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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think this is not good enough?

94 replies

Feelingdisappointed2024 · 10/01/2024 17:10

My child is in Year 1 in a state primary and is given 1 reading book a week in a green book band. She is being told to read said book every night. It is SO boring so we've stopped doing it, and I've spent a small fortune on supplementing the school reading with other phonics books. Sometimes the reading book is repeated, and last term we had the same book for 3 weeks!

Am I being unreasonable to expect the school to provide more books, or is this just what everybody has to do in the state system? Is one reading book a week really recommended at this age? The local independent school gives the children a book a night!

The pace just seems so pedestrian and it's taking so long for her reading to progress. Is this normal or am I just being pushy.

OP posts:
MagpiePi · 10/01/2024 17:46

Nothing wrong with supplementing with other books. Surely you read to your child and shared books before she went to school? Isn't she picking up on words or letters that she sees in those?
You can get books free from the library or cheaply in charity shops.

Ingibjörg · 10/01/2024 17:45

I blinking hate the reading books to death practice which seems to be in vogue at the moment. We only read the book again if the child has enjoyed it and wants to. It seems as though everyone has forgotten that reading for pleasure is key to educational success! So I pay lip service to the school reading scheme, and supplement ourselves. Surprise, surprise, the DC i currently have at this stage is flying along with his reading. School seem weirdly irritated by it 🙄

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 10/01/2024 17:40

If you're not reading it with her multiple times, then when the teacher reads with her - either that book or flashcards of the sound - to asses that she has learnt the sounds specific to that particular book, she won't be fluent. That's why she's getting the book for another week!

It's fine to be supplementing with other books for enjoyment but if you're not choosing books focussed on the same sound then she's not learning what she needs to from it for that stage of phonics.

It's the same as doing maths. You wouldn't do one worksheet on addition, then refuse to do any more because you'd 'done' it and it was boring. Learning needs repetition.

Seriously, do the books at least once a day, really focus on them, she'll move up through the bands quicker and you'll get onto proper books sooner.

SpeedyDrama · 10/01/2024 17:32

I gave up with Oxford learning bs after Year 1. I know what kind of parent I sound like, but my eldest’s reading skills were/are genuinely beyond Biff and Chip that it was utterly pointless (he is autistic and delayed in other areas, he can inhale books with full comprehension though). Maybe because he’s ND and is currently buried in a Wimpy Kid book at break time they let it slide - as long as they’re reading something and comprehending the text/learning phonics and most importantly enjoying the experience of reading, that’s what matters.

Dacadactyl · 10/01/2024 17:31

Speak to school but don't buy extra books yourself, just go to the library.

Nothingbuttheglory · 10/01/2024 17:28

Does she definitely understand what she's reading? Teacher might be sending the same book back if the child doesn't seem to understand it yet.

Feelingdisappointed2024 · 10/01/2024 17:28

Dixiechickonhols · 10/01/2024 17:21

Do they have a reading policy or could you ask the system and how regularly books are reviewed?
I used reading chest between R and yr 1 and it got her reading flying.
https://www.readingchest.co.uk/

Yes I've questioned, but this is the reading policy. The school achieves well under average for academic performance and reading in particular and I'm sure this is where it starts. The area is fairly affluent and a neighbouring school achieves very strong academic results with a similar catchment demographic

OP posts:
Octavia64 · 10/01/2024 17:28

20 yrs ago but we had books changed twice a week.

I supplemented extensively from the library

BrieAndChilli · 10/01/2024 17:26

I agree with a previous poster that it is wise to repeat a book several times over the week that you have it. That doesn’t mean you can’t read other books. We always had several bedtime stories and had loads of books in the house, however if short of money you can get some out of the library. We did a mix of the school books, and then the kids trying to read other books as well as us reading to them - both picture books that they could look at while we were reading and chapter books that they would lay down and listen to whilst we read.

Feelingdisappointed2024 · 10/01/2024 17:26

Springcleaninginsummer · 10/01/2024 17:19

Is this a read write inc book, by any chance? The idea is that the child reads the book every day, for practice and to gain fluency. If you were learning the piano you wouldn't stumble through each piece once and claim that you had 'done it' would you? You would go over it again and again, even if Mary had a little lamb was boring to hear the first time!

It's not that scheme, it's Collins Big Cat, but I believe the thinking is the same. It's so very full though, and kills all fun. We now read the school book once or twice and get library books/spend money on purchasing our own to supplement

OP posts:
Crunchymum · 10/01/2024 17:24

Gotsomedebt · 10/01/2024 17:22

It says in the first line of the OP that it's a state school.

I was being ironic!

Gotsomedebt · 10/01/2024 17:22

Crunchymum · 10/01/2024 17:15

Is this a state school by any chance? You haven't said?

Buy some books / visit the library / make it a bit more exciting yourself.

Kids often forget to change their books on their designated day (which isn't the same as being sent home with the same book every week)

Edited

It says in the first line of the OP that it's a state school.

Dixiechickonhols · 10/01/2024 17:21

Do they have a reading policy or could you ask the system and how regularly books are reviewed?
I used reading chest between R and yr 1 and it got her reading flying.
https://www.readingchest.co.uk/

Reading Chest - Learning through your letterbox!

https://www.readingchest.co.uk/

Mistlebough · 10/01/2024 17:20

At the state primaries where I worked we changed the books everyday but it takes a while, so maybe they're short staffed. I’d definitely say something to CT but in a positive not complaining way. If no joy use library, also swapbooks with friends and get from charity shops. Definitely encourage DC if keen as much better to go at pace that suits her and not make her associate boredom with reading by repetitive uninteresting books.

Springcleaninginsummer · 10/01/2024 17:19

Is this a read write inc book, by any chance? The idea is that the child reads the book every day, for practice and to gain fluency. If you were learning the piano you wouldn't stumble through each piece once and claim that you had 'done it' would you? You would go over it again and again, even if Mary had a little lamb was boring to hear the first time!

Mazuslongtoenail · 10/01/2024 17:17

We get two books per week but I go to the library and select some at the same, lower and higher band and give DD the choice of which she wants to read - or not read.

Devilsmommy · 10/01/2024 17:17

Why can't you just get her some books to read yourself? As long as she's read the school one I don't see the problem. Reading other books will probably help her reading get better too

Crunchymum · 10/01/2024 17:15

Is this a state school by any chance? You haven't said?

Buy some books / visit the library / make it a bit more exciting yourself.

Kids often forget to change their books on their designated day (which isn't the same as being sent home with the same book every week)

strawberryjeans · 10/01/2024 17:13

Have you spoken to the teacher to ask them for more challenging books? They will likely oblige, but also, they will be accounting for the fact that if they ask every family to read a different book every night then they won’t do it. If you make the expectation an easy task, it’s more likely to get done - not all parents have this kind of time every night unfortunately.

It doesn’t have to be 100% on them. Take her to a library and choose some lovely books there to read at home.