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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

Book bands after Lime?? Free reading??

17 replies

RaisinHell · 27/09/2011 22:50

Please can someone advise if there are any more book bands after Lime level and if so what they are, and also what exactly is meant by 'free reader' as I am really confused.

I was told that DS would be going onto some extended book bands, so as not to have to become a 'free reader' yet, but this has not happened. He is bringing home random books of any colour e.g. turquoise! I ask him and he tells me he is a 'free reader' and he can choose any book he likes!

I am a bit miffed as I feel his reading/choice of book is clearly not being monitored at all.

Any advice please? Thank you.

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RosemaryandThyme · 27/09/2011 23:07

It does sound like he can now choose books without the teacher, pehaps he just really likes some of the earlier books and wants to return to them ?
I'd ask him where in the school he is choosing the books from ie coloured shelves or libary - he might find wider interests and more advance reading in the libary but not realise he can now choose from there ?

merrymonsters · 28/09/2011 07:03

I'd take him to the local library and get him to choose what he wants from there. Reading band books are only a small part of their reading really, especially once they're very good at it.

meditrina · 28/09/2011 07:35

There are higher levels, but many schools don't formally use them. Also, there is no universally accepted definition of "free reader": it sounds as if it is being used here to mean "off the reading scheme"

Are you able to go in to find out what happens next? A free choice of books at this stage shouldn't just mean picking over ones he's already read. I would expect it to mean using a classroom library, the school library or bringing books from home. But that the teacher would still be supervising reading - listening to guided or individual reading, and marking a reading record - as part of keeping tabs on wider literacy development.

newtermnewname · 28/09/2011 08:15

At my DD's school there are 5 more levels to enjoy after lime. Lucky kids!

newtermnewname · 28/09/2011 08:15

My mistake, there are 6 more levels.

Original poster

RaisinHell · 28/09/2011 08:22

Thanks all, very helpful.

I think I will have a word or put a note in the diary, difficult though how to put it.

I feel they have 'offloaded' him by making him a 'free reader'. I really don't like this concept of 'free reader' at his age, I still think they need to be heard formally by a teacher and have their book choices supervised.

OP posts:

newtermnewname · 28/09/2011 09:16

I agree. Whilst I think that my DD's school has too many levels I would be dubious if lime was the cut-off point for "free reading".

IndigoBell · 28/09/2011 09:49

Why do you think he needs to be heard by a teacher? He can obviously read well, and you can hear him every day....

Why do you think his book choices need to be supervised? What's wrong with reading any book you like?

They don't have to read books from school. Why don't you supply him with books that you want him to read?

He's learnt to read! Relax and enjoy.

whenIgetto3 · 28/09/2011 10:03

our school has extra levels (5 I think) after Lime and then when you become a free reader you get to try and achieve Bronze,Silver and Gold awards, these are in a booklet where you have to go through and complete pages of how to use a library etc. Then each reading award has a goal of reading certain types of books, certain authors or factual books you then write a book report or obtain information from the books and once you have completed the tasks you get an award. To get all 3 awards you need to read about 25 books (ranging from classics to non fiction) and then complete the booklet which is 68 pages long. My DS looked at it and said "why can't I just read for fun"

redskyatnight · 28/09/2011 11:47

How old is he?
In DS's infant school he completed lime and the level beyond lime (grey?) and then became a free reader so he chose really easy stuff .

He's now moved to a (completely separate) junior school and is back on lime band but although he can decode the books easily the comprehension required is more complex.

mrsbaffled · 28/09/2011 11:50

My DS is in year 3 and was on lime last year, but now he's moved to level 12+ which is beyond lime. He has free choice from any books in that level at school. At home he reads freely, and usually MUCH harder stuff.

blue84 · 28/09/2011 11:54

I can never understand this either. Ds has just started juniors and is on white. However, they than have loads of other colours which I assume are before lime. Brown, cerise etc. I have no idea what levels they are.

IndigoBell · 28/09/2011 12:05

These are the harder levels if you like them:

Book Band 11 - Lime & Brown
Working within Level
3B/3A of the National
Curriculum

Book Band 12 - Silver
Working towards Level
4C of the National
Curriculum

Book Band 13 - Sapphire
Working within Level 4B/
4A of the National
Curriculum

Book Band 14 - Magenta
Working towards Level 5
of the National
Curriculum

Original poster

RaisinHell · 28/09/2011 14:16

Indigobell - I think he needs to be heard by a teacher as he is still an infant, I think the current trend of listening to readers less and less and especially at this age is dreadful.

Of course I can hear him every day but he doesn't like reading and so it is nigh on impossible to get him to read to me, that is why I would like him to be heard at school.

I think his book choices need to be supervised as he is choosing scheme books 4/5 bands below his level, what's the point of that? And given his way he would choose books solely of one genre e.g. non-fiction books about transport.

He has a fine supply of books at home that doesn't mean he will read them.

I don't think it's too much to ask for a 6 year old to still be receiving a good deal of input to their reading development from school.

Thanks for all the info on the extended book bands, I will ask if they have them.

OP posts:

Lizcat · 28/09/2011 14:19

DD went back at the beginning of this year on lime, was immediately moved to Silver and then this week leaped over sapphire and magenta to free reading. She has chosen a Horrid Henry book as her first free reading, yes most of the vocab is not as difficult as the Silver level. However, she finds the story more stimulating and she adds loads more expression when she reads due to her enjoyment. So I suspect that she has been moved to free reading not because she has jumped through the vocab hoops, but to ensure she enjoys the reading and takes pleasure in tell the story to the listener.

blue84 · 28/09/2011 21:57

That makes sense. Thank you indigo.

bodiddly · 29/09/2011 19:46

my ds is 6 and was on lime until this week when the teacher sent him home with Fantastic Mr Fox. He had been reading lime all over the summer and was more than ready to move on to be honest. He has been far more enthusiastic this week at the prospect of reading "off" scheme and has been more engaged and expressive with his reading. I think Roald Dahl is quite a usual starting point at this level.

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