is for the parent to read to the child.
A homework book with activities. So far this has been to practise the jolly phonics letters and to draw shapes etc - fairly simple stuff.

After half term, they will also have letters to learn and reading books will increase to twice a week. Given that all the homework gets done in 10 -15 mins each, nothing is particularly onerous and we do get a whole week for each piece.

Millarkie · 15/10/2008 18:36

Dd brings home a reading book which is changed three times a week, and also has brought home the 45 frequently used words which are (hopefully) to be learnt by the end of the year. The school newsletter tells us which of the words her class is focussing on each week.
Ds went to a different school when he was in reception and he had a reading book per week plus 5 sounds (letters) per week and 2 'tricky' words to learn.

Original poster

wangle99 · 15/10/2008 19:57

Thanks for your replies.

sundew - Am concerned because DS wants to be reading and is getting no encouragement, he is an academic little thing with an amazing thirst for knowledge and doesn't want to be playing all the time, he wants to sit down and write, read, add things up! And sadly he's not getting it.

OP posts:

Mercy · 15/10/2008 20:02

Ds started full time 2 weeks ago and has done no obvious learning as far as I can tell.

That's fine imo.

In nursery class they could change their book every day, now it;s twice a week.

(haven't read the thread btw)

amidaiwish · 15/10/2008 20:11

DD started in reception in sept, they do half days until after Christmas.

they are starting reading after half term and will bring a book home every night.

every day since about week 3 they have brought home a worksheet with a letter on that they have learnt that day (recognising it, sounding it, air-writing it and writing it). They then have to do "homework" completing the sheet and practising the letter.

DD is a competent reader and does read every day herself, sits in the reading corner and reads for a bit. I think they get quite a few opportunities to focus on what interests them most.

kyrasmummy · 15/10/2008 20:20

DD started in Sepember and has only bought home 'picture' books so far, She changes her book about 3 times a week.

They start bring books home with words in after half term

No obvious signs of learning anything so far, all she seems to do is play which i'm fine with

yomellamoHelly · 15/10/2008 20:24

No books at my son's school 'til the next term. They are working through the letters this term though (again using JP approach). Have also been given a list of the 45 words they are expected to recognise by the end of the year. Have complied a set of flashcards to help him master these.
Ds1 also ready to read (and does when it's simple stuff). Not sure how he'll cope with the ORT books when he does get them, mind. We've got the Level 1 books at home and they are amazingly dull (ds1 not interested at all).

princesspeahead · 15/10/2008 20:29

we have had a sheet with a different letter on it every night, showing how it is scribed, for them to practice. so one night DS2 drew a load of "d"s, next night g, etc. We have finished the alphabet now so he knows all his letters, and is "revising the sounds" this week. I think we will start getting reading books after half term. I have been told that he is getting extension work in the classroom compared to the other children because his interest and aptitute are v high, and that involves reading. I would point out that his birthday is 7 September though, so suspect it is less to do with him being a genius and more to do with him being the oldest!

He also gets little projects once a week which he can do if he wants (and he is very keen so we do), which involve pencil control really - following mazes, drawing lines between matching objects etc.

Haven't had any number work home yet, although he has learnt to count to ten in french with a beautiful accent!

ultra · 15/10/2008 20:34

My dd2 in reception brings a book home each day to share - no real words but to describe story from the pictures. The whole class will start phonetics after half term once everyone is settled in and ready to learn. She has been learning through play a lot and has been doing some maths like 3d shapes and doing one more or one less with numbers.
There is no point in learning words off by heart if they do not appreciate the story of the book.

ilkainnorthants · 15/10/2008 20:37

My ds gets small books which are basically just pieces of paper stapled together by the teacher. Started with things like Mum and dad, and we have now quite a few more words. However ds does not know the phonics or letters. They just recognise the words like a picture I thinks. I do have my problems with this as I have no idea how to help his reading, when all I can do is just to tell him what the word is. They already have the words 'look' and 'school', so I don't know how to explain the different sounds of 'oo' to him.

I'm just so surprised how many different reception class approaches are out there. Who gets to decide which approach is used in a school?

Grumpalina · 15/10/2008 21:01

My DS2 started reception in Sept. Couldn't read (July baby) when he started . Gets 4 JP letters per week and three reading books per week (is now reading books with words from ORT and recognises most letters).

He tells me all they do is play but went to a drop insession after school yesterday and he's been doing loads of 'work' including handwriting, writing numbers, counting and'sorting' and(picking out the same groups of things).

It does seem a bit odd your D's seems to be concentrating so much on numeracy. I had alwasy thought the first step was always reading.

FrayedKnot · 15/10/2008 21:01

I'm amazed! DS started in Sept - 3 weeks part time and now f/t.

He brings home a picture book x2 a week.

That's it!

Next week we have a talk about the phonics scheme so presume they will start doing some bits & bobs after half term.

I think the school know what they are doing, so I'm not the least bothered.

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