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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

curious - what reading level is your dc at in year?

24 replies

walkingonthemoon · 05/10/2010 16:36

Trying not to be made paranoid at a comment about my dd's level in the playground..... she has been on level 6 for ages and can read the books easily - another child is at level ten...

Should I be concerned.....?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Ladder · 05/10/2010 16:37

which year? And no, you should not be concerned.

Easywriter · 05/10/2010 16:37

Which year is she?

Original poster

walkingonthemoon · 05/10/2010 16:39

sorry, year 2

OP posts:

Easywriter · 05/10/2010 16:42

Oxford reading tree?

That's absolutely fine.

Children learn to read at their own rate, it's comprehension that's more important.

As the teacher why she's been on level6 for so long and if there's anything that you can do to help (if help is what is needed).

Easywriter · 05/10/2010 16:43

Ask the teacher...

Original poster

walkingonthemoon · 05/10/2010 16:52

Yeh, was going to ask on our open evening next week but just wanted to guage general opinion.

She has great comprehension and I've thought for a while she should go up a level to push her a bit but then happy to go with what the teacher thinks.

Just can't bear the competetive parenting - got sucked in today, but happy now. Paranoid moment over.

Thanks folks for that!

OP posts:

tink123 · 06/10/2010 18:50

my dd was on level 2 in yr 2, now one year on she is on level 9.

I worried but then decided to chill out as all children progress at their own rate...

jaded · 06/10/2010 19:53

Hi tink123 - wow, that is amazing! I am really worried about my daughter (not even 5 and a half) who is on level 1 plus books and has just started year one. Am so surprised as she loves books and is so verbal. She just isn't ready I suppose. She is so young but it is hard not to worry now the teachers have grouped them at this early stage. There are some children who are really taking off with the reading. I am doing a lot with her at home but she is tired in the afternoons and I don't want to put her off. When I explained my concerns to her teacher, she was surprised and said my DD is doing fine. DOn't know what to think...

AJWBON · 06/10/2010 20:14

My daughter has been a free reader since Year 1 having worked through all the Levels in Year R. However, I see some children in Year 4 in the playground with their Oxford Tree books. Every child is different and I wouldn't be concerned or worried at all. Sounds like your daughter is doing just fine.

mychatnickname · 06/10/2010 22:44

Oh go on admit it AJW you just wanted to get in that your dd is a free reader already didn't you. Her dc is on level 6 in year 2 and she's worried and so you pipe up with your dd being a free reader in year 1.
It wasn't really necessary to say that was it?

sundew · 06/10/2010 22:50

dd2 was slow to start reading - even though she loves books. She is in year 2 and in the last couple of weeks something has clicked - it will be the same for your dd. As the other posters have said each child learns at their own pace.

One thing that has helped us is I've been a bit more proactive about reading at home with dd - but only for a few minutes every few days. We get books out of the library (they have a range of easy readers) and they make a change from the ORT books which are so dull after a bit!!

bosch · 06/10/2010 22:51

Hmm, not being competetive parent at all... ds1 is one of oldest in year and he had done really well. But knowledge of how well/otherwise his friends do has given me the confidence that ds2, who is one of the youngest in his year, will catch up. ds2 is in y3 and is nearly reading at a level that equals his age (acc. to parents evening last night). Put it another way, he's a bit behind, but he's caught up from 'nowhere' in reception and he's pleased with that, and so am I, and his teacher.

Don't compare your child to another in the playground without first talking to the teacher. All children have their strengths and weaknesses but you won't get those nuances from a quick chat about how well another child it doing in one topic.

coppertop · 06/10/2010 22:56

I found with my ds2 that he would stay on one level for a while so that he could master a particular skill (comprehension, reading with expression, following punctuation etc). After that he would be moved up one or more levels.

Don't listen to playground comments. :)

MollieO · 06/10/2010 23:48

Ds (yr 2, 6.3) has just made it on to level 5. I was really pleased as reading has been a real struggle for him. His teacher made it clear that he is a long way behind his classmates. Not sure of what level they're on but I have heard level 8 muttered. I know some of his peers were on level 7 or 8 at the end of yr 1. I don't know what they're on now.

