Do any other schools read EVERY book at each level?

[PatsysPyjamas]

This is starting to piss me off. In DD's school they have to read every single book at a certain level before they can move up. They are expected to read every night, and she does read more often than not, but it is really becoming a chore. Just checked her reading record and she has read 50 books in Stage 11. Is this really necessary? I am really keen for her to love books, and this seems to take all the fun out of it.

[Jojay]

Sounds bonkers. Sometimes mine have only been on a level for a week or two, and have even skipped levels altogether.

[NaiceViper]

It's not what happened for us.

The DC stayed on a level until they were reading it well, with good expression and comprehension. Sometimes they'd jump up two levels in 10 days, sometimes stick the same level for a whole term. Sometimes things just click rapidly, other times it takes time and lots of practice.

[PatsysPyjamas]

Thanks Jojay. I did bring it up with the teacher a while ago but there seemed to be no option of skipping even a few books in a level. It is tempting to read them less often and opt for other books instead, but then I know she will just stay on the level for longer!

[PatsysPyjamas]

Naiceviper, see that system makes a lot of sense!

[VashtaNerada]

We have the same, it takes aaages to move up a level. Is she a good reader for her age? I think it might be something to do with keeping them with age-appropriate books for as long as possible.

[Clutterbugsmum]

I have a similar issue with my middle dd, she brings home 4 books a week which she reads in 1 or 2 days. But they won't move her up level because she will then be reading yr 2 books . It's got to the point where she chooses books from her bookshelf at home to read, which are far harder then the books she brings home from school.

[Muskey]

Dd old school was like this with one teacher telling me she didn't want dd getting too far ahead. Ironically this teacher also told me off for teaching dd to read before she started school and wouldn't believe me when I said dd had taught herself. My advice encourage dc to read whatever takes her fancy at home and pay lip service to what the school wants you to do

[Meglet]

No. Mine tend to move up every couple of months.

I'd go insane listening to school books every night! They just get one book a week thanks God and it means we get to read our books the other nights. We mix Songbirds and Peter & Jane with helping to read proper stories.

[PatsysPyjamas]

I think she's quite good, but not so that she would be way ahead of others. She reads ordinary books at home eg Dick King Smith, Worst Witch etc. Her teacher told me she can't be called a free reader until she is in Year 3 (in September), so hopefully that will be the end of ORT then.
But then I have DS starting school at the same time, so the whole process starts again... argh!

[VashtaNerada]

For us it's the non-fiction ones that drive us both completely mad. I actually cheer up a bit when Biff and Chip come back round for their next set of books.

[PatsysPyjamas]

Sorry that reply was to Vashta.
I totally would just leave the ORT books at the moment, except that I know she would then be stuck in stage 11 FOREVER
I am annoyed that this is bugging me so much as I feel like I am being pushy, but every day I find myself thinking surely that must be the end of stage 11 now? How many books can there be in a set?

[PatsysPyjamas]

Yes, non fiction! The other night she got a dictionary of Ancient Egypt! Who would ever read that cover to cover?

[Clutterbugsmum]

Both my DD's would (10.6 yrs & 6.9yrs) But they are odd . To be fair DD1 loves history/Eygpt anyway and dd2 loves words/reading. DD2 has taken a dictionary to bed wiht her since she was about 3.

DD1 has been a 'free reader' 3 times so far but the school keep extending the reading scheme, she just become a free reader again after she got a level 5 in her mock reading sat her year 5 were assessed on last week.

[WowOoo]

It's sometimes a case of limited resources and the time it takes to change reading books for the whole class.

I would just write in the book what else she's been reading. I sometimes say that i did some comprehension stuff or challenged my ds on spelling.

Books have a lot more value than just going through the reading. If you and she are totally bored read it yourself with glaring, silly mistakes and ask her to suggest an alternative.

My son is at the end of Y3 by the way and is sick of ORT too. Our school are struggling to give him anything that is a challenge but still appropriate for his age so I have to borrow them myself from the library. Hassle, but I know it's appreciated.

[PatsysPyjamas]

I would be v happy to do that Wowoo, but I feel in our school's case it would not be appreciated. I may be wrong, but I think they like the simplicity of their scheme and don't want anyone to interfere.

