I have just helped out in reception,which seems to be totally play based.The children get reading books to take home but I have never seen anyone sit with the children and get them to read to them.
They never sit and write it's all drawing and colouring.
They go into year 1 for a visit next week and I am so worried they will struggle and find it hard as they will never sit for an hour and do a literacy or numeracy session!!
Out of 20 kids,I would say only about 7 or 8 can even write their own name.
Am I expecting too much from these children??
It's just that other years the children seem to be able to write and read in reception class?
Is this the average???

Hi , my own child falls into this category too , he is 5 and starts year 1 in september . he and his classmates can all write their name and various other sentances , including basic punctuation and spelling . They read in small groups at least twice a week and are encouraged to read daily at home , they are on ORT stage 3 books with confidence . They have daily literacy and numeracy sessions in preparation for transition to yr1 but most learning is play based .................so if this reception class you mention is starting yr1 in sept I would be suprised if they were at the correct level or ability if they have no strucured learning , could it be they are on 'wind down' for end of term and do usually have such sessions ?

Children should know how to write their own name by the time they leave reception and should also be writing. Our lower ability are able to write at least 2 sentences independently. Although they may not be readable, most letters are recognisable.

Although alot of learning is by play in Reception, each child has a guided write at least once a week and same with a guided read. I agree that they will struggle when moving upto year 1, if the case is they can not write their own name.

having worked in reception for this year I can tell you that does seems odd.

however like someone above mentioned maybe they are winding down for the end of term, I know we are.

the new foundation stage curriculam should be in force in all schools from september. our school is already using it.

they do guided writing & reading every week. but there is some writing every day along with a numeracy lesson each day. normally the more able children have more to write & the less able do smaller amounts of writing and then learning through play.

all the children can write their name, some better than others. all of them are reading or starting to read a few words.

we have to remember that some of these children will still be 4. all children catch up with the others at some stage.

I come from a pre school background where I worked for 5 years before becoming a TA this term! (help!!! )

Quite a few of our pre schoolers could write their name by the time they left. Ok, not all of them wrote it beautifully but it was readable.

Maggs

Personally I would prefer pre-schoolers to come into school not being able to write as more often than not they have not been taught the correct way to hold their pencil, and if they can write letters they can very rarely form them correctly, which all means work later on to correct, often being very difficult to break, bad habits already formed

I agree with you, however, we liased with the infant school that is attached to the pre school and taught them the same way as they will be taught in Reception.

If more pre schools and reception teachers liased better it would help!
It is the parents who want their child to write his/her own name who get it wrong, some can't even spell!!!!

mags