I've asked DS's teacher (in a note) if he can go up a reading level - will she be cross with me?

[whoopeecushion]

DS reads ORT level 3 books in a couple of minutes. Easily, can read all of the words usually, can recall the story. I don't know why his teacher hasn't put him up to level 4 so I've put a note in his message book asking if he can go up a level. I am wondering if she will think I am a PITA and I am a bit worried about having written the note now. Do you think it was a reasonable request and do teachers generally sigh when they receive such communications? He is in Y1.

TIA!

No harm in asking and I'm sure she won't be annoyed as long as you don't mind if she says no. From what you say its likely she'll listen to him reading and decide to put him up but he may perform differently at school than he does at home so she may yet say no.

I think I would have asked her to reassess him because he seemed to be finding it easy, rather than asking to go up a level directly.

I never mind if parents ask, as long as they don't mind being told no if I don't agree and provide a fair reason why! Sometimes a child has just slipped through reading with me due to illness/forgetting book bag etc. and I appreciate being gently prompted to check!

As a parent I don't think it is unreasonable, though you could try the 'x found this book too easy' approach first. In my experience it is the teachers who put them up, but he may be doing guided reading with a ta or parent volunteer or in our school they even get the yr 5s to listen (it is a school where interyear co-operation is encouraged, loads of siblings and I think is a reward for yr 5 for good behaviour). Anyway, it is possible that the teacher hasn't listened for a week or more and maybe it has clicked for him since he was last listened to. A note should prompt whoever is listening to him next to tell the teacher and he may go up if she is happy. My friend's ds's school though expect them to read through every book at a given stage, even once fluent, and badgering them to put them up makes little difference.

Whenever I've written that my DD is finding the books very easy they've assessed her and put her up to the next level, In our reading diary the teacher puts a list of reading targets the children must reach,in the front page and highlights the level they're working towards, which is a good gage as to what they're looking for from your childs reading, but I don't think any teacher would want a child to find no challenge in what they are reading...so as long as its polite they may roll their eyes but will probably address situation.

I just wanted to add, in hindsight, I think my dd really benefited from reading "school" books slightly below her level. It really gave her confidence to tackle more tricky stuff at home, as she had no fear of getting it wrong and saw reading as something she was "good" at.

I would mention it, and then provide books of varying levels at home (fiction and non-fiction) in the hope he'll get stuck in!

I do exactly the same as dilbertina with my DD she's in yr2 now. Teacher will pick up on his confidence and move him up.

Thanks for the replies.

I think it's OK then, as I don't mind if she says no. It would be nice to know the reading targets for the next level like dilbertina's DD had - sounds like a good system.

Also good point re the teacher not having listened to DS for a week or more. The last entry was a TA and the entry before that was a substitute teacher.