Reading books issue

[pointythings]

My younger DD (7 - just started Yr 3) came home on Friday with a stage 12 book from the Oxford Reading Tree series. This startled me a bit, since she has been a free reader since the beginning of YR 1 and for the past two years has been reading 'proper' books at school - with chapters, character development, 80+ pages etc. At home she is a voracious reader, Rainbow Fairies are too easy for her (but good when she's tired or has little time) and she reads the Magic Pony series, the Magic Ballerina series, Secret 7, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock, Lily Quench and the junior Terry Pratchetts.
She told me that the box she was offered as suitable for her consisteed entirely of the ORT type of book - to me this feels like a huge step back. I don't want her to become disaffected with reading at school - she found the book very boring, could tell me exactly what the stories in it were about in detail after reading it once.
So I've signed her book off and written a polite note to the teacher and teaching assistant. I know and have mentioned that sometimes in a classroom situation children will pick easy books, or not question what is on offer so I've made allowance for that and asked that DD be gently steered towards something more suitable - but I've also mentioned that I'd be happy to provide suitable reading material from home or public library in consultation with the teacher.
I don't want to be a difficult parent, but at the same time I don't want to start a pattern where my DD isn't being challenged at school - so far she has been, and has blossomed.
What do you all think?

What do I think? I think it's the first week of term. Don't panic.

Leave it a few days and then go and then go and have a chat with the teacher if nothing has changed.

I agree with LF, leave it for a week and then follow up. DS has been sent home with a ludicrously easy book, but I'll wait for a few days and address once things have settled down.

Actually I agree with both of you - I was probably going to leave it longer than a week, after all I know what she reads at home and that she isn't going to lose out. I have a good relationship with the school and I did word the note very supportively (I do genuinely want to support what the school does, and I understand that with the cuts it must be hard for them keeping their libary stocked).

So thanks for the reassurance, it's appreciated.

I think what she reads at school doesn't really matter too much. I think you should've got your dd to write her opinion/critic of the book rather than you suggesting to the teacher that it was on the wrong level. My kids enjoy reading all sorts of books from all sorts of levels - they just love books & stories.

Your dd is too good a reader for you to be getting so hung up on levels - have more confidence and faith in your child's love of reading - which, now she can read well, is mostly a home pursuit anyway and something she'll do for the love of it not because the school direct her towards it.

Relax!

I wouldn't worry too much. In my DC's school they stay on the reading scheme books for a long time, I have no idea when they actually become "free readers"!

DS1 has also just gone into Year 3, and is on Level 11. It doesn't stop him reading more "advanced" things at home, at the moment he is working his way through the Horrible Histories series and he is also a fan of Mr Gum.

DS1 finds the reading scheme books incredibly boring, but he treats that as "school reading", which he gets over and done with quickly so that he can read something that he enjoys! If your DD enjoys reading then a few reading scheme books are unlikely to put her off for life.

Agree with others except that at dd's school they have to read for a set period every day (half an hour?) and they only get a new reading book every few days, and are not allowed to talk. So effectively if they have a book that takes 2 minutes to read, they have to read that over and over again for half an hour a day, for 3 days - or more, as, understandably, the poor readers get more attention.

So if the situation is the same, it may be worth at least a mention with the class teacher. After a little questioning, it emerged that the problem was that dd was already reading the longest/more advanced books in the classroom, and now she is allowed to get books from the class above, which has reduced the problem.

(All a bit odd, as I am certain from seeing them discussing books with dd in the library that at least some other children in her class are fluent readers, I don't think that she is unusually advanced.)

I don't think that the issue here is your child's reading; she is a good reader who enjoys books.

Anything the school does now will probably not have any impact on her enjoyment of books.

(And, my dd1 - a year younger - still enjoys listening to stories that I am reading to dd2).

However, it seems that there is an issue with communication between teachers and also resources. Her year 2 teacher should know her abilities and also the school should have a well stocked library that the 'free readers' visit regularly.

My dds school library is well stocked with all the books that you would expect, plus non-fiction, manga etc. and that is where the children choose their books from.

ORT 12 should be about the level you described your daughter is reading at - easyish chapter books. ORT 16 is Jane Eyre.

Just because the books are shorter - doesn't mean they are easier.

In our school they go up to ORT 16 and nobody is a free reader before year 6.

www.oup.com/oxed/pdf/ORTReadingAges.pdf
the link above should hlep you out op... for her age she is very advance... idealy she should be on level 8 or 9... i wouldn't be worried.. the link will help you out a lot.. might be worth printing it out!.

FWIW litlemad has been sent home with a book with just pictures in from his first day at school. He's really confident with reading and reads thing like 'The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark' out loud on his own.

We sat and talked about the book, what the characters might be say and thinking. I don't think it will be a backward step for him as he's confident at reading.
It's also the first day and he's taking enough new things on board without being given too many challenges in terms of 'education'

Well, she came home today with a lovely chapter book that will keep her going for a week or two alongside her home reading - It's Not the End of the World by Geraldine McCaughrean, about the story of Noah's Ark told from the perspective of the women and children on board the Ark. I think it'll give her lots of ideas to discuss - am going to re-read it myself too, it's definitely thought=provoking.
@panayangel and others - it isn't so much the ORT levels I was worried about with the first book, it's just that IMO the ORT books are so unbelievably boring! Because they are so short, there's no time for plot or character development, it all just seems to be aimed at achieving short-term reading targets - and as Kim 147 points out, these can just as easily be achieved by reading quality children's books instead.
Still, it's all looking good now...

(dd 7y who has also read most of the books OP has mentioned, actually LOVES ORT books and will still pick one up in the library to read...)

@thirdname -

So glad that they actually work for someone! It's actually nice to see how they have their favourites - my younger DD defaults to Horrid Henry when she's tired and when in the library will pick her reading books and then head straight for the picutre books section so that she can read some of those whilst I browse.

My ds has loved ORT so far too. I don't know why but he does. I don't understand why people hate them so much (well okay I do for the first few levels but after that the stories are okay).

well i havent experienced the books yet for my child, ace will start reception tommorow.. lets see.