Hi, namechanged for this, but I'm around a fair bit. Wanted some sensible opinions before I go in to school and sound like a nutter.
DD is 6 - just. Just started Yr 2 at a state primary. She's reading lime level, which the school has given her. And reads them fluently enough although makes the odd mistake (sometimes can for can't if she's going too fast or 'the' instead of 'a'). Doesn't make mistakes on big words, only little ones, oddly. Never any indication that school thinks they are sending home wrong level. Reads with TA, not teacher.
Comprehension fine I think - I read with some of the older years at her school, so have some training and stuff. Try to ask the right questions. She understands, makes some pretty pertinent points.
She's been steadily moved down ability groups in the last two years, so she's now in the second to bottom group for, well, everything I think. So today they did their first guided reading. Her group were reading Yellow Band books - eight levels below what she brings home. Is that normal, and what is she really getting out of reading a Yellow band book? She was reading purple and then gold in guided reading last year, two groups up from this. Is this just lazy banding (I suspect she's in that group because her handwriting isn't very good) or is there a legitimate reason why you'd do that to a child? Personally I find it very demoralising, and she's not exactly enthused. Her confidence (and mine in the school) is at rock bottom now.
Should I say something, or will I look like a fool? I'm not deluded about her reading, the volunteers who work in her class always say how very good she is - I'm the one who has kept her on lime, her TA from the year below tried to move her up a band, but I thought she could do with a bit more time.