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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

Discrepancy between reception and Y1 reading level

112 replies

Vickster99 · 16/09/2016 19:22

I'm after some advice on how best to tackle this.
My DD is a very able reader and in reception last year she was reading white & lime books (stage 10/11) by the end of the year. Today she came home with her first book from Y1 - it was blue (level 4) and way too easy for DD. I'm quite shocked her teacher could have got her ability so wrong and am wondering what on earth is going on. Did they not have any communication between reception and Y1 teachers? Even if they'd like the kids to recap things from last year surely that amount of drop in levels is way too much?

A lot of the books they used in reception were mix and match from different reading schemes or sometimes stickered with a colour but not part of a formal scheme. I was told they'd be following a more formal scheme in Y1 (Collins). Is it possible that the teacher just needs to demonstrate progression through the levels now that they are on the formal sheme?

I'll obviously be talking to the teacher about this but not sure how to tackle it? I dont want to be "that" parent but I fear that DD will completely lose interest in reading at school if she is forced to read stuff like that. At home she is reading Julia Donaldson and other similar picture books and we are just making a start on Horrid Henry books.

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user789653241 · 17/09/2016 09:15

"Lime/White is expected for the end of Year 2 so unless your child can confidently pass a year 2 reading comprehension then the teacher might have changed them for that reason?"

My ds was lime level in reception. His comprehension certainly didn't match his decoding ability. We concentrated on that(to improve comprehension) since yr1. By yr3, it matched perfectly, and he still enjoys reading very much. If he was made to read books way lower than his decoding ability, he may have lost interest in reading completely. And he has amazing range of vocabulary thanks to reading challenging books.

user789653241 · 17/09/2016 09:16

"Lime/White is expected for the end of Year 2 so unless your child can confidently pass a year 2 reading comprehension then the teacher might have changed them for that reason?"

TheEmperorsHat · 17/09/2016 09:33

DS2 was in nursery last year when we realised he's taught himself to read. We were all a bit baffled and his teacher handed him a book that an adult would read to a child and he stumbled through it figuring out the words as he went. After that they put him on the lowest level band, and he read one book from each band to test out his ability over several weeks until he settled on Turquoise books and is going more slowly from there. Maybe the teacher is just checking where your DC needs to be by going through the levels briefly but steadily and seeing where they get to before they struggle?

RiverTam · 17/09/2016 09:36

Bloody hell, it's one book. Do you really think that your DD's reading will be negatively affected by one easy book? Agree that it was probably a mistake. Just read it, fill in her card with a note querying it, and get something else off your own bookshelf.

Original poster

Vickster99 · 17/09/2016 10:33

Do you really think that your DD's reading will be negatively affected by one easy book?
Of course I dont. But for now at least the only reading they are doing in school is the group reading and that is just once a week. So if I don't say something it could potentially take weeks for the teacher to work out her actual level. Which is why I was asking for advice on how to approach it with the teacher.
I cant do drop off/pick up next week at all so I'll write a note in the reading diary for now and then speak to the teacher the week after if the note doesn't do the job.

OP posts:

Feenie · 17/09/2016 11:04

No feenie, totally the opposite. And for guided reading, the book should be straightforward for them.

I suggest you read the curriculum also - aren't you a secondary school teacher, longlost?

Feenie · 17/09/2016 11:08

I agree about parents getting too hung up on reading levels. These are only a very rough guide

Again, contrary to the KS1 curriculum which states that children must be given a decodable book closely matched to their phonic knowledge.

Rough guide my arse.

Humidseptember · 17/09/2016 11:54

The tests which state your dc must read a lower level because her comprehension may not be in line ignore the 2014 New curriculum, which states your dc must be reading a book which is closely matched with their decoding level

Really?

I have lost all faith in the reading levels and have done for years now.

We treat the books as just a little part of her HW that she has to do but its me who provides books suitable for her level and that she enjoys.

Op parents like you and me and so many others on these boards are the ones who take an interest our DC will be OK. What worries me is, the dc whose dp are not engaged for whatever reason, and who rely on the school for sole reading help. Its these dc I feel very sorry for.

Feenie · 17/09/2016 11:59

Yes, really. And I heard a speech by the lead HMI for English who stated firmly that Ofsted would check this vigorously - children must be given a decodable book which closely matches their phonic knowledge.

