What do they actually do in reception and how does it compare to year 1 ?

[mummyloveslucy]

Hi, I'd really like to know what the children actually do in reception and what the difference is in year 1.

When I ask my daughter what she's done in school, she only says painting. I know she does ballet, jazz, music, tennis and swimming but she never mentions these things. I just wonder what else they do?

My daughter has a mild developmental delay of approx 1.5-2 years and the school have said that they'd be happy for her to repeat reception if needs be. I'm really not sure wether this would be the best option for her as she's made so many friends etc.

My husband thinks she'll be learning the same things over again and that there's no point in her doing this. I'm not sure if he's right, so I'd like to know what the difference is between the two year groups. There would be no extra support for her in yr1, although the class is small.

Does anyone know where I could find a guide on the internet to give me an idea of the national curriculum? Thanks.

It really depends on the school. Y1 in the school where I teach is very like reception except on a smaller scale but children still have things like sand and water and construction activities they can access when not working with an adult.
curriculum.qca.org.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/
www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Schoolslearninganddevelopment/ExamsTestsAndTheCurriculum/DG_4015959

Thanks, at the moment she's working on building words with magnetic letters, then writing the word she's made. The others are writing short storys.
I wonder wether the yr1 teacher would be able to teach my daughter at the level she's at, when the rest of the class are about 2 years more advanced? I don't want her too be out of her depth, but don't really want her to repeat the year either.

IME the differnce between Foundation and KS1 are very marked. The academic work cranks up considerably - but surely they should be able to include each child at thier level? Is there no teaching asistant in Yr1? In DS's school they had 2 TAs, one of whom had a group of 4 who needed extra support.
Is she very young in the Reception year?
At DS's school they weren't writing stories in Reception, I don't think! Not legible coherent ones, anyway!

I spoke to the yr 1 teacher and she said that she'd be fine teaching her in yr1. I then said that her teacher had mentioned repeating reception and she said she thought this was a good idea. Is this to make it easier for her? Or because it's what's best for our daughter?

She has just turned 5. There are only 9 in the class, so they get a lot of attention. There are no teaching assistants in the school. The other children are quite advanced I think, so that dosn't help.

I've just moved from reception into Y2 and have a child who has been assessed as functioning about 3 years behind her chronological age. She accesses about half of the whole class teaching and at other times she has individualised work with her support assistant. Have you seen an Ed Psych?

We are trying to get an appointment with an ed psych but it has been a nightmare. They won't go in to the school because it's private. She isn't entitled to speech therapy either now apparently, although she really does need it.

I think accademically, she'd be better off repeating reception. It's just not ideal that all her friends will be moving on.
She is also very tall for her age. I know it shouldn't matter, but the class below look like babies compared to her. It'll be very obvious to everyone that she's been held back a year and I don't want her to be seen as different.

MLL this shrieks to me of her being better off in a state school if there are good options nearby.

It is not typical for reception children to be writing short stories and being among these super advanced kids is just highlighting the problem.

In a state school few reception children would be doing that (I'm assuming your dd's school is selective?) and I'm sure it'd be a huge boost to her confidence to be among a more balanced group.

Writing short stories at reception? Are you sure all of the other kids are doing this? it seems pretty advanced work for reception. Maybe they are attempting this with a lot of help? I am surprised that all of 9 children would be so advanced but then again I have no experience of private so maybe this is the case. If so, then she would be better off in state as you'd find kids doing what your DD is doing being more "in the norm"

I disagree that it isn't typical of reception to be writing short stories. It's the norm in my school in an area of social/economic deprivation for children to write stories independently in reception but in a class of 30 children there will be a greater range of ability than is seen in your daughter's class.
It's difficult to weigh up whether she will be better in a mainstream school where she would have access to speech therapy and an Ed Psych and not be out of place with her peers but 1 of 30 or in a small class where she is "different". Personally I don't think moving a child out of their year group once it is established (held back) works socially. sorry not helpful

You've posted about this lots and my own advice to you remains the same - put her into a state school. Any school that cannot differentiate with only 9 kids in it would have me running.

The school isn't selective. The children in my daughters class have been in the nursery since they were 2 years old.
We will speek to the teachers soon and see what they say about it.
She's had speech therapy for 2 years and it's been no help to her what so ever, so I wouldn't want to take her out of the school just for this reason.
I have said that the school can differentiate with the 9 in the class, but I got the impression they think she'd be better off repeating reception. (I could be wrong) That's why I need to speek to them.
She has made a lot of progress lately, so she might be o.k to move with her class.
It would be good if she could stay with her class, but come back to reception for certain things that she's struggeling with.

DD is in Yr1, and there is a marked difference in the amount of written work they are expected to do in comparison to Reception, although there is a fair amount of play still involved.

My worry re keeping her back in the private sector would be that if you needed to move her to state at any point she would be expected to be placed with her peer group, unless she was statmented, and that would be even more of a shock for her.

I would be pushing for more help and assessmentas really.

