Reading level for 5 yr old

[saltod]

My ds (5) has progressed onto stage 3 set 10 of Rigby Star reading scheme. He's learning the phonemes ar, or, ur, ow and oi. Am I right in thinking he's coming to the end of stage 3? For a 5 year old (July) is this an acceptable level or would you say he is a behind?

Other children in yr 1 are on stage 5 now but most of them are 6 already!

Children are all different and a five year old could be anywhere from pink to gold or white. If he is making progress I wouldn't be too alarmed. Just keep reading a few minutes every day (10-15).

There are a few kids in DS's class (yr2) who are still on ORT level 3.

DS finished Yr1 on level 7 IIRC.

There were quite a few strong readers in his class who finished on the same level as him.

The "average" level for this years yr1 class is ORT 4/5. (I have gone in to read with them a few times).

I have found it can vary by school/teacher etc. Friends at another school have found that the child has to read everybook at a certain level before they move up. At our school they sometimes seem to be on a book stage for ages, then go up two stages in a matter of weeks. I think that with dd1 she would plateau at a level, then suddenly get enthusiasm and read loads, and go up, then get bored again. Dd2 however seems full on determined to read, she told me this am that 'learning to read is my short term goal at the moment'. The things which have made a difference are listening to them read at home a lot and when teachers are listening to them once a week. Sometimes though they don't want to read and then I don't push it, just let them know that they can if they want to.

The Senco at his school told me after a week in yr 1 that he wasn't even average! I was really hurt by this comment because he had really come on leaps and bounds after overcoming speech problems, due to glue ear and once the grommets were fitted he progressed massively. Also because we applied for statutory assessment when he was in nursery(which we didn't get) he was put on sch action plus in yr 1. He is now on school action (to be reviewed at Easter) and as I said above, on stage 3 set 10 but I have spoken to other mums who children are below this level but aren't on the special needs register. He is also making progress with writing and is now using a connective. I'm at a loss, I presumed School Action was for children who aren't making progress and he obviously is!

SALTROD - School action is for children who have other support ontop of the teachers normal planned activities, so is still appropriate if dcs are making progress.
DS1 is school action as he goes to speech sessions and beam, but is average in class and making progress. I dont see it as a negative, it means he is getting the help he needs.

I am happy that he is getting extra support if he needs it but I wondered why other kids who are below his level, aren't on s a and are told they are fine and are where they should be!

Sorry miss map I meant to add his speech therapy finished 10 months ago. If he was still getting this additional support I would understand the need for SA. He goes out in a small group occasionally for an extra p.e session for balance and co-ordination, even though he can ride a two wheeled scooter, plays football weekly and is learning how to swim.

My little girl is below this level she reads pink/red band books so stage 1+ she is very behind, below level w at curriculum levels, they have already told me that she is really behind but she doesnt get any help, isnt on the special needs register and doesnt get an IEP. I do think though at some point soon they are going to have to change this for her. I think its good if school are working with him to ensure he does keep progressing :)

Madmum4 sorry to hear this, you should keep pushing x

Just to give another perspective, my DD is also 5 but in reception. She is on Rigby Star stage 3. Your DS and my DD are virtually the same age and she's considered way ahead and your son is being viewed as behind. Obviously I don't really know how it works in Y1 and to be honest I don't really understand the Rigby Star system but I do think it's tough for the youngest and particularly since he's had speech problems etc.

I read your post with interest because my DS is an August baby so will be even younger in the year and also had glue ear and grommets with an impact on his speech. When he starts Reception he will be a year younger than his sister was when she started. But because of the glue ear etc I imagine it will feel like an even bigger gap.

I guess at least he is getting extra support, while his peers are still struggling. There are clear reasons for his slower start, and although to you it may feel as if he is being singled out, the extra help should accelerate his progress. He probably will have little awareness of it, if done in a sensitive way, in a year or two.

Dd1 had extra writing help, she was telling me sadly the other day that she doesn't get to go in the writing group so much these days. I see it as evidence of her good progress, but she felt special doing her writing group.

I guess also it depends what the SENCO sees as average, technically of course half the students will be below the 'average' level for their age, and half above, so half an 'average' class would be below average, it doesn't mean that they aren't making progress and that they won't reach the same end point. Not the most sensitive comment they could have made though.

Exactly margoandjerry, I so wish he was in reception, it's been a tough 2 years! The school didn't pick up on the glue ear and when it became evident they weren't supportive even with the basics of talking to him at his level, giving good eye contact, offering him 2 choices etc., I remember questioning his nursery teacher on the observations/small group time she had done with him only to be told that she hadn't done any because they had been so busy with the nativity!!
The Senco is rubbish, he was in her small group for 5 weeks at the beginning of the first term as they said he was struggling with letter sounds. The senco showed me her report and he had got 3 wrong out of 26! My dh began working on his sounds and agreed with me that yes indeed he was fully capable of recognising them, after a visit to speak to the head our ds was tested on the monday by his teacher and came home with a stage 3 book! Ds was sad to leave her grp too as he said he had achieved 9 stickers and 1 more meant a prize, he never got a prize! grrrr!