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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

'Free Reading'

19 replies

BrokenBananaTantrum · 03/01/2013 20:50

DD is going onto free reading when she goes back to school next week. I didn't think to ask what this means when I picked her up on the last day of term and I won't be picking her up for a couple of weeks due to starting a new job.

Can you enlighten me as to what free reading is?
Thanks

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Sparklingbrook · 03/01/2013 20:51

From what I can remember is it when they can choose books from the library and no longer have the reading band colour restrictions?

Original poster

BrokenBananaTantrum · 03/01/2013 20:52

Thanks Sparkling. Can they choose any book or will they get some guidance?

OP posts:

Virgil · 03/01/2013 20:52

At our school it means the child can choose any book and they then use that as their reading book. They still have to read to the teacher and aloud to parents from the book.

MyCatHasStaff · 03/01/2013 20:53

Sparkling is right - it usually means she's 'free' to read what she wants, but the teacher/ta should still listen to her read and check she's reading appropriate books (ie stretching her comprehension, grammar, trying different types of books etc).

Original poster

BrokenBananaTantrum · 03/01/2013 20:55

Thanks everyone. DD seems to think she won't be bringing books home anymore either but from what you have said she should still be.

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Sparklingbrook · 03/01/2013 20:56

I don't think my two had any guidance. The same book appeared a couple of times. Also they started to bring reference books home which did make a nice change, it's still reading.

If you think she is choosing either too easy/too hard books just pop a note in the home school diary.

Original poster

BrokenBananaTantrum · 03/01/2013 20:58

Thanks again Sparkling.

OP posts:

Sparklingbrook · 03/01/2013 20:59

You are welcome Broken. It will be interesting for you to see what she chooses.

MirandaWest · 03/01/2013 21:00

It can make a difference depending on how old they are - sometimes free reading will be still be guided to a greater or lesser extent.

Picturesinthefirelight · 03/01/2013 21:00

At my children's school it means they come off book banded reading scheme books and can choose their reading book from an age/level appropriate selection.

mrz · 03/01/2013 21:12

It means different things in different schools. In one school where I taught it meant "we've run out of books at your child's level so they will tread water until they go into the next class"

Growlithe · 03/01/2013 21:19

DDs school library has shelves colour coded by reading level and age appropriate content. This just gives them a bit more of an idea when they go into the library. They are then also encouraged to bring in books from home or the public library that they may be reading.

simpson · 03/01/2013 21:38

It really depends on what the school do tbh...

My DC school do school reading books until lime level (11) but a friends school do reading scheme books until level 16....

My DS (now yr3) is a free reader (the school doesn't "do" free reading in KS1 ) and he can basically choose any book he wants but the books were still v dated etc so basically I provide his reading books (the teacher has oked this) and he reads "proper" chapter books...

Free readers in DS's class read things like Roald Dahl, How to Train a Dragon, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Harry Potter etc etc....

Original poster

BrokenBananaTantrum · 03/01/2013 21:52

Thanks everyone for your responses. It would be great if she could take her own book in. I think she would like that.
Sparkling it will be very interesting to see what she picks

OP posts:

Iamnotminterested · 03/01/2013 22:23

11 or 16 levels before free reading? There are 30 levels at the DC's school...

simpson · 03/01/2013 22:29

30!!! [ shock]

Iamnotminterested · 03/01/2013 22:32

Oh yes. 30. A child achieving FR status at their school is likely to get into the local newspaper.

mrz · 04/01/2013 17:04

Do you use PM books or RR Iamnotminterested? Level 30 is the same as level 15 (or crimson book band a secure level 5 reader)

pointedlynoresolutions · 04/01/2013 20:58

DD2's school goes up to ORT 16 and then they get to choose from a selection of books which form a logical next challenge. DD2 is in Yr5 and was moved off the ORT 16 books after autumn half term - she's currently reading Inkheart and loving it, but has always been a keen reader at home. I still would not say she is a free reader as she has to choose from what's on offer - but the offerings are very good indeed.

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