reading - how do I approach this?

[PrincessScrumpy]

Dd is in yr1 and doing well. So far the school has been great and we've trusted them but they have asked for feedback re homework and reading. So, after a stream of comments in dd's reading book saying "dd read with ease", "no problems with this book" etc I was even more obvious and wrote "these books don't seem to be challenging dd - should they be?" The teacher's response is to give dd 2 books a night rather than 1. Now I wasn't asking for more easy books to increase her workload more 1 book that would be more worthwhile.
Maybe I'm looking at it wrong but dd goes to bed at a similar time to her 2 younger sisters. (2yo twins) so by the time I get them to bed I read with dd1 and then she goes to sleep. Dh works late so I'm on my own and doing 2 books just seems harder on me rather than challenging her (just challenges my time management skills).
Am I being unfair? How doI approach this?

that doesn't sound right to me. If the books are too easy for her then giving her twice as many won't make any difference.

I would write a nice simple question 'what does DD need to work on in order to move up to the next level?'

You have been sensible with your comments, you have been more obvious with your comments, they haven't taken any notice so either they have a specific thing they need her to be able to demonstrate to them (which they should tell you in response to your question so you can work on it with her) or they are doing one of those bizarre things where the children have to read every book in the level before being allowed to go up.

words you might like to include in comments where appropriate are
fluent, expressive, good comprehension, good discussion about the story and what might happen next, what illustrations can tell us etc etc etc

Is she decoding the words with ease and comprehending the stories? Is she able to answer questions about what she's read, put the story into her own words, predict what might happen and how the characters might act and feel? I ask because reading is as much about comprehension as decoding and this seems to be overlooked often.

Thank you. we had a dr seuss tongue twister book and dh was bored of writing the same thing so he wrote his comment in the same style (dh is a writer) not sure it was appreciated heehee.
They have moved her up 2 levels in the first fortnight of term so they have been stretching her but the last couple of Weeks she's not had any issues with this level and the issues she had previously were the fact she had to sound one word out. I don't want them to be too hard but I know she's on the highest level in the class (they have a wall chart and 4 girls are on the same) but part of me wants to get her onto free reading asap. she lied and told her teacher e forgot to read one night because she wanted to read one of her books. I don't want to put her off reading.

Her comprehension is spot on. At home she likes to read roald Dahl, the wishing chair etc and has good comprehension and remembers the story as we read a chapter at a time so go through what happened before reading the next chapter and sometimes it is a few nights apart as we have to fit school books in to.

Have a word in that case. In the meantime, let her choose her own books from the library.

I wouldn't worry too much about the school books then. My daughter is Yr1 and reads harder books at home, she picks the shortest book she can normally from the box at school (which are mostly way too easy) so that she can read it quicker and get back to Magic Molly or whatever her choice is. The school seem ok with her taking in her own books if she prefers. They are often reluctant to move them off the reading books at such a young age or to the top levels because of suitability of texts etc.

it could be that if they have moved her up two levels already this term they don't want to go any further until they are sure that comprehension etc are all fine at the new level. Our school seem to just go to Book Band 11 and then they have various early chapter books in another 4 levels. We are finding the box 15 stuff too easy but I have no idea what is beyond that (it isn't level 15 I have to stress, they are all only really level 11 books, just longer and different format to the 'scheme' books)

It won't matter in the long run. Is she enjoying reading? This is more important than anything else at this stage.

rather than her tell them she forgot to read (which makes teachers think she still has work to do), your dd should read what she wants to read and tell the teacher that's what she's done.
unfortunately, it does sound like they're not bothered about pushing her.

Also, remember that you can still stretch her at home if you want - Oxford Owl, library, books that you can afford to buy will all be useful additions to her school work. She won't forget how to read if she's reading easier books than she could really manage, but it might just be something that consolidates what she already knows.