Before I talk to the teacher about DD1's reading....

[MyFirstName]

Help me get some perspective here....giving background to help with grip-giving as required...

DD in School 1 from reception to Yr2. By the end of the first term of Y1 she had progressed in her reading to being a "Free Reader" and was on the G&T for her reading. (not stealth boast - just show difference in school so no drip-feed).

She then moved school for Y3. Teacher puts her on a fairly simple chapter book reading level. DD says is Early Reader Horrid Henry level - and the end of Biff Chip books etc. These are the kind of books DD takes about 5 minutes to read.

Do not push stuff in the first few weeks as am guessing the teacher may want to assess DD herself. Not long after DD says reading at school is still great - she can take any book she likes in from home even though she is "officially" still on pink. I don't think much more about it tbh. (Now wishing I had - but trying not to beat myself up).

To be fair to me, school reports/parents evening we are told she is doing brilliantly. She is marked as well above the expected level for reading in report.

Having a chat with DD today and after her first day back in the beginning of Y4 and she has been told she has to read a school/class book every night to read to us. This has undoubtedly been told to the whole class. Not a problem with that, if I thought she could pick any book from class. But DD says she has never been told any other level than this pink and so she thinks she should just get pink. She couldn't face one today so got the next level up instead. These are still pretty basic - Amelia Jane by Enid Blyton, Horrid Henry (proper). Takes DD about 30-40 minutes to read.

DD feeling somewhat discouraged. She is not sure what she should be reading. She finds the books at school she is "supposed" to read boring and too easy. I think she is sad that she cannot read books she loves anymore during reading time at school but will be stuck with stuff she finds boring and too easy. She has not read/had any conversation/feedback from her teacher about her reading on a one-to-one basis since the second or third week of Y3 - ie, last year. The only feedback she has is during Guided Reading sessions - which are group sessions.

At home, she reads/has read several times, Alice in Wonderland, Anne of Green Gables, The Lemony Snicket series, all 7 Harry Potters, Little Women, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, all of Malory Towers/St Claires series, Famous Five, Wolves of Willoughby Chase, all the Dahl books.

She loves reading. Is school doing her a disservice? Or more accurately, have I not picked up on the fact that she is not being challenged in anyway. I do not expect her to be on the G&T list still (not sure it did much anyway tbh)

She has the same teacher this year (Y4) as she had last year - so I am concerned things may not change.

Should I say something now or wait? How long for? Or do I need a grip and to just let it go? no, no, no...poor DD is :-(

Oh gosh - sorry so long

Ask her teacher. The only way to get to the bottom of what is happening! Explain what you've put here. Reading levels should be progressed through, so something seems off!

Have you got her NC levels for the end of years 2 & 3? Presumably they show progress? If so, then your way in is to ask why she has gone up x levels in her reading but not in her book band. You could start the conversation by asking the teacher if she can help sort out something your DD is confused about - she thinks that as she's never been told any different, she should still be taking pink level books.

Hopefully, the teacher will reassure you and DD that she's misunderstood or missed a message somewhere along the line. To be honest, as long as she's in an appropriate guided reading group, it matters a lot less what she brings home because you're obviously stretching and challenging her by providing a wide range of books for her to read. As long as you keep that going (and have lots of conversations with her about what she's read) then in my opinion you can ignore the books she brings home. But that doesn't help very much if you have a conscientious DD who is worried about not doing what the teacher says. So your only solution is to speak to the teacher.

This happened to me 30 years ago, amazed it still goes on.
Take into school her reading record from the previous school that is your best start. (That proves you are not just a mum who doesn't know how reading in school is different to at home, and is saying but my daughter reads shakespear at home)
Ask why she is reading easier books than she was at school 2 years ago.

Thank you everyone - especially for reading my emotional word vomit up there^.

So I am not being PFB - I do need to clarify things with teacher...just to make sure she is aware of DD's understanding/confusion if nothing else.

The other thing I would check when speaking to the teacher is that her comprehension is good too. My DS was a very able reader but when we had a similar experience to you in Yr3 and raised it with his teacher we were told (and given evidence) that his reading skills were great and well ahead of his age but he just wasn't taking in what he was reading, had very little recall of what was happening in the story and was completely unable to draw any inferences from the "subtext" of the story.

May not be relevant but worth checking if you plan to speak to teacher. Good luck

Thank you everyone. Spoke to DD's teacher this morning. She said that she tried to put as little emphasis as possible on "levels" and colours as possible. She would rather the children picked any book that they enjoyed Her view was that too much emphasis/interest in levels from the children led to some sitting there with something too complex/above their comprehension just to fit in. i.e. Child A thinking "XYZ is reading a chunky Harry Potter therefore I should too" .

She acknowledged though that maybe her lack of emphasis on what colours people were reading could have caused confusion yesterday. So she will clarify to the whole class - pick a book you enjoy.

She will also have a one to one chat with DD - to reassure her that she has progressed, that she recognised DD was able and "allowed" to read the "highest" level. DD is conscientious and so this will reassure her (me just saying it would not totally calm her fears of not doing what the teacher said as someone upthread mentioned).

DH and I plan to check in a few weeks at parents evening that actually there is enough stuff happening to "stretch" DD. Think we need to make sure this ball is not dropped again.