Is our school unique in not using a reading scheme?

[Lorefolk]

Maybe they will, but we're into Yr 1 and so far no dreaded Kipper and
Chip nonsense and nothing else either. The books sent home are all normal picture story books and I know they don't read scheme books at school either. I am delighted but think this is very unusual? Or is my knowledge skewed by all the MN angst over book bands?

ours uses a mix of schemes so it is rare to get Biff Chip and Kipper. They are still given a colour and level so you can see them make progress.

Ours doesn't either. no book bands or any of that competitive nonsense

Given the level of discussion about book bands on here I think I'd sort of assumed that it was compulsory. Glad it's not though. I wonder what research says about it?

Well our primary is graded outstanding so I'm guessing they are doing alright.

DS's school doesn't have one either. And a very lovely (and outstanding) school it is too.

We have no scheme but colour band all our reading books according to difficulty.

Of course, there is the chance that the school is need unique and we're actually all talking about the same one :o

Ours uses books from a range of schemes so you never get bogged down in one. And no colour bands; I assume there is a notional "band" for each book that the teacher uses when handing them out, but it's not obvious to children or parents.

I quite like Biff, Chip and Kipper, in moderation. There are a lot of funny details in the illustrations. Mind you, come back to me when DD3 has learned to read and see if I still feel the same way after my third run through them.

Ours doesn't either.
DD gets a mixture of all kinds of books from various schemes and normal picture books.
I am relieved not to have the competitive thing. She seems to be getting better anyway as far as I can tell.
There's no homework in KS1 either apart from reading.

Hi,

Ours is the same. They band them in colours but they are different from any official scheme.

We get the odd Chip and Kipper but mostly it a mix of everything.

I. Was a bit disappointed in the beginning but then I realised that we don't get any high frequency words to learn because they come with the books. DD is now happy to tackle all her books instead if just the easy reader ones we get from the library which come from some kind if system.

Ours has colour banding but from different sources. A bit of Biff and co, but all sorts of other stuff too, including books that aren't from a reading scheme but have been colour banded. It feels like a good mix to me. Do some not have colour bands at all? Isn't that difficult for the teachers to make sure dcs are getting the right level so as not to feel too easy/overswamped?