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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

How common is jumping several reading levels at once?

36 replies

SuperScribbler · 03/07/2013 13:49

DS is coming to the end of Y1 and has made good steady progress in his reading throughout the year. Last week we had a parent's consultation and his class teacher was telling how impressed she was with him and that he was doing well for his age. So far, so good. But at that meeting we informed her that DS would be leaving the school at the end of the term because we were unexpectedly moving overseas (DH is in the armed forces). We therefore requested the school to forward the relevant paperwork to the new school - including DS's assessments.

To set the scene further DS is in a small private school rated excellent by the ISI, but will be moving to a state funded British School in Europe that has an outstanding ofsted.

This week DS comes home with a book 4 levels higher than the one he was previously on and it is now bugging me slightly. It's definitely not a mistake because it's clearly noted by the teacher in his reading diary. How likely is it that his progress would have made such a huge leap? Or has this got something to do with his current school trying to make themselves look good to the new school? Or have they been slack in assessing DS's reading and are now rectifying it so the new school doesn't judge them?

Not really sure why this is bothering me so much, but it feels like a red flag to me. I know it doesn't matter really as we are moving on, but I'd like to know what's going on.

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HarumScarum · 03/07/2013 14:21

DD has done this a few times, twice in Reception and once at the beginning of Y1. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. I think it is perfectly possible for a child to suddenly just 'get' some aspect of reading that was holding them back a bit before.

Ilovesunflowers · 03/07/2013 14:36

Can he read it? Does he understand the story? Those are the important things...not what level it is.

meditrina · 03/07/2013 14:41

4 seems a lot.

But DD definitely learned to read in a series of little leaps, and would sometimes stick at one colour for seemingly forever, but then gobble up the next two in only a couple of books each, then stick for ages again. I think sometimes things do just click.

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 03/07/2013 14:45

A red flag? Seriously? Heralding what?

You're leaving anyway and your child has been moved up some levels. I'm sure you're pleased really

prissyenglisharriviste · 03/07/2013 14:48

If he can read it without any issues then it's not a problem, is it?

We didn't know dd2 could read until she read the lion the witch and the wardrobe to mil when we went out, and the next day was reading Virginia Woolf over my shoulder. (Literally a true story. No idea she could read at all.)

No idea what school have been doing, but if he can read it, he can read it.

fanoftheinvisibleman · 03/07/2013 14:51

DS went up a similar level within the same school leaving year one in the first few weeks of year 2. I had heard mumblings and grumbles about progression under the year 1 teacher from other parents. He did fine on the nee books so I figured he was in the right level and as all seemed well now I didn't see the point in worrying about it.

Periwinkle007 · 03/07/2013 16:37

I agree - if he can read it then don't worry about it. if he can't read it then obviously it is wrong. It is more likely they are doing all their paperwork for september for all children and are rechecking their reading as children do often jump suddenly when they are learning to read.

Jinsei · 03/07/2013 16:43

Quite common to skip a few levels I would think. Nothing to worry about. :)

itsnothingoriginal · 03/07/2013 17:43

I'd say he's just made that 'leap'. It's a positive thing

Several of the reception children I work with have just done the same. DD also went up 4 levels over the summer hols last year when reading just clicked for her. Most schools would surely reassess anyway when a new child joins rather than just accepting the level the previous teacher has given them so you'll soon see if it's 'wrong'.

valiumredhead · 03/07/2013 18:06

Yeah ds was the same, suddenly jumped levels all in one go.

puffylovett · 03/07/2013 18:14

Des jumped 11 levels in one go recently. Like you I feared a red flag, but he really did all of a sudden just 'get' it. I spoke to a lovely retired reception teacher who helped allay my fears.

thegreylady · 03/07/2013 19:03

My dgs jumped from 'orange' to 'gold' and then to free readers [just coming to end of yr1].
Wow puffy I didn't think there were 11 levels!!!

lljkk · 03/07/2013 19:25

Ofsted inspects schools in Europe?

Big jumps are not uncommon ime, but I wouldn't trust myself to have a clue what the levels were; you can't go by the labels on the little books, from one day to the next, that part I do know for sure.

sttressedmum · 03/07/2013 19:28

my dd is in primary 2 and jumps levels up n down all the time apparently they need to give her the booms she can read and sone simpler ones for the way the works go and puctuation one time she has a few words on a page the next she has huge paragraphs I wouldnt worry to much x

pointythings · 03/07/2013 19:29

Not uncommon at all to jump levels - both my DDs did it in Yr1 and YrR respectively, a massive 6 and 5 levels. Reading can just click very quickly - in DD2's case it literally happened over the course of 3 days - took us and teacher by surprise.

Original poster

SuperScribbler · 03/07/2013 20:44

That's very reassuring - he's jumped from level 10 to 14 and the book he's been given is aimed at KS2 children. He did read and understand it perfectly, so I do wonder if they've been letting him coast. I'll try and stop fretting - I think the whole school move is making me sweat the small stuff .

