What should children know before starting reception?

sassyblue

osian wrote: »

My daughter will be starting reception in September. She will be nearly 4 at that point.

Do you mean nearly 5?? My son was born on 31st August, last day of the uptake so he was only just 4 when he started, l thought they went to school when they are 4 not nearly 4.

You've already had lots of ideas, it's worth checking (if you haven't been advised) if the school teachers will wipe her bottom if needs be, some schools do and some don't, l made sure my son could do it although they will wipe at his school.

dizziblonde

Looby_-_Lou wrote: »

Make sure she understands the importance of hand washing - thread worms are not a pleasant experience!

Oh gawd - the time I picked those up from teaching was NOT fun! Managed 10 years before the nits got me though - quite proud of that achievement!

osian

Thank you for all the advice.

Sassyblue - she will be 3 years and 10 months when she starts reception.

We're in Wales, where I think they start a little earlier than the rest of the UK perhaps? I guess we are lucky with our school, a lot of the children start full time just after their 3rd birthday in the nursery attached to some of the schools, but our school does not have one.

delain

building_with_lego wrote: »

They need to be able to recognise their name too, first name not surname. For their peg/ book bag/ drawer/ waterbottle etc etc.

My DS started in September aged just 4 and YR is mostly about easing them into the rhythms of school life. Very easy, gently does it etc etc. She'll have a ball!

They are expected to recognise their written name, they do this now in pre schools, each child has a name card and they have to find theirs each morning and post it into a box.

jackomdj

If you are going to teach letters i would ask for a copy from the school, DD1 was going into Y2 when DD2 started reception this year and all the writing we had done with her she had to relearn as they had changed to cursive writing (with flicks at start end of letters to get ready for joined up) likewise what reading programme they follow, ours do phonics and DD2 already knew a lot.

As others have said it is the basic skills, may have missed it but don't forget to encourage chopping their own food. And try to boost their confidence and talk about school in a positive way.

osian

Thank you all, hopefully she will be fine.

Tiddlywinks

mishkanorman wrote: »

its almost pointless teaching children things like their alphabet and numbers as they will only go through it all again in class anyway and she will either get bored re-doing it or will be taught in a different way and get confused by it all.

I don't think is is ever pointless to teach a child new things - the alphabet and numbers can be brought into everyday conversation from toddler age on (and even before to be honest, when playing with toes and fingers and just putting out pieces of toast or whatever). Lessons and learning don't need to be formal - just fun.

nearlyrich wrote: »

I was looking at a school website yesterday that had a list of things parents can do to prepare their child for starting school here is the info:
............
I was quite shocked that they feel the need to tell parents this sort of stuff as my children and my niece and nephew could do a lot of this at under 2...;)

Many, many years ago in a former career, I watched children struggling to know even the basics because their parents just didn't see it as their responsibility to teach their children anything - they just left it to the nursery / school. Some kids have never had a story read to them or knew what a sheep was - that made me understand really early on that the words "loving" and "parent" don't always go hand in hand.