Reading level in Reception

[Minki]

DS2 (born end of March) is in Reception and on ORT pink level 1 and songbirds. He's starting to blend and seems to be making progress. However, a friend of mine whose son is Reception at a different school said that he was massively behind as he has only just got to level 3!!! I think I am right in thinking that level 1 is fine for Reception so don't really get why the other school (which is a normal state school) would say it's behind. DS1 was on level 1 then 2 in Reception, levels 2-5 in year 1, and 6-8 so far in year 2, which I thought was bang on. Could they be on a different reading scheme?

I dont think a teacher would say a child was behind for level 3 in Reception. Reception ranges from children who can read Enid Blyton to children struggling with blending.

Of course they could be different. Yellow stage 3 is the minimum target for end reception. Some will already be on level 10 by that time or even free reading others will still be on pink. Huge range. some don't get it till much later, others are flying from day one.

I understood that ORT level 2 was the target for the end of Reception?

Free reading at the end of Reception? Really? I meant different reading scheme, not different abilities!!

Level 3 is minimum target for end reception, level 6 minimum for end year 1 and 10-11 for year two. Of course not all achieve the minimum target, it is just a target. At my dds school 80% of the class were on white level 10 by end year one but the others ranged but over the place.
Your son is doing fine I wouldn't worry!

DS is a free reader in reception and is reading Harry Potter with help from us to understand the meaning of about 10 words per page. He is very unusual though, it just clicked early for him. Dd1 was about 7 when it clicked for her but now at nine she is ahead in terms of comprehension of some of her peers who were free reader at the end of reception. She stretches herself in terms of the material she chooses to read. This gives average reading levels but I have found that they don't always progress in a steady rate.

Ignore, ignore, ignore. Children will learn to read at their own rate and some just 'get it' quickly. I have 3 dc and the first was very slow to read (and even now is not keen at 14! ), no2 was fairly unimpressed but now devours books (age 12) No3 was fast to read, was close to free reading at the end of reception and still loves to read (10) I did nothing different with any of them and encouraged all to love books.

Ok, this is clearly not the place to come if I want to be reassured!! Harry Potter in Reception? Free-readers and 80% level 10 by end of year 1? DSs go to an outstanding rated school, results are top in the borough, but there is no way 80% of the class were on level 10 by the end of year 1. 40% perhaps.

DON'T WORRY about it!

I worked in primary schools for twenty-five years, during which time the ways of teaching reading changed greatly. The Phonics they teach now is more successful than the older methods, and helps children understand spelling and writing, as well as reading.

Is he HAPPY, and enjoying all the other subjects and activities they do in Reception? That is much more important at this stage, than the reading level he is on! Babies and children develop at different rates, acquire different skills at a wide range of ages.

If you fret this much over Reception reading, I'm sorry, but you will be a wreck by the time he gets to University!

But whilst some children may be free reading etc, others will just be starting their journey to become readers. As they grow older you can often not tell who was at which level in reception. The same way one child may walk at 10months another may not walk until 18months, by the time they are 4 you wouldn't know which was which.

I must say, I am confused, a week ago I posted a thread asking for help, and saying I was worried about my DS's progress in reception (P1 in NI in a very large class of 34). And was essentially accused of trying to hothouse him, yet he REALLY struggles with blending and has shown little progress since December, despite being described as bright and capable by his teacher.

I cannot see how he will be on Level 3 by the end of the year.

And on here you say thais minimum expected level?

I work in a Reception class. Off the top of my head I would say most of the children are on level 1 or 2 books. A some are on 3-6 and at the top end there are maybe 3 or 4 on 7-9.

Most children have got the hang of hearing initial/final sounds and blending and segmenting CVC words by now.

Interesting idea that level3 (yellow book band) is the minimum requirement for the end of reception .There are many schools that don't use book bands or ORT levels ... OP it simply isn't true please don't worry.

Pink is fine. There are loads of DCs on pink at this stage on reception. If he is starting to blend he is doing well. Better to learn properly than to rush through the levels, ticking each book off as you go, desperate to get on to the next stage. The problem with mumsnet is that people who want to boast about their exceptional child (or child taught how to read before starting reception) come on these threads whereas most people with DCs who only started learning in reception don't feel the need to comment.

How do you know what level your child is reading at? DS brings home a huge variety of reading books that don't seem to correspond to any reading levels or progression. Some days they have no words, other days they are full stories. Yesterday's book was about bumper cars, and published in 1973!