Ds spoke at a very young age and has an exceptional vocabulary so I don't think that is any indication of reading ability.

I'm wondering what books he will bring home tomorrow as by my reckoning he finished the last ORT level 5 book tonight.

lovecheese · 07/10/2010 09:27

I am continually at the amount of schools who appear to only have bloody ORT books!!! ORT books have a place in a reading scheme, sure, but not exclusively. Poor kids.

asdx2 · 07/10/2010 09:34

Not seen an ORT book since dd swapped schools in y1 They are available if a child chooses them but dd hated them with a passion so has always chosen non reading scheme books as they are banded at our school too.Dd has always had more confidence reading than her siblings who worked their way through the ORT books.

lovecheese · 07/10/2010 09:39

asdx2 my DCs school do have them, a few of them, but they are mixed in with loads of other books in each book band; At least the Treetops?? ones are a bit better, DD reads these out of choice, weird child. Now, don't even get me started on freakin' "Ginn" books....

taffetacat · 07/10/2010 10:29

Two other points to add:

Some schools ( and indeed some teachers IME ) insist children read every single ORT book in the level, rather than fast tracking as appropriate
Some ORT levels contain a lot more books than others. I think Stage 6 might be one of these.

My DS loves ORT.

IME, sometimes teachers are very busy focusing on certain children, so the ones doing OK can be overlooked, so a gentle question about it at a parents evening probably wouldn't do any harm. As others have said, comprehension and confidence are both key, you wouldn't want your DD being upped a few levels if it dented her confidence. Finally, lots of people comment on here about a sudden taking off or switch thats turned on, and then their DC race ahead. I haven't experienced this, but it seems quite common.

mychatnickname · 07/10/2010 14:32

We definitely had that sudden taking off thing - around ORT level 5 stage iirc. The key was when he got confident reading other books at home and was doing it by choice.

MollieO · 07/10/2010 17:47

That's interesting. Ds is certainly has acquired a greater interest in reading since he got to level 5. The stories have more words and therefore have more opportunity to develop. I've always read to him and he has a huge number of books. I'm looking forward to the day he voluntarily reads at home. Definitely not near that at the moment.

MissBeehiving · 07/10/2010 20:41

Agree with the reading spurt at level 5 - this happened with my DS at the end of the summer term. The ORT books (which my DS loves btw) get a bit more interesting with the advent of the Magic Key - he went from not wanting to read at all to me having to stop him.

I wouldn't worry - children develop at different rates - your DD sounds entirely normal. If she's not challenged by the books, read something with her at home which she's interested in and is a little more difficult.

AND DON'T WORRY (did I say that already?)

bitsyandbetty · 17/01/2011 17:26

My DD has just gone to level 5 in Year 2. My DS was also a late reader but has progressed to a high level now in Year 6. Don't listen to what others said. I took it all in when DS was in Year 2 and there were plenty of awful parents going on about their child getting 3s in the SATS. I find that totally unnecessary and they have stopped now their DC is struggling in Year 6. Ignore those that crow and tell them to get a life away from their DC. Your child and helping them to enjoy reading is the most important thing.

happycamper1 · 17/01/2011 17:37

Think my ds is the same in year 2. Just gone onto turquoise. Which is I think ORT 5 or 6. I too am getting paranoid as many of her friends are on gold or white. Having said that he had a level 9 ORTone day which he read comfortably. Although still turquoise. Very confusing. i have just started a thread on this too as I was a little concerned.

PinkCanary · 18/01/2011 00:00

I have no clue what reading level my yr 2 DD is at. Our school send home a mish mash of different reading books. I know I've never had any ORT books though, aside from the box set I bought myself from a book fair.

A couple of friends are teachers and when they casually tell me what level their child is on I always try and look impressed but they may as well be speaking to me in chinese for all the understanding I have!

I start a TA post in Feb though, so I guess I'll have to get up to speed then.

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