Feenie · 17/09/2016 12:00

Rigorously! My kindle doesn't speak Ofsted.

Humidseptember · 17/09/2016 12:11

Thanks Feenie very interesting but wholly against what my dc school does.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 17/09/2016 12:14

It seems to be against what a lot of schools do. They're still working on an outdated system.

I think a lot of schools might be in for a shock when Ofsted come visiting.

Feenie · 17/09/2016 12:26

Not surprised - there are even teachers on this thread who don't seem to have read the primary English curriculum. It's scary!

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 17/09/2016 12:37

There's a really unusual (for MN) stream of questionable reading advice today. It's very odd.

Feenie · 17/09/2016 12:41

Better to check what actually is meant to be taught before correcting someone, I would have thought.

As for admitting on a parenting forum that you have no idea what any of it means and giving advice to ignore...[ shock]

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 17/09/2016 12:50

That one is, i think understandable. If you pitch the book at the decoding level of the child and then match the comprehension to their individual needs, then the book band colours become irrelevant.

I'd be happy with a teacher that didn't understand the coloured levels but knew exactly where each child was in terms of decoding and comprehension and pitched teaching to their next steps.

Feenie · 17/09/2016 13:05

I'm not sure that's the case with the OP's ds though, so advice to ignore isn't v helpful.

TweeterandtheMonkeyman · 17/09/2016 13:20

I actually think it's really sad that a five year old would dismiss any story book as "too easy". My Dd is "free reading" now at age six, but still gains much enjoyment from her little brother's books (many of her old favourites) alongside her own chapter books

user789653241 · 17/09/2016 13:39

TweeterandtheMonkeyman, I think it's totally different.
My ds sometimes takes out books he read in nursery or something and read it with joy.
It would be different if he was given those books at school to work with.
Nothing wrong with easier books, but if there's no progressing or challenge, school may be a bit boring.

Humidseptember · 17/09/2016 14:08

tweeter its the biff and chip books though isnt it! Reading a fairy tale for younger ones is fine, trudging through Biff and Chip. not so funif its easy!

Humidseptember · 17/09/2016 14:10

There's a really unusual (for MN) stream of questionable reading advice today. It's very odd.

^^ Yes! BUt its the start of term...attention turns to these things....mine has and I have managed to shove it to the back of our priorties

TweeterandtheMonkeyman · 17/09/2016 14:43

Oh yes, I admit Biff & Chip had slipped my mind for some reason They are pretty dull reading.

To answer the OP , I should think a note in reading diary would be fine - I would think it was an oversight and teacher will pick up on it next week.

Toomanywheeliebinsagain · 17/09/2016 20:40

My daughter is a very good reader- ended reception on turquoise. They did guided reading in reception (and now Year 1). There is no one close to her in reading ability in her year.The school has coped as followed;
Done one to one reading with her daily ( a group of one) . My daughter got upset because she wasn't in a group so we suggested putting her in the top group but staff thought it would be of putting to the other children. The school stuck her in a group in year 1 three a week which worked well.
Now she is in year 1 she is being stretched through a mix of 121, comprehension work while others are in groups to deepen knowledge and a visit to year 2 once a week. She has also access to other books outside of year 1 although we are struggling to find content suitable for a 5 year old that stretches her. I have been really impressed with the school to be honest. They do this proactively and for every child including those who don't speak English or who struggle.

Lisaq01 · 17/09/2016 20:52

My DD has just started in yr1 also, she is on purple books.. level 8.
When she did guided reading in the summer term in Reception she was reading books a few levels below her but always got the correct level sent home for us to read...
Not sure what she is doing in year 1 as she is still getting used to the routine but she is still bringing home purple books home

Ginmummy1 · 17/09/2016 21:26

Vickster99 - the same has just happened to my Y1 daughter. She was getting books from the Y3 classroom while in Reception (moved up from Lime after Easter), and she came home with a Red book (10 levels lower than she'd been reading in Reception).

I just asked the teacher at the end of the following day, and she said it was a mistake, and that DD could change her book the following day, for one at the same level as before as a starting-point.

It's definitely worth speaking to the teacher at the next opportunity, to set your mind at rest. Hopefully it will then be sorted quickly, and if the teacher does have a reason for the change, at least you'll know what it was. Don't go in all guns blazing though - just a polite question. Good luck!

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