Rec to year1 what is the difference in expectations?

[izyboy]

DS 's teacher says that she thinks he will find the leap from 'unstructured' 'creative' play in Reception to structured work activities in Yr 1 quite hard to cope with. He loves lego, outdoor play all that sort of thing, will attempt written work and reading but does not enjoy it. He was 5 in April. Is it really that tough in Year 1?

It depends on the school. The guidance is that Year 1 should be structured like reception at least for part of the first term but some schools move straight into everyone sitting at tables working at the same time. The Y1 class in my school is very like reception except the teacher plans the activities rather than following the children's interests.

I'm still feeling sorry for my ds who went from reception (loved it) to a mixed Yr1/Yr2 class - treated more like Year 2 (Other soley year 1 grp still playing, lots of colouring etc) so nearly all structured lessons. He''s managed it though and at least he'll be well prepared for yr2 where some of the other yr1s may struggle.

Huge jump though - especially as it was his first time to go up a class.

Thank you. Do you think there is anything I can do to prepare him for the change?

what's your ds's school like? Do they still do any play in yr 1? My dd's school went straight into formal lessons in yr 1, dd has hated it and dropped behind. She's basically now switched off from it all and we're trying to work out how we can get her to catch up.

Well I need to find out that is becoming obvious. The added 'complication' is that he will be learning through a second language (Welsh).

Definitely ask. I was worried about it, as DS is an outdoor active sort of boy too. Apparently our school does something similar to MrZ's, so am guessing DS will be okay.

In Tr 1 they spend A LOT more time on formal work and expected to work more indepently too.But the reception teacher will probably begin preparing them for this gradually before the summer holidays

I am very concerned for him tbh. He is very happy atm, but I think he is just totally unaware of what is going to happen in Sept. In my heart of hearts I would like to move him to the small Eglish unit at the school (we dont speak Welsh) but he was very upset at the thought of leaving his friends in the Welsh Unit.

I can see him struggling to form letters (he is left handed) and next Sept he will be expected to begin to write sentences but in a structured environment and in a second language. Oh God what a recipe for disaster!

Why not talk to the Teacher again then and say you're worried too. Your son can't be the only one who's like this - it's so common, especially with boys.

I've just had a quick chat with the TA and teacher. He understands Welsh and replies in English with a smattering of Welsh this is ok apparently at this stage. His sounds are coming along and he's trying to do his letters which they feel will eventually be ok. TA thinks that his interest in topics and his imagination are wonderful - she feels that he is very happy at school and gets alot out of it. I think this is why I worry about next year because he likes 'active ' learning. Next year he will be required to speak only in Welsh which may 'curb' his ability to express himself easily.