Do you find out just from parents evenings? Or from asking the teacher at pick up time?

DS brings books from the correct book band home, plus a story book for us to read to him.

Ds2 is in R and started level 3 books a few weeks ago.

But he is very much the exception and the only one out of 17 in the class on level 3...at the recent parents evening we were told he is far ahead of where he would be 'expected' to be in January of R year.

I don't say that to boast...but just to illustrate that level 3 isn't 'the norm' from what we've been told iyswim?

Ds1 finished R on level 2 ORT. He went through stages 3-7 in Year 1 and is now in Year 2 and about to finish stage 9...no idea whether this is good or not tbh. Someone down thread mentioned level 11 as a 'minimum' for year 2 though, which seems a little high for a minimum...only 2 in ds's class are on stage 11 ATM.

You also sometimes find that the early flyers level out. I was astounded when ds1 was in R because a girl in the class was on level 7.

But she went through stage 8 in the whole of year 1 whereas ds and many others jumped a few stages and in year 2 is now on par with ds1.

Thanks Kindlefancy, that is exactly my understanding too. I think DS2 will progress quickly (just read with him tonight and he is actually reading properly) and will easily be level 3 by the end of Reception.

If it's any reassurance I work in a yr 1/2 class and we have stage 2 up to free reader! My own daughter gave her teacher grey hairs in yr 1 as was hitting no targets at all but now in yr 4 she's doing brilliantly! Don't worry they are all so different and all get there at different rates x

Sorry to hijack here - our teacher seems to pally her own 'bands' by sticking small coloured labels on the spine of each book. Is this just the teacher sorting her own supply of books into levels?

OP please do not worry. Honestly.

Your DS2 is fine. As is your DS1. Please remember that some DC just 'get it' early with reading. Others take longer for it to click. It's entirely possible that a later starter will catch up with and even overtake those early bloomers, and can certainly become more enthusiastic and avid readers in the longer term.

Here's a few examples for you (My DS1's cohort, now in Y6, have just finished their SATs mocks).

DS1's best friend: started reception already reading, around stage 3 ORT I think, flew through the levels, free reader by start of Y1. Got L5 reading in the SATs mock and predicted a good level 5.

Friend's DD: not reading when started reception but took to it early and again, flew through the levels and an early free reader. Got L5 reading in the SATs mock and predicted a good level 5.

My DS1: not reading when started reception, very 'average' in terms of early reading development, progressed well but felt quite slow to me. Stage 2 at end reception, stage 5 by end Y1, stage 9 (I think) by end Y2, finally made a free reader at start of Y4. Got L5 reading in the SATs mock and predicted a good level 5.

Obviously the SATs levels will mean sweet bugger all going forward (because SATs levels are going) but the point I'm trying to make is that, now, at age 10/11, you wouldn't really be able to pick out which of those three children was the earliest free reader if you didn't know.

Your boys are FINE. (I too also have a reception DS on level 1 books and I am not worried about him in the slightest. Probably because I've seen how things even out in the longer term).

Please remember too that different schools seem to take very different approaches to how they move the DC through the reading schemes and I suspect this is what has triggered your friend's comment. Her school is probably taking a rather more driven approach to yours. This is not necessarily a good thing! Interestingly, our infant school (ofsted outstanding, FWIW) takes a very gentle, individual approach to reading and at this point in reception there will be more than a few DC who have yet to even bring a reading book home. Their Y2 SATS results for reading have always been very high (around 50% getting level 3 with the majority of remainder achieving level 2) so they're clearly doing something right.

Numpty - yes lots of schools band differently. The same books are different levels at my school and my DC's school for example.

Sounds like it Numpty - a lot of schools compose their own set of reading books these days and use a variety of different schemes. May possibly be worth asking if the colour coding corresponds to book band colours that are used nationally or whether she has her own order of colours though.

OP: There is absolutely nothing wrong with pink band at all, and I think pink, red or yellow are probably considered to be within the normal range by the end of the year. My ds is getting a mix of red and yellow books at the minute (following ORT) but I wish they would actually keep him on red for a while longer...They seem to be rushing him and I'd rather he took his time and got to grips with it (probably a Mumsnet first to confess to not wanting their child to move up a level!!)

I'm by no means an expert as just a parent with ds1 started in reception this year.

He got segmenting and blending straight away, and yes he's been on yellow since start of this term. However judging by conversations with other parents, there is still a very big range - pink to yellow at the moment as some of them just haven't clicked with blending yet. I believe it's quite common, but once they get it they progress quite quickly