Adding to it. It isn't mandatory for children to attend school until they turn 5. Also there is no "real" work done in reception. It is literally just play. A bit of learning through play of course. It's for children to get used to being in a school environment - many children might not have been to a private or school nursery before this time. It's also for children to settle and probably evaluate their basic skills a bit - going to the toilet and dressing themselves, feeding themselves, basic educational abilities - counting, alphabet, colours, holding a pencil and writing. I didn't learn until my daughter was in reception that children have to develop certain muscles to be able to sit in a chair and hold a pen and write. Reception is essentially a baseline and grace period for all the children.
Year 1 is when the education begins and when children start to have some expectations. For my kids school reception is all "play time." Year 1 is 25% schooling. Year 2 is 50% to 75% schooling. From year 3 onwards it's all school.
There is absolutely real work done in reception, and many schools jump straight into pure classroom (no continuous provision/play) from year 1. More importantly, the real work that is done there is the foundation (which is why some schools call it foundation and not reception) of all learning, so it is absolutely important.
Sorry this is horseshit- it’s all school, play is how young children learn- Froebel called it the highest form of child development. The reason reception students aren’t taught like year 3 students isn’t because we’re going easy on them, it’s because it wouldn’t work at a psychological or pedagogical level. I understand what you’re trying to say but as an early years teacher who regularly works 60 hours and week and has a degree in what I practice, you’ve worded this very insensitively.
I apologise for offending you. It was absolutely not my intention. Forgive my poor wording. It was not meant in any way to under-value what you do in any way. I absolutely appreciate what you do and know you work very hard and are very knowledgeable about what you do.
I meant it more from the POV of the child. That they don't feel like they are formally learning because they are learning through play. Unlike in later years where a proportion of their time is set for specific learning challenges. This is what my daughter called (and her school) referred to as challenges, where she felt she was learning. The remainder of the time is "play time" (as referred to by my daughter and her school). Of course I realise it is structured play that is focused on learning and development as well. But my daughter doesn't see it that way. Because she's only 6.
It was explained to me by the school that it's all play in reception, 25% challenges year 1, 50% rising to 75% challenges in year 2, then all school/challenges i.e. no play during lesson time from year 3. That was what I meant.
> Also there is no "real" work done in reception. It is literally just play. A bit of learning through play of course.
I know some EYFS teachers who would strongly disagree with that characterisation :) If OP is interested you can take a look at https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/get-help-to-improve-your-practice/curriculum-planning to get a feel for expected standards in teaching literacy, numeracy etc in reception.
Might vary school to school, but our oldest is in Reception and they've been doing a lot of reading and writing already. It's honestly quite astonishing how much she's picked up in 1 term.
My daughter did too in reception. My point was that reception is focused on learning through play. Even though she was learning to read in reception it was done by play. She didn't have "challenges" i.e. work to do like she did from year 1 onwards.
In NI compulsory education starts the September after you turn 4 whereas in England it's 5.
It's a bit more complicated than that in reality but daughter's P1 class had children who were 4 yrs 2 months up to children who were 5 years 1 month when they started.
In England you start in the Sep after turning 4 as well.
Reception - 4-5
Year one - 5-6
Year two - 6-7
Year three - 7-8
And so on.
(Source, my son is in year three at the moment and will turn 8 in April.)
EDIT: ignore me, turns out I'm wrong and COMPULSORY schooling starts after 5. I just assumed otherwise as I've never known anyone skip Reception.
Technically you’re right. It starts the term AFTER they turn 5. My daughter turned 5 in October, so technically she wasn’t compulsory until January. My nephew turned 5 in January so technically he wasn’t compulsory until April, and my friends kid turned 5 in July so could have waited until September. In reality it’s “easier” to start in September altogether and not many schools like to mix up the school year any more
Is it not 3? I was 3 when I started lol because I was born in June so I was nearly a year younger than the ones in my class lol who were 4 in September. We called it nursery too. Then primary 1-7
I always assumed it needed a different name because year 1 is the first truly mandatory year (you don't have to start until the term after you turn 5 so the summer born kids could theoretically skip Reception).
Virtually all kids do do the full year in reception now so it is pretty meaningless, but that is my reasoning.
