Big Cat Phonics book bands - year 1 expectations?

[Mountainmamma]

My dd has just started year 1 and today bought home a Big Cat Phonics book, blue band so phase 4.

We have just read it today and for most of the words she is still very much in the slowly sounding out phase, although she did read it all without much help. There were words she hadnt come across at all. Im confused because when they bought these books home in reception we were told they would only bring home books they could confidently read, which she could in reception.

I thought there might be some recapping of the reception phases before starting a new phase, and some learning in class before they bring the book home. Or maybe start on the band they were on when they left reception. Is this not the case?

Ive emailed her teacher but shes not replied yet and I dont want to badger her esp as theyve just started! My dd was only 5 in August so one of the younger ones, so Im keen to do everything I can to support her.

Anyone else on the little wandle / big cat phonics scheme, in year 1 or can remember, how did the book bands work for you? Thanks in advance

Do you mean she was on a much lower band in reception or that she was on this one but has forgotten stuff over the summer? Have you been reading with her over the summer? She'll have lost a lot of ground if not so they might have assumed she's further on than she is.

@Anothercake she finished reception on the yellow band. We have read over the summer but we stayed on the same band, so the blue is new. I dont know about all the children but I do know of several others also on yellow at the end of last year also on yellow so she wasnt behind.

I just thought they would teach the phonics then send the corresponding book home, but she only started back on Tuesday!

That does sound a bit weird. I'd speak to her teacher and just check they meant to have her on blue rather than yellow as if she's changed class it might just be a mistake.

Our school does little wandle/big cat my little boy was reading blue band at end of reception and started on blue band in year 1
his friend was yellow band in reception and has come home with blue band this week so I wonder if it’s just they start all kids on same band maybe and work it out from there.

There are online resources to support Collins Big Cat books. You can also get interactive books on a tablet.
It’s best to ask for the teacher’s advice as you’ve done though.

She read it all so I don’t see the problem. Give it a few weeks and she will come on leaps and bounds. They obvs think she’s capable of that band