Why is the first year of school so important?

Of course every year of school is important, however, there is huge special opportunity in a child's first year to shape them as learners and help them develop positive attitudes towards school that will hopefully last throughout their education. 

In the first year of school, our children are enabled to lay the important foundations in reading, writing and maths. They will need this for all their future learning. But there's much more to the Reception year than this! A Reception teacher's job is to cultivate the skills and attitudes in children that they will need to be life-long learners. This includes attitudes such as not giving up when they face challenges and being willing to have a go at new activities or experiences. And then there's all the physical, social and emotional development that is also going on in our youngest learner's lives at this time, not to mention needing to adapt to being in a new environment with new routines and expectations.  

Here are some top tips for you to support your child in their Reception Year.

1. Help them to settle well.

Children learn best when they feel safe and happy. So in the early weeks of school, try to do everything you can to help make the transition to school smooth. For some children this may be a breeze, but for others they will need a lot of support and empathy to settle well. 

If you're one of the parents or carers with tears at the school gate, be assured that most children are fine once their parents or carers leave. Try to keep in mind that this time of separation anxiety will soon pass! Here are a few pointers for helping this transition:

• Children pick up on our anxiety. Be as positive as you can about this exciting new chapter and save your tears until they're out of sight. 
• Children thrive on routines and good sleep! Try to stick to a regular bedtime routine. Your child should be getting as close to 12 hours of sleep at this age.  
• Having attended our 'Welcome to Reception' evening, share and discuss your child's new, typical daily routine. 
• Expect some mood swings and behaviour that is out of character in the early days. Be patient, give them space and this will pass. 
• Keep listening and talk through any worries or concerns they might have about school. Reading stories about starting school or stories that touch on common anxieties is a great way of normalising how they are feeling. Stories also act as great conversation starters.

2. Value play.

"Whoever wants to understand much must play much.” - Gottfried Benn  

Learning through play is a huge part of the Reception year and for good reason. From improving listening and speaking skills to encouraging creativity and imagination, the benefits of a play-based education are well backed-up by research.  

It is in play that children naturally learn- it's what they've been doing from just a few weeks old! Crucially it's where they are most motivated to learn. Play-based learning meets children where they are at and builds on their natural motivation and interests. It's also where kids learn how to learn which will be so important in years to come.  

So value the play that they do at school, but also value play at home too. It's easy to get in the habit of just watching television or using devices after school, however, children still need to be encouraged to enjoy time playing. They'll also need to be encouraged to do any home learning set by the school. Keep this playful and fun whenever you can and don't hesitate to speak with a member of the team for support.

3. Learn a little about the curriculum.

You don't need an in-depth knowledge of the curriculum but it helps to know a little bit about what your child will be learning in their first year. That way you'll understand better what your child is working towards and can support their learning at home.  

In the UK the curriculum is called the Early Years Foundation Stage and spans the first 5 years of life until the end of the Reception year. Towards the end of Reception your child's class teacher will have to decide if they have met the Early Learning Goals.  

As you would expect, the Early Learning Goals cover areas such as reading, writing and learning numbers. But, amongst other things, they also cover physical development, communication and language and personal, social and emotional development. In fact these are known as the prime areas of learning and underpin all the other learning that goes on the classroom.  

And running alongside this, teachers are required to work on what are known as the Characteristics of Effective Learning. These are all the important skills and attitudes needed to develop life-long learners.

4. Build concentration skills.

When your child starts school they will be expected to concentrate for short periods of time on the carpet or at a table in a small group. In school, we will build up the expectations for concentration gradually over the year but there will be times when the ability to concentrate is going to be really important. 

Children with good concentration skills are more likely to take in their learning and cope with tasks that are more demanding, such as writing. 

If your child's ability to concentrate is of concern to you, try to build in times to improve it. After the school day may not be the best time to do this, particularly in the first term when they are likely to be very tired!

Instead, build in time at the weekend to do fun, playful activities that require good concentration such as puzzles, games and listening to audio stories. Studies have shown that screen time actually decreases attention span so try and limit this as much as possible.

Simply going to school, managing all of the new routines and expectations and having the energy to learn is a huge task for a 4 year old. So, where possible, keep their 'out of school life' as simple as possible, especially in the first term. They'll be plenty of time for play dates, clubs and lots of exciting adventures in years to come!

6. Talk to the team!

As a parent or carer, we agree that you will know your child better than anyone else. Don't be afraid to share important information with the class teacher that helps them best care for your child. Even sharing your child's current interests or achievements is helpful so that teachers can make learning even more meaningful for them. We invite you to our 'getting to know you' sessions to support this, but also encourage you to engage with us throughout the school year.

7. Read, read, read!

It goes without saying that learning to read will be a significant focus of your child's first year of school. And it's not an overstatement to say that you have a huge role to play in that.  Building in a regular time for your child to practice their reading is so important if they are going to make good progress. Whether that's before school, straight after school or at bedtime, find a time that fits with your family routine and try to stick with it.

In the early days it can be hard to think how to support your child when they can't yet read any words. However, you can find out all about Phonics at Meadows by clicking here.

Try your best not to neglect bedtime stories. Even the most able readers need bedtime stories! It introduces them to new vocabulary and story language and feeds their imagination! It's also a lovely way to re-connect with your child after a busy day. 

Good fine motor skills are essential for lots of tasks that children will need to do at school such as doing up zips and buttons and using tools, such as a knife and fork.  

One of the biggest fine motor challenges your child will face in their first year is going to be writing. Writing requires so many additional skills so if you can work on developing good fine motor skills and pencil control this will certainly help.  

There are lots of fun ways you can improve fine motor skills such as play dough, threading beads or playing with lego.

9. Talk with your child.

Talking about the school day shows your child that you are interested in what's going on in their lives. It also shows them that you value education and school, which encourages them to value it too.  

Talking about school also helps you to gain a valuable insight into their day, hear about their achievements but also about any worries or problems that they might be having. Picking up on these challenges early will hopefully mean they can be dealt with before they get too big.   

Encouraging your child to talk about their school day can be tricky sometimes. Don't be disheartened if they are reluctant- this is very common! Here are a few tips:

• Try sharing a little about your day first to encourage them to share back.  
• Choose a time to talk when they are not distracted by the TV or other devices.  
• Try to avoid closed questions that can be answered with a yes or no answer but equally be mindful that 'how was your day?' or 'what did you do today?' are overwhelming questions for some children. 
• Ask open, but specific, questions, for example- What was the best thing you did today? What was the hardest thing you did today? Who did you play with today?...Who were you kind to?... Who made you smile?

Starting school brings with it a range of emotions for both children and their parents and it's completely normal to be feeling nervous about it. Be assured that most children do settle well and flourish at school! If you are ever in doubt that you are doing the right thing or have worries or concerns always talk to a member of our team - we are here to help you, as well as your child.