To ignore the schools reading stuff and carry on with my own. How does one formally challenge?

[deflationexasperation]

I'm in between a rock and a hard place.

I can accept the 3 times a TA has heard 7 year old dd read in two weeks and read the level 7 books. Or, ignore that, and keep on the reading program we started in lock down, paying via company to get delivered the schools reading scheme books and keep going with those which are one /two levels higher.
Dd at the moment has undiagnosed sen, waiting for school Ed psych. Dd is on sen register but, unlike the other two on sen register is not sat at the front and has been sat at the back? I asked at the start, why and got no response.

I'm at a critical juncture with dd, she's very sensitive, possibly dyslexic but very bright. I'm deeply unhappy with the school, moving her has been looked into it and I'm not sure what to do. It's only with outside help, and then buying in tutors and myself, working with her in lock down that she's actually learning.
I know from older dd that reading levels are a cause of angst but dd will only read one thing a day.

Sunshine, when she is sat in class, not understanding anything, seeing other dc book numbers etc.

Going out of the class for different sets in English and maths, being sat with at least 2 dc who she said can't write and one can't read.

She's not un aware, she does wonder why she is moving from her friends to go to different classes (end of year 2 only).

When she used to get her spelling score... 0/10 or 3/10.

Then with the tips the first tutor gave us seeing, those marks go to 8/10, 9/10.

She's not silly she's very sensitive and aware of what's going on. Of course I've jollied her along but this is the whole point, there is only so much jolly ing I can do... They kept her down on level 5 and wouldn't budge her when it was so obvious she had that level. I kept jolly ing her along, in the end after 40 level 5 books I just can't.
I had to beg them to move her to 6 and that's where she was at lock down.

I am a teacher and I was so frustrated when my kids were learning.
one was given books that were too hard, and my requests for something he could actually read were ignored. (actually this was the one that did annoy me, as it was so discouraging)
one was still on level 1 books when she was able to read simple chapter books.
I was very respectful of the teacher and pretty laid back, actually, but it was annoying, and in the end we just did our own thing at home alongside the school. Both sorted themselves out in the end.

In my experience, the TA doesn't assess and change levels.
Most kids are only heard at school once a week. In most cases that is the TA. In some schools they have a policy of the teacher hearing them
Many parents think their kids are ahead of where they are. Some of them are right.
Notes in the reading book, never get passed on, if you need to send a note, send a separate note directly to the teacher

It is quite possible your dd does not display the same level of fluency and comprehension in the classroom as one to one with you. Does she get to choose her book from a particular level or are they given in a specific order. Do they do group reading or guided reading too?

Oh, and some teachers will insist that they work through eveyr level and read every book, which ignores the way learning goes in leaps and steps, and currenty ignores what may have gone on in lockdown

Quartz, with dd 1 reading did click, suddenly, it was amazing to see... So I have been waiting for dd2 to click but now I understand she is having a different journey. She is a different child but a no less bright one which is why to finally see her have a way into learning has been joyful!

She says she doesn't like school, she Loved 😍 lock down! We had an on going friendship problem in year one that the school were incapable of understanding and helping with but they did after much damage was done agree to move her class.

Dd was very keen to move class but I do think it was a shock when's she was suddenly sat in a new class away from her other friends.
So I do worry even though she has said to me she wants a new school, what the reality would actually be like... I've also read a school move can set them back, and when she's already so behind is that worth it?
However, last time I considered moving her I didn't have the two amazing tutors I have now...

The other consideration is asking council to review for EHCP. Again it's hazy I'm not sure what to do.

Haven't RTFT as about to go to work (in a school!) so forgive me if I'm repeating things others have said.

If you think she is dyslexic, have you tried working through 'Toe by Toe'? It's a workbook to really ingrain phonics and should help with her spelling as well.

Have you checked her reading fluency? The speed at which a child reads (and comprehends) is also part of the assessment. It's entirely normal for TAs to assess reading, they're very good at doing this. They read with the DC much more than the teachers do and are very well placed to say, 'I've just tried with Little Johnny but he's all over the place this morning, something's going on, he's not his normal self, I'll try him again later in the week.'

Sitting at the back is not necessarily a bad thing. It may be nearer to the TA's desk, or away from more disruptive and distracting children. I've known an autistic child absolutely thrive when seated in a back corner.