What sort of books do you borrow from the library btw? I do sometimes wonder about the books other people say their children are reading and whether they are age appropriate.

[Soz8]

I am a year 5 teacher and we don't expect children to read every book within a specific colour band. If they are ready fluently and have good understanding we move them up and even sometimes jump up a couple of bands. They are not able to improve their vocabulary and experience of reading different genres etc if the books are too easy and it makes them less motivated!

We also have diet reading for children who have finished the colour bands and they can choose from a selection of harder books across different genres. Our children also choose their own books within a colour band which works really well!

[Ferguson]

As aTA / helper in primary for twenty years; NO, there is no justification for such antiquated rules to read every book, or even go through every level. Able children should be able to jump ahead when appropriate.

It sounds like they don't have confidence in their teaching methods, so feel they are 'playing it safe' with those silly rules.

[DontCallMeBaby]

Pretty sure DD did - there were certainly a LOT of books. And argh, the non-fiction ... though I do recommend the ORT book 'The Power of Plants', replacing every instance of 'plants' with 'pants'. Had me and DD in hysterics.

Year 5 now and I don't know what's going on with reading - DD is carting four school books about with her, and reading other stuff at home.

[Penvelope]

NOPE

We don't even a reading scheme, just a load of random books with coloured stickers on. Some are clearly ANCIENT and some are more modern Chip and Biff type ones.

They move up when teacher thinks ready. DD has skipped whole levels before.

[Nannyplumismymum]

Good lord no.

My DS in yr 1 is a free reader thankfully I have managed to say goodbye to biff and chip.

We worked with the teacher to move him through the stages and she really took on board our views.

I think DD actually skipped 2 levels because they assessed her and said there was nothing to gain holding her back.

The system needs to respond to individual need.

What a ridiculous uninspiring system for the children it sounds ... DS much prefers reading proper books ,I think they get to a certain level with ORT where they just get so bored to tears with it and lose motivation.

[SixImpossible]

What a bizarre and restrictive scheme.

Take her to the library and explore the children's section together. Let her choose whatever she likes, and you choose a few for her as well. After a few visits you'll get a feel for what works for you both.

Borrow a few books of different genres for yourself at the same visit. Modelling reading is also important.

My y2 ds is at the moment enjoying - ie reading to himself - Dick King Smith, Horrid Henry, Captain Underpants, The Beano, First News, National Geographic (kids magazine), Minecraft manuals, Lego Ideas book. I've been reading him Enid Blyton at bedtime, and he often reads ahead by himself.

Dd in y2 was getting into the Rainbow Fairies series. Think carefully about whether you want to go there. They are the crack cocaine of little girls' literature.

[PatsysPyjamas]

Thanks everyone. I am getting more annoyed! (Have also had a glass of wine) It is true she is becoming bored with the reading books and has to be made to read every night. I remember at her age I was a voracious reader. Obviously we are different people, but I feel like she would enjoy it so much more if she were reading something with more in the way of plot/ character/ enjoyment.

[Jellyandjam]

My children's school do this. And must read every book in the scheme before being a free reader.
As I teacher myself I always found it very strange and not what I have ever done in any school.
Thankfully they both read lots at home so I gave up worrying about it as they were not going to change their system!

[PatsysPyjamas]

We do go to the library at least once a week and have loads of books to read at home. I probably implied I didn't do that with my question earlier about age appropriate books. We have also done the Rainbow Magic thing but thankfully that phase seems to have passed (I am thinking about Babysitters Club books though, as I absolutely devoured those at a similar age, and I'm sure they were crap). The problem is really that because she has to read 32 pages of ORT a night, there isn't much time for anything else.

[MegBusset]

DS1 seems to be having the same issues, he is in y2 and was a "free reader" at the end of y1 but his y2 teacher put him back on the fecking book bands and he has been on the same band (copper) since Xmas. He finds the non-fiction books reasonably interesting but the fiction ones are eye-wateringly tedious.

I pretty much ignore the school reading books now. I get him to have a read through them quickly the day before they're changed. He always has his head in a book and is reading stuff like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, countless Minecraft books, poetry anthologies, Roald Dahl, Harry Potter etc.