Calling all Sep 10 reception starters - how many of you have a child who can't...

[emkana]

...count to more than three
...recognize any numbers
....recognize any letters
...write anything
...draw anything recognizable

Because people at preschool and school keep reassuring me that not being able to do these things is quite quite normal, but I don't know a single child who can't do these things at this stage, including when I think back to my two daughters starting school.

The thing is, kids are all different. My son who's about to turn 4 can count to 20, recognise all the numbers, knows what equals is etc etc (sound very boastful don't I?)

However, he can't ride a scooter or a bike and isn't dry every day.

I think once they start to learn they pick things up very quickly.

When my DS started Reception last September he could occasionally recognise his name but tended to assume that any word that started with C was his name. He could count up to 10 but did not recognise many of the numbers up to 10 and could not write any at all! He had never really written any letters but I did try to get him to trace some over the Summer hols before he started, just to help his pencil holding skills really. His drawings were rarely recognisbale and he didn't know his letters and def didn't know any phonics (scored 0 in his first assessment when they tested his phonics knowledge). I was not concerned about this until he started and I could see what other children could do, confidently writing their names in chalk on the playground etc!!! But by about half way through the first term he could recognise all 26 phonics and had started to blend some into simple three letter woards. It's now a few weeks until Reception ends and he can read (level 2/3 ORT books), can write (spelling not great to say the least!) and his drawings are getting really detailed etc...so in short, wherever your child starts, with help from you and the school, he will probably move on in leaps and bounds quicker than you can imagine. My child is still very middle of the road compared to others in his class academically but blimey he's still only 5, he's got so much education ahead of him, they can't all be at the same level at the same time. My son was always very sociable, kind to others, confident and with good imagination skills. At this stage I think those things are so much more important than whether your child can recognise all the letters and numbers. Those things can be learned surprisingly quickly whereas personal, social and emotional skills can not be changed so readily.

Result of sorts! Ds will be referred this week to the Early Years Panel at the local authority, who will deliberate over his needs. Fingers crossed!!

He is little and he is a boy...it might not be a problem.

The writing - well my dd1 could not write when she started school but by the end of year 1 is doing a lovely joined up.

The reading - again the same. Couldn't read at all when she started but is now a 'free' reader.

However, the counting would worry me...I'm afraid that my dd2 at almost 3 can count to 20. She won't use a potty, though! (or behave)

Just keep an eye on his progress.
What a shame he's a young one.

Up here in Bonnie Scotland loads of kids get deferred for a year if requested and if they are"young" for their class. Our 1 and only nursery is state run and has no competition for places so all kids who are deferred are funded.

I would say that almost 100% of children deferred are boys who seem to need that extra time at pre school.

Children's learning development speeds vary so much that it is so hard to tell if DS will struggle or not. Incidentally most deferred kids end up in the top reading and maths groups so it's a shame you can't push for that.

my DD1 who is 11 struggled at school, despite excelling at pre school, and only in her last 2 years at primary school has coped well. Against all odds she will be in the upper end of average for secondary.It is so hard to predict so all you can do is trust your instincts and love them. Hope all goes well for your DS and, above all, he is happy at school.

DS was 4 in May.

...count to more than three
He is good with numbers and can count to about 50. Plus can do basic addition and subtraction.

...recognize any numbers
He can recognise numbers up to 10

....recognize any letters
He can only recognise the letters in his name

...write anything
No, he can't even write his name, he can hardly hold a pencil

...draw anything recognizable
No, nothing recognisable at all

Also comes home from nursery most days with wet pant

By contrast when DD started reception (Oct birthday) she could count to 100, write all numbers, all letters, her name plus other words, draw neatly etc.

It is going back a few years for my DS. I expect he could recognise some letters and I think he could count to 20. However he didn't draw much and couldn't write his name. He also had slight speech delay due to glue ear.
I think many boys struggle with fine motor skills needed for writing/drawing at this age. My DS was definitely behind in these areas starting school but achieved above average yr2 sats results in every area.

Maybe over the summer you could buy the jolly phonics dvds. My son enjoyed watching these just before starting school and picked up the phonics very quickly. I wouldn't worry about the writing..it will probably come when your DS is a few months older.

BcrMum, I think the Scottish system of allowing Summer born children to defer a year and then enter reception the following academic year as one of the oldest in the class is great and it's such a shame that in England it's not offered as a choice. Here if you choose to defer to the next academic year then your child will just go straight into Year 1 (without any guarantee that there'll even be a place for them!) which is presumably even worse than struggling through Reception as they are then expected to just get up to Year 1 standard staright away alongside kids who have spent a year preparing in Reception.

