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Original poster

School stopped sending physical reading books!

99 replies

Trumpetpants · 04/02/2022 22:23

Just that really, for the whole of Key Stage One no physical reading books being given! Reading has to be done via a difficult to access link. Asked why this is and told because 4 children don't return the books so all to be done on line.
If your device is over a year old it is not possible to access for some wierd reason.
We offered to fund raise for more books but school said no. I think this is very unreasonable and unfair, grrrr

OP posts:
Strictly1 · 05/02/2022 22:52

We've had to do this. We've already spent thousands and don't have the budget or space for what we would need. Also there's already some push back with the guidance so will it change in the next year and we will have spent thousands more than we needed to?
Those saying they'd move schools may find where they move to follow shortly after as not all schools have made the change but need to have done by Easter.
I doubt there are many schools out there doing this through choice.

Strictly1 · 05/02/2022 22:55

@Chatty987

This is beyond dreadful. Really bad for children’s eyes if nothing else. Refuse to do it.
How long are you planning on spending on reading? I also trust you don't allow them to use a screen at all? Don't get me wrong - I think real books are best but if a school doesn't have the money what can they do? The money spent on supply this year is eye watering.
waitinginthecar · 05/02/2022 23:00

My children and I do not engage with the electronic reading scheme. I source secondhand books and am proud of my little book worms' love of books. They are currently reading Beast Quest and Roald Dahl - can't beat real books!

user1471443411 · 05/02/2022 23:06

I'd just get physical books from your local library and have a good selection at home as well. Tell the school you are doing this if they ask why you're not reading the online books and tell them you don't have a compatible device. If they're that bothered they should be providing devices too which will end up costing them a lot more than the books.

Bitofachinwag · 05/02/2022 23:13

[quote Onionpatch]@Bitofachinwag - when you are running a deficit budget books are expensive.

I said schools should be buying them and there are grants around and PTA help - but people really need to reflect that schools are making decisions like this because they dont have enough money.[/quote]
Yes of course, I am not blaming the school. But learning to read should be top priority and there should be funding for books! It would be better if larger volumes could be bought, or if books were provided by (or even made by)LAs/government. But I know that's not how it works.

MissMaple82 · 05/02/2022 23:17

This is so sad. I would be tempted to set up some kind of petition. Kids need to grow up with real books!

Shuffletime · 05/02/2022 23:56

@bitofachinwag

Books aren't expensive if you're buying for 1 child (or even 2 or 3).

Books are eye-wateringly expensive if you're buying for 400. We've spent £12k so far for a 2 form entry school and need more. We're offering online books for home readers plus school library books for fun because we simply can't afford it any other way.

This is yet another issue where it is a budget issue and anger needs to be directed towards government failings, not individual schools.

Soontobe60 · 06/02/2022 00:07

@BitterTits

This is sad. One thing Ofsted have got right is a focus on reading for pleasure, and flicking a virtual page on a screen simply isn't it.
The kids in my school love reading digital books!
Soontobe60 · 06/02/2022 00:14

@Shuffletime
Can you provide a link for your comments about reading banded books at home etc?

I wonder how many people posting on this site actually learned to read via synthetic phonics? My guess would be, if you’re under 30 possibly lots of you, if you’re over 30 possibly not many of you.

Soontobe60 · 06/02/2022 00:15

@MissMaple82

This is so sad. I would be tempted to set up some kind of petition. Kids need to grow up with real books!
So get the parents to buy them some!
Shuffletime · 06/02/2022 00:30

[quote Soontobe60]@Shuffletime
Can you provide a link for your comments about reading banded books at home etc?

I wonder how many people posting on this site actually learned to read via synthetic phonics? My guess would be, if you’re under 30 possibly lots of you, if you’re over 30 possibly not many of you.[/quote]

I can't remember the exact paper off the top of my head, I'd have to get it from work. But the government printed a research document on reading for pleasure a few years ago and it was one of the papers on there. I know C.Clark (2011) was a prominent paper but I don't think that was the one for 1 years + progress. Pretty sure that was more recent.

MintJulia · 06/02/2022 00:42

Local paper? Local facebook campaign? Call the Education Authority out publicly for a truly crap policy?

Involve the local library.

NannyR · 06/02/2022 00:57

Mixed feelings about this - a year or two ago I would have thought it was terrible, but during the lockdown and homeschooling, the children I was looking after had access to BugClub online reading books which they absolutely loved. There were plenty of books available that they could choose from, there were little quizzes and games to check that they understood what they were reading and because it was on a screen, it felt a bit more like playing than schoolwork.
However, these were children who had access to devices and had plenty of physical books at home to balance out the e-books, plus parents and a nanny who encouraged them to read for pleasure. I can see why this wouldn't be an ideal system for children who didn't have the same opportunities at home.

