Do your KS2 children have reading books?

[MyNameIsFine]

A question about reading in KS2 (age 8-11). Do your children have school reading books? When I was at primary school we were sent home with a chapter book that our reading group was working on - generally, there would be a lower, middle, and higher level reading group. The teacher decided what level group to put you in and what book each group should work on, and we borrowed a copy from school. My DC just has a reading record. He is supposed to choose a book himself from the library or home and fill in the reading record when he's finished. Trouble is, he's not interested in reading, and this isn't "homework" so it's difficult to get him to do it. Also, how can the school check that children are reading at the right level and understanding if they don't have set texts?

Just trying to find our what other schools policies are.

Does your child do guided reading at school? Teachers can check comprehension and reading aloud during this mess sessions where they read a chapter book aimed at the level of the group. This book doesn’t come home for homework.

We have a banded book and a book for pleasure. However they can put any book in their reading log, and DD tends to read something of her choosing instead. We are fine with that, as she is reading, and school seem happy too. She is a confident reader, which might contribute too.

My DD is 8. They are reading a book together in class which they sometimes get reading homework for (eg read chapter 6 and we will do a comprehension on it tomorrow). She is also expected to have her own choice reading book on the go and her teacher sets a target at the start of each week for a page to reach in this by the following week. She is working her way through the murder most unladylike series. She will read this book 1:1 to the TA at least once a week too.

They are allocated a reading scheme book until they graduate to being a free reader, which is generally sometime in KS1. Then in KS2 they still have a reading record to fill in for daily reading at home, and bring a book home to read, but they choose it themselves from a specific bit of the school library rather than a TA magically swapping them out.

OK. So "free reading" not that unusual, then. I wish the school did more in terms of checking what she's reading and setting her targets. This "independent reading" probably suits some children really well, but she needs more structure. I guess I'll have to be more strict about "reading time" at home. At least they don't have this problem of having do read a really dreary book that they hate, like I had at school 😁

Thanks for all your comments.