DD refuses point blank to read her reading scheme books - where do I go from here?

[Quattrocento]

DD is 10 and in year 6. The reading scheme books have been a bone of contention since year 3. She absolutely loathes them. We struggled through years 3/4/5 with a combination of bribery, blackmail, threats etc. Now she refuses to read them at all. We've confiscated her laptop, IPOD and DS until she reads her book this week and it's caused so much stress.

The trouble is, I can kind of see her point, not that we've ever said so in front of her. She is 10 and her reading age is 15 point something per the school. She reads every night and loves her books. The book scheme books are utterly ridiculous and babyish and any competent 8 year old could read them.

We've talked to the school about this without any effect. She's absolutely resolute this time.

Where do I go from here?

[ScareyBitchFeast]

i wouldnt stress about it, particularly in year 6, is her reading age above, the same or below, i don't understand what you say.

[PeaMcLean]

Don't have an answer but will be watching thread with interest. I can see DS heading this way and would like to avoid the problem. We keep getting notes from the teacher in DS's Reading Log pointedly telling DS to finish the books. He says they're boring. I can see his point.

[Quattrocento]

Her reading age is above - she is 10 and her reading age is 15 and three months I think.

The thing is that she loves reading, absolutely loves reading. If I carry on making her read these reading scheme books, it causes endless rows and arguments, and I risk turning her off reading.

[princesspeahead]

oh god, why on earth is she still being forced to read reading scheme books at the age of 10? madness.
I agree with her completely. Write a letter to the school saying that your DD is reading a wide variety of interesting books, that she is not interested in reading the reading scheme books which you quite understand, having looked at them, and being forced to do so is putting her off reading altogether. From now on SHE will be choosing her reading books (with help and guidance from the school teacher and or librarian), and you hope that the school supports you in this decision.

I certainly wouldn't be confiscating laptops over this - what are you punishing, a small, justifiable rebellion? Don't you want her to stand up for what she believes is right and to take some control over her life? Support her, not punish her.

BTW my 8 yr old also told the school their reading scheme was shite, and they immediately said "choose what you like from the library then" which he did. No battle involved.

[Hulababy]

Just tell school she won't read them, and leave them to deal with it. Not much more you can do I shouldn't think. The teachers needed to address it with her now, and talk to your DD about why she doesn't like them - maybe they will see DD's point of view eventuallyt hat way.

TBH at Y6 I would have just expected the children to be choosing their own books anyay.

So long as she is reading other books and materials at home I personally don't think it is a big problem.

[pointygravedogger]

What do you mean reading scheme books? Aren't they just proper books at that age?

[nolongeraworriedmummy]

I have spoke to the school regarding this and they said dont read them, let them read books that encourage and motivate their reading and fight with the reading scheme at school were kids are most likely to read it. Because tbh if they are reading the book at school as well which they usually do (or a chapter or so) she will be able to read them without difficulty if they are so easy for her.

[cory]

What a strange thought, to still be doing reading scheme books in Year 6! Never heard of this one before.

[frogs]

What on earth reading scheme is a 10yo reading?

DS is in Y5, and chooses his own books from the school library. He's done this since Y2, iirc (inner-city primary).

Assuming your dd is a competent reader, her stance is entirely right, and you should support her in this. At this stage the school should be doing no more than making sure that she chooses an interesting and challenging range of books.

[Quattrocento]

Oh god it's beyond ridiculous, I know and I do sympathise with DD. She is enraged about it actually. We've talked to the school about it three times and we keep getting this spiel about how important it is to do the scheme right through to the end.

Should I not be enforcing this then? She gets sent home with it every weekend amongst her other homework and is basically told to read it by the school.

Is it not the norm to have to do these reading scheme books in year 6?

Blardy school. Now I am feeling as though I have let DD down by not being more battlesome.

She is in the top set btw, of an allegedly academic school - they are all having to do this.

[pointygravedogger]

I have never heard of 10 yr olds reading to a scheme (unless they are having difficulties with reading, natch). That is quite ridiculous.

Your dd is right to rebel.

[princesspeahead]

DO NOT ENFORCE

Tell the school that you disagree completely with forcing a child to read books that she is not interested in and does not enjoy, when she is a fluent and competant interested reader.
Tell them that you will no longer support the reading scheme at home, although if they want to battle it out with her at school it is up to them.
And tell your DD that you are doing this because you have thought about it and She is Right because She is Clever and You Love Her

[Hulababy]

I don't think reading scheme books are the norm for Y6, no.

At DD's school almost all children from Y3 onwards, bar any needing additional support by he literacy support teacher, are "free readers" - they chose their own book to read both at school and home, and they log those in their homework diaries. They read this same book to the class teacher 1-2 times a week. Some children in Y2 become free readers towards the latter end of the school year too.

[singersgirl]

Really unusual to be on a reading scheme in Y6 (unless the child has specific reading difficulties and is still learning to read). Most children are off the scheme in our school by the end of Y2. In Y6 they just take in their own book or choose from the class library, which is well stocked with good children's novels.

[princesspeahead]

We've never had a reading scheme past year 1
The only time they tried it in Year 2 was the time I mentioned, when DS said "you've got to be kidding" and they let him read Rotten Romans or whatever from the library instead.

[LadyLauraStandish]

A reading scheme in Y6? I've heard it all now. Total nonsense!

[SmugColditz]

I don't blame her, they're shit.

I was like your daughter but luckily went to a school who let me chose my own reading matter from their own little library, and luckily had parents who let me go to the library unaccompanied.

It is NOT important to finish the scheme. Clearly the girl can read, forcing this on her would be like forcing someone to take driving lessons after their test.

FFS, I was reading LOTR at her age!

[ScummyMummy]

Agree- I've never heard of a reading scheme going up to that age. How odd. Is it one of those slightly wacky private schools with some sort of bizarre educational theory?

[charmkin]

don't bother with them let her read what she likes

[Feenie]

There are schemes available for schools who want to be sure they cover the correct text ranges in Literacy.

I am a Literacy co-ordinator, and we use real books to ensure this. As others have described, as soon as a child is ready to apply their reading skills to real books then we don't enforce a scheme for them, t'would be counter productive and they would end up hating reading.

As I said, I suspect the school uses these to cover the correct genres, but if children don't enjoy these books there is little point in pushing them. Very odd - most schools try to promote a love of reading, and I would be very tempted to point this out if it was my child forced to read stuff like this in Year 6!

[mabanana]

This is rubbish. By the age of 10 I was reading A Little Princess and Secret Garden, John Wyndham and Agatha Christie! I agree with Princesspeahead - just say no! My son is in Yr1 and reads whatever he wants (mainly books about dinosaurs)

[Quattrocento]

Right. Thanks for input all. Now I am with the school and feeling more than a bit guilty.

[ScummyMummy]

Sorry- bizarre educational theory sounds rude now I read it back. I was just wondering if it was some sort of less mainstream school which does Montessori till 14 or something.

[ScummyMummy]

Go in and wipe the floor with them, Quattrocento. Say you've done a mumsnet thread intensive research and no other school in the known universe takes this stance with a fluently reading 10 year old.

[princesspeahead]

Poor quattro
But you broke the golden rule, didn't you. You let this go on for Too Long before posting on Mumsnet about it

Don't let it happen again