Book band at end of year 1 what is/was your dc on

[ruby22]

I know this has been done before but just wanted to know what book band your child was on at start of Y1 and at end, also does their age make a difference, ie mine was 5.1 at start of year 1 and on pink band. Just trying to gauge the average, if that exists and yes I know it does depend on the individual child but there must be some expected average so if anyone knows please tell me! thanks

[lou2321]

I don't think it is that useful for you to know what other children are on as at this age it varies so much. In my DS's class at the start of Y1 they ranged from red-white bands so approx 3 years difference between top and bottom.

My friends DS was on red at the start of the year but has whizzed up to blue level (beg of Y2 I believe) and there is still half a term to go, my DS left YR on white level and is only just about to go up from lime level now so less progress as such so not as much of a gap now.

My niece was 6 in the September when starting Y1 and just went onto red to start the year so even age isn't always a factor.

I really wouldn't worry at all.

[crazygracieuk]

My son is August born and started Y1 on red. He's currently on green. I believe that average is blue/green which is about 1b. (I believe it's average because it means that he should be 2b at the end of Y2).

[crazygracieuk]

Pink at the start of Y1 is slightly behind but a gap that could be closed. (My older son left Reception unable to read pink but managed a 2a at the end of Y2)

How much progress has your son made? Does he know lots of new sounds? My ds has definitely learned the sounds that they did at the end of Reception and learned a few new ones this year.

[simpson]

My is DS is in yr2 now but started yr1 on stage 5 ORT (I forget what colour that is)

He finished yr1 on gold. He is an August born child but there were kids on stage 3/4 at the end of yr1 still.

[Becksharp]

DS1 (september born) started Y1 on pink and finished Y1 on Red...now in y3 he is band 6 (can't remember what colour that is) - if your DC is on this trajectory you will need LOTS of extra help!

[lostintoys]

DS1 (April born) leaving Yr 1 on ORT 11 (purple). I listen to reading in his class and there is a huge range from level 3 upwards.

[Iamnotminterested]

Dd1 can't remember
DD2 started y1 on orange, finished on lime; assessed as 3c in reading at the end of year 1.

[redskyatnight]

DS and DD both started Y1 on blue and ended on white. DS has summer birthday, DD birthday midway through school year.

DD is currently in Y1 - the range in her year group is from red-lime. The school's "expected" level is green/orange.

[Tgger]

Hmmmm, don't they all learn at different rates/when they're ready? DS is in Reception but is 6 in October (so older one) and reading at purple level- although it depends a bit on the book. The ORT purple ones are pretty easy but he's tried some bananas that say they are purple which are much harder. However his cousin in Sweden who was 6 in March hasn't learnt to read yet at all as they don't do it over there at this age. His older cousin in Sweden was also slow to start reading and didn't really get going until age 7, but now age 8 is reading Harry Potter so don't think it matters as long as they are making progress.

[Lizcat]

DD was steady in reception, steady in year 1, virtually stood still in year 2 and has now flown in year 3. So I think you can not compare children or averages only discussion with the teacher can tell you whether your child is progressing at a satisfactory rate.

[Elibean]

dd1 started on green (iirc, which I probably don't) and ended on white. The range in her year was from red to library.

Have to say, now in Y3 there is a whole group of mostly boys who were lagging behind in Y1, started to catch up towards the end of Y2, and then steamed forwards to draw level with the 'good readers' in Y3.

So another one here who really thinks its not very relevent unless progress is slow enough to suggest SN.

[ruby22]

Thanks for those replies,very difficult to ascertain expected average from the teachers (job share, both have a degree in evading parents questions!). My dc entered year 1 on pink and is now on green, To me that's a huge amount of progress however they are saying needs to go onto an additional literacy scheme as is in bottom 10% of the year group. I was trying to work out if they expect children to be a certain number of bands higher at end of year or if it is related to age as dc very young in school year. As the parents don't discuss which bands their children are on it is hard to gauge. Don't want to knock any offer of help so will go along with it.

[crazygracieuk]

Mine is also on green which is low for his class but it's an affluent area where parents are involved so many kids arrive in reception reading. I'd suspect my son is bottom 15% too.

[Scholes34]

Of my three DCs I can't remember a thing with regard to their level of reading at the end of Year 1. It all becomes irrelevant as they all start to read fluently.

Are you saying you've not looked in another child's book bag when they've come round for tea straight after school?

[GirlsInWhiteDresses]

I suspect you will only get responses from those with kids currently in year 1 as everyone else forgets quickly.

I've no idea where my summer born started but is now on copper (level 13?) and is likely to stay there until the end of year. No idea what the rest of the class are doing.

[ruby22]

Scholes they get one book a week and it's a night she goes to after school gymnastics so we never have anyone round on that night for me to be able to forage through their book bags :) I would be very tempted though if I had the chance!

[shushpenfold]

ds - mid band, dd1 - second from top band, dd2 - free reading. Different kids entirely.

[dixiechick1975]

Main thing from being on here is all schools seem to approach reading slightly differently eg some make children a free reader after x level whilst other schools have more reading scheme books or some seem to make children read every book on a band and some jump them through quickly.

I'd take it as a positive your child is getting extra support - sounds like the school are on the ball.

FWIW DD 5.7 at start of year 1 was on green I think at the start of yr 1 and is now on lime.

Best thing I did was sign up to reading chest last summer so DD kept habit of reading 'school' books every night rather than 7 weeks off. Think it was £12 a month for a couple of months. Yes she read other stuff aswell but she was excited to get books in the post she could read.

[dixiechick1975]

Just read your one book a week comment. I'd try and supplement that - DD got her book swapped daily on green level.

[GirlsInWhiteDresses]

Dixiechick makes a great point but can I also plug the local library? My child found the The Trouble with Daisy range there and that triggered her interest in a way no school book had at that point.

And free!

[Tgger]

One book a week fine, but more a week equals more practice, equals faster progress. We read most nights. They do plateau at certain points then have a leap forward IME.

[FourThousandHoles]

I have absolutely no idea about colour bands I'm afraid, but what I can tell you is that dd1 started Y1 aged 5.2 and struggled to read Stage 2 ORT. She's now just short of 8, in Y3 and is reading Roald Dahl and Harry Potter for fun.

All it has taken is time and practice. Some children just don't get it properly until much later than others. Try library trips, swapping books with friends, books of TV characters. I really wouldn't worry too much at this stage though.

[yorkshire84]

DD1 started year 1 on red. Ended it on green. DD2 started on purple I think now on lime.

[Lougle]

DD2 is coming to the end of yr R and is on a mixture of blue & yellow. So I presume she'll start Yr 1 on that level too.