Thanks, I'm not sure if I could make the decission to not hold her back and keep her with her class, or wether the teachers decision is final?
I don't think it would be good for her self esteem being in the class who she calls "the little class" and talks about how sweet they are etc. She's also very tall and would look very out of place. Then of corse you'd get her friends saying "why arn't you in our class anymore?"
I think I'll ask for her to move with her class and see how she gets on. If there isn't enough support etc then I'll have to look at other options.

Also, she is with the children of her own age now and has been for nearly a year. She's be moving up with the same children, so she should be o.k, I don't see how it's different?

But if she stays in reception for another year, and you have to move her for whatever reason, into state school, she would go into the year group that is age appropriate in state school, iyswim? So it would be a huge jump for her really, from a second year in reception to Year 2 for example.

I think you really do need to be speaking to school again and checking what support there would be for her in year one if she moved up with her peers, and take it from there.

Of course, if you are never going to move her from independent school, that issue will not arise.

I do want her to stay with her age group. If this is not possible, then we might take her out anyway and either home ed, or try to find a good primary school.

In Reception the teaching is quite subtle. She might not have noticed that they're doing maths if the teacher using songs and fun ways to teach it.
In Year 1 there may or may not be a TA available 5 days a week. Those children who do really well will probably work happily independently and those who need support ask for it.
In Year 1 in a state school the work will definitely be differentiated, there wouldn't be any point in setting work a child just can't do. For some children story writing might mean using a word bank e.g. on a dark night, scary monster, haunted house, the end.
and being expected to write 3 lines for a start, a middle even and the end of the story.

Thanks, I don't even know if she would ask for help. She'd probubly carry on doing her own thing.
She does need a lot of attention. She thrives on one to one attention, which is why I'd concider home ed.

mummyloveslucy, I am going to be blunt, because I care, so please don't think I am being harsh; I know how hard it is to see your child struggle and be different (DD1 has GDD). So:

A 1.5-2 year delay at the age of 5 is not 'mild'. Would you put a child who has just reached preschool age into a reception class and expect them to get on with it? No. Would you expect a just-turned-2-year-old to behave in the same way and cope with the same activities as a preschooler? No. Anyone who is describing a 1.5-2 year delay at the age of 5 as mild is doing your DD an injustice, IMVHO. She clearly has significant needs.

Your DD is at a school where she has no access to additional support, no access to an ed psych, and no access to SALT. She doesn't have a statement of educational need. Does she even have an IEP?

I realise that your DD has been with the same children since they were 2. And I realise the pain is huge of seeing your child peel away from those children in terms of development. I see it with my DD1, who has known some children since birth, and now is so behind and different. It hurts. But it is.

Evidence shows that the single biggest factor in future outcome is early intervention. By allowing your DD to be sidelined in her current school, and not having access to any additional support services, you are missing the opportunity to give your DD a chance to catch up and gain confidence and independence.

I think you know that repeating Reception year wouldn't benefit Lucy if it is simply repeating this year's activities, and I think you know that she will struggle massively without additional support in Year 1.

If I were you I'd be looking at the state sector to see what schools are out there, what their experience with SN are, and what they would be implementing for your DD. I would also be writing a letter to the LEA requesting a statutory assessment. I would not be allowing her to struggle any more.

No one can be certain that they have made the complete best choice for their child. But I know that the relief I feel having got a statement for DD for when she starts school is huge. I had expected a fight for provision, and thought that perhaps they would offer some 1:1 (although she would need full 1:1 is Mainstream). The LEA were fab, and offered our local Special school straight away.

Thanks Lou, I personally don't think it's a mild delay, mut that's what the acessment team at the hospital have written in her report. They then go on to say that her speech, understanding etc ranges between the ages 2.9 and 4 years. (Her highest scors being for social development)
It does seem strange that the delay is this severe, but they are calling it mild. The acessment team also said she'd catch up in time. (I hope so) but I'm not 100% convinced.
I will be looking at some state schools as well. I've spoken to my husband and he wants her to come out at the end of the year.
I think this might well be for the best. I've also spoken to one of the mums, who has said that they combine year 1 and 2. So in year 1, she'd be going in a class with all her current friends pluss year 2. This would make a class of approx 19 children who would all be far, far more advanced than Lucy.
With no TA or extra help, I think she's going to struggle like mad, either that, or she'll give up.
I'm pleased she's had a good start in the nursery and reception. She's learned how to behave, how to sociolise and has good manners, loads of confidence and has developed a love of learning. These things are so important.
I think the next term will have to be her last. If I could afford for her to have a personal TA, a speech therapist and an EP, then I'd keep her there, but I can't, so that's that.

MLL, well done I think that social development is their main criteria for assessment, because if you can get on with people, then it doesn't matter in the scheme of things if you are behind academically. Also, there are children who have something fundamentally 'different' about them who have a definite reason for their delays/disorder (like my DD, whose brain is structurally abnormal), and other children who are 'slow burners' and get there in the end.

agree with lou031205 and mrz that repeating reception would be a shame as it would mean leaving her friends. I think you make a good point about the speech therapy which hasn't achieved much up to now. It looks like it may have to come down to a state school or home ed at some stage. Home ed for a while may be a good option, but will you be eligible for SALT, ed psych etc. if you home ed? Maybe lou031205 or somebody else can advise if there are any restrictions on the services that you can access, if you home ed?