To the pp who asked about Ofsted inspecting a school in Europe. It's a strange set up I must admit, but it is a essentially a British primary school, totally funded by the UK govt, staffed British teachers trained in the UK and follows the National curriculum. As such it is subject to Ofsted inspection. The pupils are almost exclusively the children of UK servicemen.

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Periwinkle007 · 03/07/2013 21:48

Thegreylady - our school has 16 levels I think, someone on here the other has 30 in her school!

10-14 doesn't surprise me to be honest. I have noticed that they get to 10/11 ish and then the books aren't actually THAT different. I always assumed that the easier chapter books were 11 and then harder ones were 12 and then the much harder ones were just beyond that. When I looked at the books in 12-16 they aren't necessarily that long if they are 'scheme' books but they do deal with harder grammar and so on and the expectation of what they should be able to understand changes (and often tougher topics). To be honest IMO once they get to 11 then it kind of becomes irrelevant as they can really and truly read properly. I suspect they have made him read x number on 11 to check he is confident enough to go beyond that and then he has suddenly got to grips with much smaller font and longer books so they have just moved him up appropriately. He is doing very well! My daughter is on 11 and refused to read any more of the diabolical books because they were all boy focused once she had read all the ones she liked, the then read some 10s she had missed out and now takes her own book to school until the end of term because there is no point moving her up now as she would have to get the books from Yr1 so she might as well wait until september. She is reading Dick King-Smith and other easier/shorter chapter books and some early readers so 11-12 seems exactly right for her but at some point I suppose she will suddenly decide she doesn't NEED the pictures (we have just made a jump from wanting colour pictures in early readers to black and white occasional sketches in proper books) and hopefully even with her eye problems will get more used to smaller font so by september she should probably be ok to go up a level but if not then I would hope they would let her continue with reading 'other' books at 11 rather than just scheme ones.

freetrait · 03/07/2013 21:51

Well, you get to the stage where "you can read". This happens somewhere around stage 10 ish I think, and then it's how sophisticated a book you read re comprehension/vocab, more for understanding than any issues of decoding.

Got no idea what "level" DS is. He is Y1 too. Can read books aimed at KS2, probably not understand them/comprehend on such a sophisticated level as many KS2 kids, particularly the older ones. He had "The Worst Witch Strikes Back" the other day, which said "Year 5" in the front. Actually this was a bit hard for him to read to us so we shared it with him. There was a lot of vocab that he wasn't familiar with, and whilst he could read it it was nicer to read to him and explain some of the stuff as we went along. I noted this like a good parent in the reading diary. He was quite amused when I showed him it said "Year 5" in the front .

Periwinkle007 · 03/07/2013 22:09

thats interesting the Worst Witch is Yr5 - I have often wondered where the 'old' books fit into ages. I remember rough ideas of when I read some things at school but we have lots of my old books in the loft and I have no idea what age to think about getting some of them down. The Worst Witch ones are actually down because I was thinking the kids might enjoy listening to them at some point but I haven't even looked at them yet.
I think the older books have a very different style of writing don't they (and that teeny tiny font!)

freetrait · 03/07/2013 22:15

I would never have put WW at "Year 5", but having got DS to read it I can see why they have put it there, or at least WW Strikes Back that we had, I guess it is similar? I am being fussier (sometimes) about getting DS to understand what he reads, and there were a couple of pages that he read that took most of the reading time due to explaining all the vocab/language. It is lovely and rich .

Periwinkle007 · 03/07/2013 22:25

I remember really enjoying it. I think some of the classic old books are read at a higher age now because of the different language and style. I look forward to reading it to my two now.

I find that with my daughter now. Getting used to all the punctuation being used more, commas etc, description making the sentences longer so you have to concentrate more and so on. She seems to be adapting well but there are many more questions (and a lot of 'what does that word mean - translucent was one the other day). I think they HAVE to understand it or what is the point. There is no use being able to read the words without understanding what is going on, that isn't really reading is it. He will progress so much better if you do spend that time with him and his enjoyment will be much greater.

freetrait · 03/07/2013 22:29

Yes, I think they need to understand it for books they are specifically reading to you as "reading books". Just DS reads so much and so widely that I don't think he has a hope of understanding everything he reads, and somehow it's never bothered him so I'm inclined to let him be. I think that's how he learnt to read really, he was trying to read something far too hard for him before he'd got his first "reading book" home from school .

freetrait · 03/07/2013 22:30

And yes, I agree re the old fashioned books being pitched at higher ages, but I don't see why younger children shouldn't handle them, often it is a question of exposure.

Periwinkle007 · 03/07/2013 22:32

thats fine though if he is enjoying it and like you say he is doing the 'learning' side as well with you. My daughter still prefers to just read to us rather than on her own although she does read to herself sometimes but she is still in reception so I am sure it will come soon and then I will be the same and leave her to it (to avoid having to suffer all the rainbow fairies) to a point. I have enjoyed the Dick King-Smith books though, fun to listen to.

freetrait · 03/07/2013 22:36

Ah yes, that is a real advantage to being a more independent reader , and DS has certainly come to it more this year than last. DD hasn't discovered the Rainbow Fairies yet, long may that continue....

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