One last thing.
My dd who was able to read chapter books, was VERY quiet in class. In guided reading, she read, but unless asked directly didn't answer questions, and read slowly and thoughtfully, which was intepreted as needing time to decode, which it wasn't. Her TA (who was fab) once told me that she hadn't heard her say a complete sentence in the first 6 months in the class. This is a child who at the time was able to speak long complete paragraphs at home (and never stopped talking)
Because she was so quiet, they simple hadn't noticed that she was much much more able than they thought in all areas of the curriculum, especially reading.
How our kids present in class can be so different ot how they present at home.

I think if she is unhappy and not settled at the school for friendship issues looking into moving maybe an idea but she moved class and it still didnt fix it so it is likely moving school wont fix the problem either - that school are likely to put her behind.

The first port of call I think is to help her with the notion she isnt good enough and that being bottom of the class is something to be horrified and upset at. Everyone goes on a different journey and she is on hers. Focussing on building her up rather than on the academic aspect for now I think is what is needed. Helping her see herself for the amazing person she is and helping her with friends.

Rather than caring about levels

I am interested to know what techniques the tutors taught her that made such a difference in her spelling?

I'm curious as to why you think she's dyslexic? From what you've said, she's above the reading level expected of her, and has good comprehension and understanding of what she's read? Has she been assessed/screened yet for dyslexia?

WRT positioning in the class, rather than ask why she's at the back, just email and request they move her to the front, if you feel that would be best for her.

Re sen, totally understand that, but all 3 tutors dd has or has had have said she needs to sit at the front. These are people who know dd really well and have spent an hour each week of quality one on one time with her. They are experienced teachers themselves.

Lots of children would benefit from particular things, but they are all only one of thirty children and the teacher has to balance all of those things. You are paying these tutors a lot of money to focus on just your child's needs, but they are not considering everyone else in the class.

In my daughter's school they have a little splurge on assessing reading every few weeks so a load of kids will go up a level on the same day - usually takes a few weeks into term

How do you know that there aren’t other children in the class who have SEN who are sitting at the back, middle etc of the class.

Do you read with your DD, I would be focussing on doing that, as your DD only reading one book a day is very limiting.

Why do you think you should tippex out the TA’s comment in the book, that is just a bizarre way of thinking.

Many schools at the moment are focussing on getting children into the ‘new’ routine of school and their welfare, rather than pushing them up the reading levels. Assessments will be taking place and plans redrawn for the recovery curriculum once they know where every child is at. Some children will have worked through lockdown, others won’t. Some will catch up quickly, others won’t. This is a much harder start to a new year than usual.

Oh my goodness, put the reading scheme down and together with your DCs you need to develop joy in your reading!

Read to each other, read silently, read a range of texts (stories, information books, instructions), talk about what you have read (not Q&A style), laugh together at silly stories, decide together that there's things you like less than others, and why.

Encourage your DD to write and draw around the material you cover together, to record herself reading, to make lego scenes of the stories - anything.

Give Biff, Chip and Floppy a cursory nod, and if you are desperately worried about your DD's development / reading / access to class activities then make an appointment to discuss with the class teacher.

@deflationexasperation Are you in a position to have DD assessed privately? If you are I would do that. It will speed things along and rather than suspecting issues you will know.

A family member started off fine with reading, went to an Ofsted rated outstanding school, was privately tutored by the schools SEN coordinator and dyslexia was still missed until privately assessed after them completely zoning out of reading at the end of Y2. Another child I know was tested for dyslexia at school twice and was only eventually diagnosed following a private assessment between Y10 & 11. He has a really high IQ which basically caused a false negative. With a high IQ you have to score higher on the tests. If you don't know someone has a high IQ the testing levels would be lower.

Have you tried any of the sepia background books designed to help students with dyslexia? If you have a Kindle or ipad with Kindle app you can change to that view so worth trying a couple of non reading scheme books in her interest area to see if it makes a difference. Her not willing to read anything but the reading scheme is a red flag.

I would do all of the above before considering alternative schools but have you considered a year or two of home schooling? If she's thrived being at home and you are concerned she could still fall through various cracks at another school locally it might be the answer. It doesn't have to be forever.

