Would you be concerned if all the class was on the same reading level?

[PollyPG]

I went to look around a private school yesterday. I really loved it as the atmosphere was great, lots of happy children, wonderful extracurricular activities, small class sizes, great headmistress and pastoral care etc. There are specialist teachers in each subject for the Prep School and they get very good results at 11 and 13.

But.... I was very concerned to see that in Reception that all the children were on the same book band - ORT Stage 2. I'm not so concerned at the actual level, but at the apparent total lack of differentiation. At the local state primary, which I also visited, children were on levels ranging from 1 to 8! Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I am concerned how indicative this may be of their teaching methods. The teachers did say that they differentiated for different abilities but this was a bit worrying as it seems that they don't practice what they preach. In Year 1, they all have the same spellings, which again I would have expected to have been differentiated.

Would this put you off a school?

I think mostly they start spellings in year 1. We didn't get any spellings until year one anyway.

Spellings should be differentiated because pupils are likely to be working at such a wide range of levels, with some learning their letter/sound correpsondences and some much further on. Would not be appropriate to set all pupils the same list.

And no, I'm not saying tha YR pupils should be having weekly spellings anyway!

Irony! - Pls excuse spelling errors!

Well in my DSs year 2 class one set have 3 3 letter words for spellings ( eg last week 'mum', 'dad', 'and') while another set have 10 hard words, and the challenge group have those 10 plus 3 ridiculously hard words (this week 'percentage', 'perimeter' and 'persuade' )

That's quite a range of abilities! I can't see how not differentiating would be helpful.....

I agree with Wordfactory and LittlebyLittle. We have the same system in the DSs' school. You can move through the levels quickly if the books are changed daily which they can easily in the early stages when there aren't many words. Obviously they don't get changed if the child is struggling but you can read most of a level in a very short space of time, particularly in the beginning.

I don't think level 2 is great either, particularly as this is an independent school and you would expect that they would have the edge on a state school. What is the point of paying for an education if all the extra one-to-one teaching is not stretching the more able children? I would expect at least some of the class, no matter how small, to have moved beyond level 2 by the middle of Yr R. They certainly did in my children's infants, some by a long way.

So yes it would worry me and I would try and find out more, especially if it is great in other ways. For me, not moving forward at the child's pace in reading would be a deal breaker because reading is so important for all other learning and also because of the risk of more advanced children getting bored if they are held back to the level of the slowest learner.

Spellings aren't such a worry on differentiation. I honestly don't think it makes much difference unless you are asking some children to learn the spelling of words they can't even read yet.

Sounds very odd. At my dds state primary, by the end of reception the levels varied from 2 to about 8.

Am completely amazed at tales of books being changed daily and children's reading being heard every day in Reception. The difference between one school and the next is obviously huge.

Are these schools with small class sizes or the usual 30?

Twenty eight in dd's class. Mixed catchment state school.

Hmm, that's interesting, little. I don't know whether to wonder how on earth they find the time at your dd's school, or why this doesn't seem to be anywhere near possible at my dd's school, but it's all a bit depressing.

My dd in reception was heard by a teacher or TA twice a week. In year 2 she only reads once a week with a teacher but then she has been a 'free' for six months.

The children who struggle and do reading recovery read every single day with an adult; a teacher, TA or reading partner (e.g. volunteer).

The school never expected a child to do every single reading book. The children who learned to read quickly always read at their level and would miss out levels and book.

(This is at an unpopular state school)

Ask the school why every child is on the same level and how they differentiate. I think level 2 at this stage in reception is fine too. Term one is about settling them into the routines and the reading tends to take off in the middle of the year.
I am surprised there isn't more of a range of abilities but you just need to ask to clarify. Perhaps they don't see reading as a priority in reception and focus on all the other skills they need to become fluent readers. After all, not all private schools are hot houses.

BeenBeta actually we don't use ORT (there may be one or two that came as samples lurking somewhere) but we do use a variety of other books - Rigby Star - Collins Big Cat - Songbirds - Ragtag Rhymes - National Geographic - Discovery World - Project X - Rapid Readers ...
so much broader reading experience than a few ORT Biff, Chip et al even with the "classic" additions.

I would be very concerned. I can see that they might all be on a fairly high band because they can choose their pupils, but I would expect some to be even higher.(it never ceases to amaze me that people pay for education and don't question things). As a potential parent, phone up and ask the question.

I disagree with Wordfactory. DS1 has Ginn 360 books. He has noticed that every story is basically the same, and it's just the pictures that change. Level one books contain only 20 words. We had to plough through 24 excruciating books starting with the infamous "look, look, look, look". And then level 2 seems to add only another 30 or so. DS1 knows the words: he can read the words in reverse order (he pulled that stunt last week), but we have to plough through them just because. He's not enjoying reading these. I don't think he's learning anything except that school gives him pointless things to do.

Sorry Beenbeta I didn't see your question re teaching in a prep school ... no I teach in a state primary school although I don't see how it is relevant as good practice is good practice and every child at level 2 isn't good practice.

DS (reception in state primary) is heard daily and he brings home a new book every day (sometimes 2 or 3). They stick on each level for a while, but read widely around various schemes and DS has never complained of being bored although he is perfectly capable of reading at a higher level. I completely support the school's reasoning in not rushing them through the levels but giving the children a rich and varied experience at each level.

That's not anywhere near the same thing as keeping every child on exactly the same level though, Bubbamumma.