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Ds (now 5.6 yrs old) started reception at 4.9 yrs old so one of the oldest. It is surprisingly hard to remember and it was only a year ago BUT

...count to more than three
Possibly but I'm pretty sure he couldn't count to 10 reliably

...recognize any numbers
I think he could recognise some numbers but only 1,2,3 and possibly 4 (as that was his age)

....recognize any letters
He couldn't recognise anything except perhaps the first letter of his mane

...write anything
Nothing at all

...draw anything recognizable
Scribbling only

My DS isn't school age yet, but DH works in a primary school and there are plenty of children who can't do these things when they sign up.

A lot of parents don't see it as their job to help their children academically and leave all that stuff to the school. They are behind some of their class mates initially but they have usually caught up by year two.

Personally, I feel the same as you (want DS to be able to do this stuff so that he doesn't struggle at the beginning and finds it easy to settle in) but DH reckons it doesn't make that much difference. Often the ones that already know the alphabet etc... get bored more easily and end up enjoying school less initially than those who are being stretched a bit further.

...count to more than three
He can count to 150+ and personally, I think he does it on purpose in the supermarket at full voice just to make me crazy

...recognize any numbers
He can recognise any number up to 100

....recognize any letters
He recognises all his letters and knows some of the phonic sounds, plus recognises often used words such as names, colour words, stop/go, stuff like that

...write anything
He can only write his name - and that's only if the paper is reeeeaaaaalllly huge, as he hasn't figured out the pencilgrip yet

...draw anything recognizable
Only a circle, and even that is shaky. Again, pencilgrip issues.

BUT.....
-he still refuses to poo in the toilet (except on rare occasions) and will hold out for a nappy/pullup at night or first thing in the morning

-he's not the best at manipulating a fork, and doesn't know how to use a knife yet

• he can't put his socks on by himself, and is just getting comfortable with putting on his own clothing with some minor assistance. shoes are always a bit iffy

• he can only pedal reliably BACKWARDS on a bicycle, not forwards, which makes for some interesting times

• he can't be sent to school in uniform shorts as when he goes to the toilet wearing shorts and pants, he takes them completely off and comes out of the toilet naked, needing help getting them sorted to put back on (hence only buying uniform trousers, not shorts! )

He'll be 4 at the end of July, so he's one of the youngest in the year. I have to agree with previous posters - all kids develop in different areas at different speeds.

Oh, and god help me if the teacher ever asks me why he is so good with numbers - he loved to sit and peek over my shoulder whenever I've popped onto free bingo online - that's how he learned his numbers so well up to 90.

DS1 + DD = autumn birthdays, DS2=June birthday

...count to more than three
All 3 DC could count pretty well

...recognize any numbers
DD couldn't read above 7, DS's could read up to 20+

....recognize any letters
DSs could read 3 or 4 letters (First initial, X, O), DD knew about 12 of them

...write anything
DS1 couldn't, other DC could sort of write their names

...draw anything recognizable
DS1 and DS2 couldn't (heck, DS2 is now just 6yo and only just starting to draw anything recognisable)

They are all turning out to do well academically.

My DS1 will be 4 in August and starting reception too and:

• cannot draw anything recognisable
• can write his name although some of the letters he drafts the other way round
• he can't write anything else
• he knows all the letters and has done since he was 18 months as he has picked this up from when we used to do it with his sister
• he can read a bit (has also picked it up from his sister and/or self taught)
• he can count but I couldn't tell you to what;
• he seems to recognise numbers like 30 or 40 but not say 34 etc
• he can barely put his shoes on - his fine motor skills are not great at all
• he can however take himself to the toilet!

Hope you get somewhere with your DS, but try not to worry, boys are generally a little behind and I think my DS picked up a lot from his sister who is only 18 months older..

My younger daughter can't do any of the things you mention (except she does recognise the first letter of her name). This is one of the reasons I will be home educating her. If that weren't an option, I'd send her to preschool instead of reception, where the staff:child ratios are better and the expectations for learning and behaviour are better suited to her current abilities.

Many people find that option unacceptable, because it means the child will "miss out" on Reception. I've never really understood why Reception is thought to be so critical. If it is laid-back learning through play, as some say, then why can't the child learn through play at preschool? On the other hand, if there is a serious amount of teaching being done in Reception, I don't want my young child to be under that pressure when she is clearly not ready for it.

Then there is the argument about missing out on the chance to form friendships by starting school later than others. But no one seems to worry about this at preschool, where children start at various points in the year. My older daughter started school later than others, and found that everyone was curious about her and eager to be her friend.

When I see Scottish parents discussing the option of deferring their children's school start by a year, those who have done so are almost universally happy with the result. The situation in England and Wales is different, of course, since a child who starts school a year later will then be placed into Year One and not Reception. Still, I think there is a lot to be said for allowing children to start school on the right foot by waiting until they are ready. Some young four year olds can muddle along happily enough in an environment which wasn't really designed for them. Others are left with an early experience of failure, and their self-confidence can take a long time to recover. It's a chance I'm not willing to take.