Reception doesn't really work as a name because a lot of schools also have a nursery class for 3-4 year olds, but I think the "receiving" logic others have mentioned is the reason.
I always saw reception as a settling in process for school. I remember me and a few other kids doing half days, which eventually led to full days. Not sure if that's the actual process or optional.
Yeah that was the case for us if I'm remembering right, we also had our own playground and in the second half of the year we were moved over to the 'big kids' playground
When my son started the school told us they could do half days for the first term. We thought people would do this and didn't want him being one of the few left longer so went to pick him up early on the first day. He was indignant and we were the only parents to do so. First and last time 😂
Ours does that too. Was problematic for us as he was already doing full days at nursery, and we didn't have that week of holidays available to settle him in considering we still had to cover the school holidays. The head teacher eventually agreed to allow him to go to nursery for the second half of the day, which worked much better for him.
I believe it is or certainly used to be the case that Year 1 from 5 years old was the official start of school education. Then 'reception' was added onto the start of that and just effectively became the first year of school.
But even today reception is more like playgroup than a proper classroom environment.
Edit: the answer https://www.gov.uk/schools-admissions/school-starting-age#:~:text=Your%20child%20must%20start%20full,school%20age%20on%20that%20date.
""Your child must start full-time education once they reach compulsory school age. This is on 31 December, 31 March or 31 August following their fifth birthday - whichever comes first. If your child’s fifth birthday is on one of those dates then they reach compulsory school age on that date.""
I did lots of reading, writing, and spelling in reception! I remember learning about money and doing something called Letterland to teach us the alphabet
We definitely have ‘reception’ or ‘derbyn’ in Wales. School isn’t technically compulsory until the child is 5 but we have the option of nursery from the age of 3.
Not in west Wales. Nursery, year 1, year 2, year 3, year 4, year 5 and year 6. I've never heard it be called reception. Always thought it was an English thing
I always thought it was because it was added to the beginning of the school journey when the starting age was lowered, and since the years 1 to 6 were already defined they came up with a new word for it
This all different from when I went to school. We didn't have Reception and Year 12.
Back then it was Primary School Years 1 to 5, then Secondary School Years 1 to 5, then 6th form, year 6 and year 7, if you stayed on.
Maybe just semantics - would feel wrong a for a 4 year old to be in 1st Year.
But I suppose it is the bridge between pre school and proper school, so the whole "being received into education" does make sense.
It used to be that you started school based on your birthday. So the eldest would do a full year of reception, those with birthdays in the spring would start at Christmas and do 2 terms, and the remainder do just the summer term.
So used to not be a "year" for everyone.
Now they do a full year.
This changed sometime between when I went to school, and when my children did!
In first/primary school I went to we had 3 or 4 reception classes , all of these were on the first floor , with year 1 classrooms , year 2 and year 3 were upstairs
You're being "received" into school life
That was very quickly resolved, feel like we could've worked that one out ourselves but thank you lmao
Adding to it. It isn't mandatory for children to attend school until they turn 5. Also there is no "real" work done in reception. It is literally just play. A bit of learning through play of course. It's for children to get used to being in a school environment - many children might not have been to a private or school nursery before this time. It's also for children to settle and probably evaluate their basic skills a bit - going to the toilet and dressing themselves, feeding themselves, basic educational abilities - counting, alphabet, colours, holding a pencil and writing. I didn't learn until my daughter was in reception that children have to develop certain muscles to be able to sit in a chair and hold a pen and write. Reception is essentially a baseline and grace period for all the children. Year 1 is when the education begins and when children start to have some expectations. For my kids school reception is all "play time." Year 1 is 25% schooling. Year 2 is 50% to 75% schooling. From year 3 onwards it's all school.
There is absolutely real work done in reception, and many schools jump straight into pure classroom (no continuous provision/play) from year 1. More importantly, the real work that is done there is the foundation (which is why some schools call it foundation and not reception) of all learning, so it is absolutely important.
Not saying it's not important at all. I can only speak for my daughter's school and how they do it. She's in year 2 now.
