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Getting ready for Reception: talk, play and read together this Christmas

The best preparation for school isn’t worksheets. It’s stories, songs, chat and a few small skills, and Christmas is the perfect time for all of them.

Written by the Brainhub Editorial Team Cites published research Updated 13 Oct 2026 5 min read

Key takeaways

1. Why this week

If your child was born between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023, they usually start Reception in September 2027. Applications close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers come on Friday 16 April.[1]

Christmas is a good moment to think about the year ahead, but not with worksheets. The holidays are full of chances to build the skills that matter most at the start of school: talking, listening and doing small things for themselves.

2. What “ready for school” really means

Being ready for school isn’t about reading and writing early. What helps most is being able to listen, say what they need, follow a simple instruction, take turns, and manage a few everyday tasks on their own.

Language is the foundation. The Education Endowment Foundation’s Early Years Toolkit finds that approaches which build children’s talking and listening have a high impact on their learning, for a very low cost, based on studies in nurseries and early years settings.[2]

The words a child hears and uses before school are the building blocks of reading.

3. Five ideas for the holidays

None of these need special equipment, and all of them fit around a busy Christmas.[3]

Share a story every day

Let them turn the pages and ask “What do you think happens next?” Re-reading favourites is good for them.

Sing and rhyme

Carols, nursery rhymes and silly songs help children hear the sounds in words.

Talk while you do

Cooking, wrapping presents or walking to the shops: name things, describe them, and ask open questions.

Practise the small things

Coat on, shoes on, hands washed, using the toilet on their own. Make it a game, not a test.

Count as you play

Count crackers, steps or presents under the tree. Spot numbers on doors and buses.

Follow their lead: Children talk most about what interests them. If they love dinosaurs or diggers, start there.

4. Talking about starting school

Keep it positive and light. Walk past the schools you’re thinking of, read a story about starting school, and talk about the fun parts: new friends, painting, playing outside. Children pick up on our worries, so save the paperwork for after bedtime.

5. Applications: the key dates

You apply through your home council, usually online, even if the school is in another area. You can list several schools in order of preference. Check each school’s admissions criteria before you choose.[1]

Date
What happens
Friday 15 January 2027
Reception applications close
Friday 16 April 2027
National Offer Day for primary schools
September 2027
Your child starts Reception

Thinking ahead?: Brainhub Tutoring supports children from the early years of primary school upwards. Book a free call to talk about how your child is getting on.

Try it now

Test yourself on this page

Answer in your head first, then check.

  1. 1. Who starts Reception in September 2027?

  2. 2. When do Reception applications close?

  3. 3. What matters most for being ready for school?

Your next steps

  • Share a story together tonight.
  • Practise putting on a coat and shoes as a game.
  • Put 15 January in your calendar to apply.

Sources

  1. GOV.UK. School admissions: how to apply. gov.uk/schools-admissions/how-to-apply
  2. Education Endowment Foundation. Early Years Toolkit: Communication and language approaches. educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/early-years-toolkit/communication-and-language-approaches
  3. Education Endowment Foundation. Early Years Toolkit. educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/early-years-toolkit

This guide is general study advice. Every student is different. A teacher can help you work out what fits.