GrannytoaUnicorn · 06/02/2022 01:10

@Fallagain

DD’s school uses RWI and still uses a wild range of books. I’m sick of Biff and Chip.
*wide

Where on earth did you get 'wild range' from?! 🤣🤣🤣

MintJulia · 06/02/2022 01:18

Not having real books to read, means no more reading in bed for pleasure. An entire source of childhood escapism down the pan. Sad

No wonder we have so many depressed children.

Sahgah · 06/02/2022 05:46

Our school also has e-books and I absolutely hate it. It makes it all so difficult. When we sit down to read we can’t find the iPad, or it’s flat, then the password hasn’t saved because we have to have two passwords for the different kids, then instead of having just one book they have tons to choose from everyday so we don’t necessarily keep reading the same book or they spend ages choosing the book. When reading you touch the screen to point out the word and it turns the page too soon or the text size is not big enough. It is not enjoyable experience for me or the kids.
We don’t end up reading the school books and read any old book we have at home. I can’t believe this country can’t afford books to teach kids to read, it’s a disgrace.

pitterpatterrain · 06/02/2022 09:03

Sahgah to be honest what I don’t understand is why some schools have to go this route and others are fine

At the school my DC attend they have weekly book scheme books given out, plus another reading book for parents to read with them, plus bug club online - what is so fundamentally different between schools that it’s possible in one place and not other? (Sure there are lots of reasons) but tbh if as a PP is saying that all schools are somehow moving to no physical books to me that’s pretty dire and exacerbates the have / have not divide

Strictly1 · 06/02/2022 09:23

@pitterpatterrain

Sahgah to be honest what I don’t understand is why some schools have to go this route and others are fine

At the school my DC attend they have weekly book scheme books given out, plus another reading book for parents to read with them, plus bug club online - what is so fundamentally different between schools that it’s possible in one place and not other? (Sure there are lots of reasons) but tbh if as a PP is saying that all schools are somehow moving to no physical books to me that’s pretty dire and exacerbates the have / have not divide

Some schools already had books that fitted in with the government's new policy - ie RWI. Others have had to start from scratch as the books they did have are no longer allowed. We had shelves filled with almost new books - policy changed - once we taken out the books no longer deemed right, we were left with a tiny number. Hence, almost starting from scratch. This is on top of having buy all of the resources and real books needed for in school. This is on top of the massive supply bill that we are getting nothing extra for. Our HT covers as much as possible but it's still not enough.
Onionpatch · 06/02/2022 09:27

@pitterpatterrain - there are big differences in the money coming in to schools because of funding formulas and things like the number of PP children. You see quite big discrepancies. Also the ability of schools to make money through lettings varies hugely - we dont have parking so we cant charge as much as the school down the road. Costs for schools vary too, some have victorian plumbing systems to maintain and be in an area where contract cleaner costs are high. We just spent a fortune on trimming trees to keep them safe because of ash die back.
We have a strong PTA and they bought our books, another school might not have this.
All schools are making decisions about what to prioritise. Im pro books but i can see why schools make other decisions.

DepthOfTheAbyss · 06/02/2022 09:33

This is awful. I’d take my dc to the library and buy books. Get together with other mums and lend each other books. There really is something wonderful about going to bed at the end of the day and sharing a book with your dc. It’s such a shame to deprive them of that.

escapingthecity · 06/02/2022 09:49

Can you get together with some other parents to organise book sharing? If you each bought 3-4 books and then rotated them round the kids that might be a way of expanding the number of physical books you have access to.

And you should definitely contact the school governors - this is exactly the kind of issue where they should be investigating.

HallieLA · 06/02/2022 11:27

@MintJulia

Local paper? Local facebook campaign? Call the Education Authority out publicly for a truly crap policy?

Involve the local library.

Can't call out the Local Authority if this is an academy. Academies sit outside of LA control. Government policy.
gogohm · 06/02/2022 11:36

Seems stupid in the extreme. I provided my DD's books because school didn't provide anything challenging enough, school complained but ultimately capitulated as they couldn't really argue, she was homeschooled until year 1 due to different school systems (I looked up requirements so she wasn't behind) but her reading was all her, she just got it.

ILoveMyMonkey · 06/02/2022 11:50

MintJulia

Not having real books to read, means no more reading in bed for pleasure. An entire source of childhood escapism down the pan.

I completely disagree with this being the schools fault. As parents we must take responsibility for our children’s learning at home. It is not the schools duty to provide bedtime reading and absolutely no reason why a parent couldn’t source suitable books from charity shops, book swaps, the library, bookshop to enable bedtime reading to continue. It’s just lazy parenting that would make your statement true Not having real books to read, means no more reading in bed for pleasure

MintJulia · 06/02/2022 11:50

Well, I'd make absolutely sure the school library had a steady supply of suitable reading books, via the PTA and fund raising.

Any school/academy trust that thinks reading for pleasure isn't a priority is failing their pupils. Sitting by, watching standards fall so low is not something I could live with. It's just shabby.

How are kids going to manage GCSE English Lit if they aren't reading for pleasure at 8 or 9?