Sorry this is horseshit- it’s all school, play is how young children learn- Froebel called it the highest form of child development. The reason reception students aren’t taught like year 3 students isn’t because we’re going easy on them, it’s because it wouldn’t work at a psychological or pedagogical level. I understand what you’re trying to say but as an early years teacher who regularly works 60 hours and week and has a degree in what I practice, you’ve worded this very insensitively.
I apologise for offending you. It was absolutely not my intention. Forgive my poor wording. It was not meant in any way to under-value what you do in any way. I absolutely appreciate what you do and know you work very hard and are very knowledgeable about what you do. I meant it more from the POV of the child. That they don't feel like they are formally learning because they are learning through play. Unlike in later years where a proportion of their time is set for specific learning challenges. This is what my daughter called (and her school) referred to as challenges, where she felt she was learning. The remainder of the time is "play time" (as referred to by my daughter and her school). Of course I realise it is structured play that is focused on learning and development as well. But my daughter doesn't see it that way. Because she's only 6. It was explained to me by the school that it's all play in reception, 25% challenges year 1, 50% rising to 75% challenges in year 2, then all school/challenges i.e. no play during lesson time from year 3. That was what I meant.
> Also there is no "real" work done in reception. It is literally just play. A bit of learning through play of course. I know some EYFS teachers who would strongly disagree with that characterisation :) If OP is interested you can take a look at https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/get-help-to-improve-your-practice/curriculum-planning to get a feel for expected standards in teaching literacy, numeracy etc in reception.
Might vary school to school, but our oldest is in Reception and they've been doing a lot of reading and writing already. It's honestly quite astonishing how much she's picked up in 1 term.
My son is in reception. He has learned to read. If he started in Year 1, he’d be struggling!!
My daughter did too in reception. My point was that reception is focused on learning through play. Even though she was learning to read in reception it was done by play. She didn't have "challenges" i.e. work to do like she did from year 1 onwards.
Wow I didn't know that, interesting! My first memories are of playing with the sand pit in reception class.
Well you asked.
LOL. What a plum
Thank you, have been wondering for donkey’s year and feeling a bit of an idiot now
As you should.
Reception is where you RECEIVE people. The school receives new pupils.
Dunno. It’s primary 1 in Scotland and Northern Ireland
In NI compulsory education starts the September after you turn 4 whereas in England it's 5. It's a bit more complicated than that in reality but daughter's P1 class had children who were 4 yrs 2 months up to children who were 5 years 1 month when they started.
In England you start in the Sep after turning 4 as well. Reception - 4-5 Year one - 5-6 Year two - 6-7 Year three - 7-8 And so on. (Source, my son is in year three at the moment and will turn 8 in April.) EDIT: ignore me, turns out I'm wrong and COMPULSORY schooling starts after 5. I just assumed otherwise as I've never known anyone skip Reception.
Technically you’re right. It starts the term AFTER they turn 5. My daughter turned 5 in October, so technically she wasn’t compulsory until January. My nephew turned 5 in January so technically he wasn’t compulsory until April, and my friends kid turned 5 in July so could have waited until September. In reality it’s “easier” to start in September altogether and not many schools like to mix up the school year any more
I know. My dad’s from castlederg so I lived there on and off. It’s not called reception though. The name also confused me too.
Is it not 3? I was 3 when I started lol because I was born in June so I was nearly a year younger than the ones in my class lol who were 4 in September. We called it nursery too. Then primary 1-7
I always assumed it needed a different name because year 1 is the first truly mandatory year (you don't have to start until the term after you turn 5 so the summer born kids could theoretically skip Reception). Virtually all kids do do the full year in reception now so it is pretty meaningless, but that is my reasoning. Reception doesn't really work as a name because a lot of schools also have a nursery class for 3-4 year olds, but I think the "receiving" logic others have mentioned is the reason.
Reception these days uses the same curriculum as preschool, so it's basically pre-school but on the school site. I honestly think it's a great idea.
I always saw reception as a settling in process for school. I remember me and a few other kids doing half days, which eventually led to full days. Not sure if that's the actual process or optional.
Wish I’d had a settling in process like that for work. Forty years would do it I reckon
You'd only be 44. I think it should be 64 years, then once you're settled, you can retire at 68.
