AIBU to expect the school to read with my child?

[Normanpriceisnotarolemodel]

My son is in reception. We don't always get his reading record home but got it home this evening. All term, the only person writing in the record is me, except for one occasion.
The one occasion someone did read with him, it wasn't the teacher (not her hand writing) and the book he read was 3 levels below his reading level.

AIBU to think someone should be reading with him more than once a term, and that it should be at an appropriate level? It is parents evening next week, should I bring it up?

Definitely bring it up at parents evening, they will probably be able to reassure you that just because the reading diary hasn't been written in, your child is reading regularly. The books are for you to read at homes they do other things at school.

I wouldn't pay any attention to the reading record. I read with my class regularly but rarely record it in the reading record book. Why? Well because I have my own assessments to annotate and hightlight and because writing in 30 records could mean I've time to do something else with a child rather than for a parent. Sorry.

YANBU. I would expect teacher to listen to them read about once a week at that age. Unless of course they are like DS who reads well but won't read to teachers (or anyone else) at school. But then if that was the case they would tell you I am sure.

It could though be that they are (or that it's in a group guided reading session only) and not writing in the book. Either way you should raise it but might be better said as eg "I notice no one else has written in his record - has it just not been written in or is it not happening?"

Beginnerrunner that's what I am hoping. But why would they read books with him that are 3 levels below?

I'm a parent helper at school with reading. We are asked not to write in the book as if parents have seen that they have read at school then they might not bother at home that night. We do however keep a record in class of every day that a child is read with. Worth asking what their policy is.

I am a t.a in a reception class. The reading record is for the parents to fill in when they read with their child so that we know when they are doing there reading at home.
Either the teacher or myself will listen to children read during the week but this isn't noted in the diaries. The teacher will, however, record if a child has moved up a level. There are ample opportunities during the week to listen to children reading either during English, Read, Write, Inc (or similar system) or during free time. These will not be noted as it is part of class time and (as another poster suggested) we will be making our own written observations about them.
You say it wasn't the class teacher'steacher's handwriting- could it be a supply or other adult not normally associated with the class that is not familiar with your child's reading level.
Rest assured your child will be being listened too but of course bring it up if you are concerned. I am sure the class teacher will be more than happy to answer your questions, that's part and parcel of what parents evening is about.

Sorry about the typos- using my phone whilst trying to snuggle with my little one at the same time

Reading books at our school are only for the parents to write.in to show they have been reading with their child

Yes they should be reading with your child and personally, as a mum and yr2 teacher, I think it's a missed opportunity not to write in the reading diary! How else can professionals help parents to know how to help their children progress with their reading??

It will be a time thing. Schools have so much paperwork to do relating to virtually every single thing these days that something must sometimes have to give. I rarely saw a teacher's writing in my children's reading diaries when they were that age. They were for parents to write in. I do know though that they did read loads at school, and I saw the school's own records at parents evenings.

Writing in 30 reading diaries, even if just a short comment, could mean that there is not enough time in a morning/afternoon to hear all of the children read. As long as they have their own records then I would think they are covered.

Our children read with a TA every day and it is recorded in their books which are sent home for parents to do more reading with their children every night.

There could be numerous reasons they read a book below their level.

1. Staff member who is unfamiliar with what level your child is on.
2. Supply teacher.
3. All the books of his current level were being used elsewhere. Some schools don't have masses.
4. They were focussing on questioning so took the focus off the reading and onto the comprehension.
5. Your child struggled with a higher level book.

Etc etc. Could be anything. Ask them.

If they read in class but it isn't recorded how do the parents know where to start reading at home, or are they expected to start the book again?

Grannytomine - I tend to read a guided reading book with my children which is a different book to home readers.

I was a parent helper at my daughter's school to hear kids read (OK this is Aus) Not once did I write in a book what they had read. I helped them with tricky words, or asked them to explain what the book was about (we were told what to do in a intro session).

The kids turned up with their box of books which the teacher had helped to selected which was at the child's level. Some where on 'the carrot is orange' type books, others were reading chapter books. Often the kids who lagged did not read at home- it was very obvious!
Read at home and it will help your child enormously.

The children in my class (Reception) read once a week with me during a guided reading session. Sometimes this book is at a different level than their home readers for reasons given above (the focus is on book vocabulary/comprehension/prediction etc., as I have had to explain to my more able readers!) This does not always get recorded in reading diaries (although I try to if at all possible, even just "Guided reading - [book title]", but my guided reading plan is annotated and observations made to support assessments.

The children are also heard read once a week individually, either by myself, the TA or a parent helper. This is generally recorded in their reading record, but again, not always - if time is tight, I'm always going to choose working with children over writing in reading diaries.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the reading diary to be written in more than once a term by school - I have a small class this year, but even when I've worked with classes of 30 we didn't go weeks without writing in the diary.

That being said, the home reader and home reading diary is exactly that - for home. I would ask them to clarify at parent consultations, they should be able to clear it up pretty quickly for you. :-)

Thanks everyone, I will ask about it at the parents evening, but you have reassured me that it's probably ok.

I'm a parent helper, we use a different record to that sent out to parents.

I'm interested in the book being three levels below that of your child? Which system is the school using?

They use a mixture of ORT and rigby star. The colour levels seem the same for all the systems though.
He is on stage 6 (Orange). What I suspect is that most of the class are on stage 3 and whoever did the reading didn't know what level he was on. The school was criticised by ofsted for not doing enough to develop the more able children and to me, him being asked to read books that don't challenge him fits with that. I do a fair amount of reading with him at home, get early reader books from the library etc.

Wow, that's very far ahead for Reception! We use the same system but even the most able children are still on Red.

Do you have any concerns about your son's reading ability?

In reception and year 1 , parents should listen to their child read every night. With the simple books they read it only takes 5/10 mins. Chn read at school daily, not just books but during activities and when learning letters and sounds.

You need to be more proactive with the CT. In reception mine would be listened to every day and a comment written in their reading journal. These comments would be made by the CT, TA or a parent helper. I also listened to them read every day and write a comment too.

If you feel he's reading below his capability then you need to speak with the CT.

Another parent volunteer here for my sins The reading records at Ds school are used as a way of parents communicating with the school as to how they did with the book at home, whether they need it another week etc. They get changed weekly within the same colour band (most in reception seem to be on pink/red band so orange must be even higher up ?) and then get moved up a band when the teacher decides they're ready but wouldn't record it in your record iyswim?

They do lots of reading in class during activities and one to one but it's recorded on other documents and it would be raised at parents evening how your child is doing. Maybe your school is the same?
I have noticed they do spend more on one time with children who are not being read to at home to bring them up to target. Keep reading at home, it will be making a massive difference