Gosh reading the updated and really feel you need to relax a little. Being on a lower level than a friend for whatever reason doesn't mean she's not good enough. I think maybe the pressure and emphasis you are putting on this is what's making her think this. Reading level isn't the be all and end all and schools don't have this obsession over it that some parents do. It's not the indication of intelligence I suspect you give it the credit for. Not everyone reads for fun. A good friend of mine has an amazing career on a 6 figure salary and has never read a book for fun in his days. It's not essential. Relax a bit for DD's sake

Honestly, this is exhausting to read. DD3 hated reading and was on red band books right up to the end of year 1. She hated not knowing what a word was in advance and hated sounding out with phonics. She wanted to be perfect from the beginning, so she just wouldn't read!

In year 6 she was working at greater depth for reading, despite not being a 'reader'. She reads quite slowly and has to really like a book to enjoy reading.

Let your DD move at her pace. It's a journey, not a destination.

Have they even had time to re-asses everyone yet? Mine have been back a little over two weeks now, we were sent letters saying that everyone will be carrying on with the levels they were assessed at pre-shutdown and they will be re-assesing everyone over the coming weeks. We have online app for reading from the school so we were sent the book colour to choose from and take it from there.

Dd2 is also 7 and I'm sure she has probably moved up a fair few levels over lockdown. She loves reading and reads almost anything, has good understanding and asks questions when she doesn't understand a word or phrase. We have also been able to continue to read with her. However I imagine not everyone in the class will have done this and I expect we will receive an updated reading level shortly.

It does sound like you are unhappy with the school though. So it may be better in the long run if you do consider a move.

www.barringtonstoke.co.uk/

I can highly recommend this publisher for books for reluctant readers/dyslexic children.

We have just discovered them for DS who loves reading non fiction but struggled with fiction and checked out of the school reading scheme in year 3 due to hating them. He is now happily taking these in in year 6 to read

A good friend of mine has an amazing career on a 6 figure salary and has never read a book for fun in his days. It's not essential.

that is a seriously sad comment.

But it also misses the point.
he is presumably a good reader. Can read and assess a document for work? read a report and glean the key points? can read and digest the minutes of an important meeting? can write reports in clear and understandable language?

Reading is a life skill, good fluent confident reading leads to good clear and confident writing. Both of which are essential for any job of any decent salary.

Ask the teacher to assess her level.(well, you need to be patient, the year only started , so they may actually doing this for everyone.) Ask the teacher to move her to the front.

Both my DDs could read and understand books far in advance of those they were given at school, from the outset. They are both bright but not overly intelligent, just both love reading, as do DH and I. The school insisted they follow the school reading curriculum, which they hated because the books were "boring" (ie too easy). Therefore on paper they didn't progress well in reading at school, although they could both read perfectly well at quite a young age.
The school is concerned about how it needs to formally report pupils' progress. If your DC are privately following a scheme that suits them and is working for them, I'd continue with it. It's the reading that counts in the end, not the method by which they achieved the ability.

If you think she is dyslexic, you need to have her assessed first and foremost. It’s not just about her reading - there are so many parts to it.

We paid for DS and DD to be assessed and it was the best money ever spent but these things take time to process. We’ve only now, with school, put in place their IEP’s which include reading, spelling, maths, social targets. This is your starting point. I can’t stress how important it is to get the Ed assessment done as early as possible.

We read different books to those set by school now, and DS’s teacher is of the view that he should read what interests him. We pair read which makes things much easier to break down for him.

Good luck, I hope you get the support you need

*that is a seriously sad comment.

But it also misses the point.
he is presumably a good reader. Can read and assess a document for work? read a report and glean the key points? can read and digest the minutes of an important meeting? can write reports in clear and understandable language?

Reading is a life skill, good fluent confident reading leads to good clear and confident writing. Both of which are essential for any job of any decent salary.*

Why is it 'seriously sad'? Because you like it doesn't mean everyone needs to. Bizarre!

My point was though that pushing so hard and placing so much emphasis on reading levels at this stage is very likely to put her off completely. It's already having the result of making her feel not good enough. Fwiw If she's reading level 9 well then she's a level above my 7 year old who is a keen and confident reader. (She can read more at home too but school have them on lower reading books for good reasons already explained in the thread)