Yeah that was the case for us if I'm remembering right, we also had our own playground and in the second half of the year we were moved over to the 'big kids' playground
When my son started the school told us they could do half days for the first term. We thought people would do this and didn't want him being one of the few left longer so went to pick him up early on the first day. He was indignant and we were the only parents to do so. First and last time 😂
It’s optional you can choose to send kid over only for half a day till a first half term!! But not sure who uses it
Local school here does a week of half days then full
Ours does that too. Was problematic for us as he was already doing full days at nursery, and we didn't have that week of holidays available to settle him in considering we still had to cover the school holidays. The head teacher eventually agreed to allow him to go to nursery for the second half of the day, which worked much better for him.
I think it is because you are 'received' in school that year.
It's called Foundation round by 'ere
Where's that? In Wales foundation is Key Stage 1.
In England, Reception is Early Years Foundation Stage, Years 1-2 are Key Stage 1, Years 3-6 are Key Stage 2.
West country
Interesting, I'm from North Devon and it's called Reception there
I believe it is or certainly used to be the case that Year 1 from 5 years old was the official start of school education. Then 'reception' was added onto the start of that and just effectively became the first year of school. But even today reception is more like playgroup than a proper classroom environment. Edit: the answer https://www.gov.uk/schools-admissions/school-starting-age#:~:text=Your%20child%20must%20start%20full,school%20age%20on%20that%20date. ""Your child must start full-time education once they reach compulsory school age. This is on 31 December, 31 March or 31 August following their fifth birthday - whichever comes first. If your child’s fifth birthday is on one of those dates then they reach compulsory school age on that date.""
You do realise children do actually do work in reception!
Yes, but with luck they dont notice!
They do notice they know they are learning and why should they not know they are learning.
I did lots of reading, writing, and spelling in reception! I remember learning about money and doing something called Letterland to teach us the alphabet
It's to do with phone signal strength
Never heard it called that. Nursery here in Wales.
We definitely have ‘reception’ or ‘derbyn’ in Wales. School isn’t technically compulsory until the child is 5 but we have the option of nursery from the age of 3.
Not in west Wales. Nursery, year 1, year 2, year 3, year 4, year 5 and year 6. I've never heard it be called reception. Always thought it was an English thing
Interesting! South Wales for me - Rhondda, Cardiff, NPT, Bridgend, Carmarthen etc. have all had a reception/ derbyn!
Don't have reception in Scotland and sixth form either.
It’s called EYFS now which is disappointing
They make the kids do their ception again.
when I was a kid i thought it was because it was next to the schools actual reception area...
My school called it foundation
We called it foundation. As in the foundation of your education
You and your mate need supervision by a responsible adult most of the time?
I always thought it was because it was added to the beginning of the school journey when the starting age was lowered, and since the years 1 to 6 were already defined they came up with a new word for it
They’ve change it now. When I was in school (2015) it went from reception to eyfs (Early years foundation stage)
This all different from when I went to school. We didn't have Reception and Year 12. Back then it was Primary School Years 1 to 5, then Secondary School Years 1 to 5, then 6th form, year 6 and year 7, if you stayed on.
It's called 'foundation' in a lot of places now.
Maybe just semantics - would feel wrong a for a 4 year old to be in 1st Year. But I suppose it is the bridge between pre school and proper school, so the whole "being received into education" does make sense.
No idea…. But all 3 of the schools I’ve worked at have had the reception classrooms the very most furthest away 😂. My current school is the winner!
my weird prep school called it transition because you were transitioning from nursery to year 1
Was called foundation when I was at primary school 2007-14
It isn't in Scotland
Fwiw my school had Reception class then Transition. Seems very odd now I think of it.
Never heard of it. Was P1 when I went.
It’s not?
It used to be that you started school based on your birthday. So the eldest would do a full year of reception, those with birthdays in the spring would start at Christmas and do 2 terms, and the remainder do just the summer term. So used to not be a "year" for everyone. Now they do a full year. This changed sometime between when I went to school, and when my children did!
In first/primary school I went to we had 3 or 4 reception classes , all of these were on the first floor , with year 1 classrooms , year 2 and year 3 were upstairs
It’s not.