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[Thaigal]

I've posted before about my son's teacher who has alot of time off school due to illness, well this is really effecting my son's reading and I know that sounds selfish when she is so ill but surely the school should do something to ensure that the kids still bring reading books home?

Anyway she was off school all last week (apart from wednesday) and she was off again today so despite the fact that the reading books are meant to be changed daily this class has had them changed once in about 2 weeks.

My son is already behind and I feel it really unfair when the other year 1 class are still coming home with reading books every night and this class are being left behind .

I've tried talking to the stand in teacher and she just fobbs me off as if it's not important, she says she cant change the books as the other teacher likes to hear them read first so it will have to wait until she is back and then she said I could always read with him at home if I'm worried...surely this isnt the point??

He's only on level 2 at the age of 5 and if this continues he will still be on level 2 at the end of year 1 and will end up being seen as "behind" and will be put into the split year 1/2 class instead of being moved up properly into year 2.

Am I being OTT here or do I have a right to be concerned? Also, does anyone know where I can buy Ginn Reading 360 books from? no luck on ebay...

Is there a teaching assistant . In our class she is the one who , with the parent helper,actually changes the books and seems to put the next lot of books ready for each child preusmably moving up a level when the teachr says so. Could you ask to choose more of your ds' current level from the supply in class ?

Hmm I would chase this up. At our school we decide when we want to send them in for changing, it is not every night. So usually in practice I send DS's in twice a week. Although the one he brought home today was too easy so I am sending it back tomorrow. When his class teacher was not there, the head, who was covering, changed the books.

So yes chase it up but do not worry too much about him being behind. All the rest of the class will be in the same position, and there is lots of time to catch up.

My class are allowed to choose their own books from a basket of their level. Talk to the assistant if there is one, if not possibly speak to the other year group teacher or if it's one form entry ask to speak to the head of keystage 1. You could also offer to change the book yourself for another in the same level. I'd suggest you read and share books / bedtime stories daily if you can (the library can be very helpful). Which reading scheme are you using? I wouldn't worry too much about what level books your DS is on. Practising phonics is always a great help with reading too.

Thaigal I don't know whether you followed this up with your head (the unsettling effect the frequent absences are having on your DS, I mean) but I really would bring it up. I would hope and assume they are doing something but the more parents who raise it the more they will be obliged to find a workable solution. You can always go to governors if you get fobbed off, too. Meanwhile, try Ladybird books from any bookshop and many a car boot sale or the local library for readers - we did this over the summer (DD has learning difficulties and I wanted her to keep up her reading) and there was a great choice. HTH