starting school, what do they learn at age 4?
  Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 1:38 am
Post subject: starting school, what do they learn at age 4? Hi all.
Just been thinking ahead for when DD (currently 3 & half) starts school and wondered if anyone could help me out. Quick low-down on current situation, we are in New Zealand (all British citizens but been here since DD was 5 weeks old)although we do not know where we will be living by this time next year, never mind when she starts school - which if we were still living here in NZ would be when she turns 5. But in the UK they start at age 4 don't they? So my worry is; if we remain in NZ til she turns 5, then it's all good as she can start school here. BUT then if we end up returning to the UK after she has started school here, will be she 'behind' in comparison to her peers if they have all started at age 4? How much do they learn at school when starting at 4? like starting to learn to write and stuff? I think DD is quite clever (well I'm sure all mums think their kids are quite clever not just me!) she goes to kindy/nursery here and while they do not yet sit down with pencils and paper I can see she has learnt an awful lot. Her vocab is amazing, counts up to whatever and backwards again (also 1-10 in Spanish and Maori, and the odd word in those languages too), capable of recognising written words, and starting to learn writing her name. I am sure she would soon catch up with the other kids if we came back to the UK and was classed as 'behind'. I wonder if she would be in the year below other kids her age though? Of course if we return before she turns 4 in June next year then things will be fine cos she'll just start at same time as every one else her age? Thanks for any advice. _________________ 
 Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 7:34 am
Post subject: If she is starting to write her name and can count to 10, forwards and backwards then she's off to a good start. Have a look on the Internet at ''development matters'. It tells you what schools here (uk) follow until a child finishes their reception year.
I don't think your lo will be at any disadvantage, she know lots already. _________________  
  Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 10:18 am
Post subject: jennaxhx wrote:
If your daughter doesnt turn 4 until June, she wont start school until the following year when she is 5 x
They start the septemeber before their 5th birthday, so she would start next year. _________________ 
  Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 10:21 am
Post subject: She'd start in the september after her 4th birthday in the June Jenna xx
Their first year they don't do much really  It's still mostly playing , and learning a little through playing,measuring, counting,shapes etc. writing their names and copying other words (lots of dotted lines to follow so its more like colouring than writing for them ), that sort of thing ,being read stories with a learning theme , probably very similar to what she's doing there anyway  They don't do more formal sitting down with pencils and books type learning until their second full year in school
You can download copies of the typical sheets they use to work from online though if you wanted to do some work with her at home, but its all very play based
this site has some examples http://www.theschoolrun.com/ Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 11:14 am
Post subject: Well its different here then cos the earliest a child starts school here is 4 and a half. If they are born in the winter they start at 4 and a half but if they dont turn 4 til summer, they do another year at nursery then start the following year.
_________________ 
 Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 1:40 pm
Post subject: yea same here start the sep after 4th birthday, my son was 5 wen he started school thou as was 5 4th sep and started schoo on the 5th sep....
wel my son is in yr one nw last yr in his first school yr (foundation they call in in his school) he learnt soooo much i was realy shcoked at how much they do, as i tougt it was just gonna be like pre-school.... he learnt reading writing, poly phonics, counting shapes etc but more in depth than preschool.... they had homework too, which was sounds, letters and practise writing, then after the first term they came home with a book to read every night!!! tbh im not to kean on the amount of homework they get at such a young age as they have a whole day at school then come home to all that??? nightmare in my house at home work time  ...
she does sound very cleaver and dont think she would be behind at all..... nic xx _________________ 
 Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 8:30 am
Post subject: Thanks everyone, I will stop worrying/thinking about it so much now. I'm sure wherever we are in the world she will start school and do well.
jennaxhx wrote:
Katie88 wrote:
here they start the September after their 3rd birthday, so Kacey was only 3 and 3 months when she started xx
I think thats nursery you're thinking of lol x This totally threw me a few months back when I saw on facebook loads of pics of old school friends's kids (all about same age as DD) all with school uniforms on. I thought what the heck? surely they can't be at school already?! I figured it was just a nursery with a uniform _________________
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