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Primary education

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Original poster

Reading records in Year 5/6

82 replies

AugustRose · 08/09/2017 09:37

I'm just curious to know if your schools still using reading records for the older children or more able children.

DD2 (10) hasn't really used hers since Yr4 as she is a very able reader, doesn't read to me (although we do talk about the books she has read) and her Headteacher knew she read a lot of books at home so she wasn't bothered about it. They do guided reading at school which is recorded by the teacher.

We got a new Head last year and he was surprised that some of the older children didn't use their records and wanted them to but didn't really force it.

This year he is insisting that they use them. DD and others in her group are advanced readers and I don't understand the need for them. I know reading records are helpful for younger and reluctant readers.

Do your children still use them? I know it's a minor issue but it is one of a few and maybe I'm just nit picking.

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Allthebestnamesareused · 08/09/2017 15:01

Yes - ours were supposed to be filled in nightly and signed off by the teacher on a Monday.

We used to have to remember to make it up on a Sunday evening . Not as bad as it sounds as DS was an avid reader it was really just jotting down what book he was currently reading and guessing how many pages a night.

mrz · 08/09/2017 16:35

We use reading records right through the school including Year 6. We expect children to read aloud to parents or it's pointless signing the home reading record.

user789653241 · 08/09/2017 17:48

mrz, I have a question, please.
A lot of parents of avid readers think their children don't need to read aloud anymore. I think otherwise, so we still carry on doing what school suggests.
But what are the benefits, if the child is a good reader, can decode, can comprehend, enjoy reading all the time?
I think it still worth doing it, but I am just a parent, so I maybe wrong.
Could you please tell us why you expect reading aloud right through the school?

Pizzaexpressreview · 08/09/2017 18:26

Our school has said daily reading is fine to read to themselves! I don't see much point my avid reader reading to me daily. I might be more active with weekly though!

user789653241 · 08/09/2017 18:56

My ds just read me a chapter of 'The Number Devil'. He loves reading to me. Maybe he is a weirdo.

RedAndGreenPlaid · 08/09/2017 20:12

To check pronunciation, flow, meter, etc?
Isn't there a writing intervention, speaking for writing, or something? In order to write, you need to be able to articulate...

mrz · 08/09/2017 20:23

"A lot of parents of avid readers think their children don't need to read aloud anymore." Reading aloud is important for developing comprehension and vocabulary regardless of age. Children who read silently have been shown to "ignore" unfamiliar" words and can have lower level understanding. Experts sometimes refer to it as "thinking aloud" as it focuses the reader.
Listening to your child read and reading to them is often dropped when parents and some teachers consider their child to be a good reader but it's important regardless of age and apparent ability.

mrz · 08/09/2017 20:24

ReadandGreen ..."Talk for Writing"

RedAndGreenPlaid · 08/09/2017 20:25

Thanks! Knew it was along those lines

thepatchworkcat · 08/09/2017 20:34

I'm a KS2 teacher and have been for nearly 10 years all at the same school. I have never seen or heard of a reading record at my school! (For KS2 anyway). Sounds like a huge faff to me. What teacher has time to check 30 reading records every day or week or whatever?!

BrieAndChilli · 08/09/2017 20:38

I had this with DS1. He was assessed in reception as having a reading age of 14+ and hated reading fiction books, he would however spend hours and hours reading factual books (science, history, encyclopaedias etc) but if I asked him what he had read that week he would refuse to tell me (ASD) and I wasn't going to follow him around to keep track of what he was reading!! We've had a couple of teachers over the years try to insist we record his reading but most realise he's a better reader than they are and there is more important things to focus on like his handwriting pick your battles

DD age 8 on the other hand has read the first 4.5 Harry Potter books over the summer holidays and is planning to write a book report to end all book reports over the weekend to take in monday!
If only I could get some of this reading malarkey to rub off on DS2 I would be golden!

BrieAndChilli · 08/09/2017 20:39

We do however still have a bed time story which varies between me, DH, DS1 or DD reading the story aloud

BrieAndChilli · 08/09/2017 20:40

We also get The Week Junior and the kids read out interesting bits to the rest of us over breakfast or lunch over the weekend

mrz · 08/09/2017 20:49

"What teacher has time to check 30 reading records every day or week or whatever?!" Every teacher

Pizzaexpressreview · 08/09/2017 20:51

Thepatch really!? I don't object to a reading record. I don't like detentions of you don't read/singling out the good readers for treats particularly but not to know what/I'd they're reading outside class seems odd!

ShowOfHands · 08/09/2017 20:59

DD is 10 and reads avidly. She reads a few novels a week, mostly YA fiction like Horowitz and Clare right now. She fills in her own reading diary every day and gets a daily stamp. They are rewarded after 50, 100 and 150 stamps. They dont expect her to read to me anymore because of the level she's at but she still does.

OytheBumbler · 08/09/2017 21:22

The reading schemes are useful because they introduce the child to books they wouldn't otherwise try.

At our school we have daily readers, 3x a week readers and 1x a week readers. So the children are heard reading and the journals are filled in by teachers, TA's and parent helpers at least weekly.

It's amazing how many able children don't read at home and so don't progress as quickly along the reading scheme, despite ability. The journals are useful in assessing how involved parents are in their child's education.

The avid readers still devour Harry Potter etc at home but also follow the reading scheme up to year 6 just to get that variety in reading material, and to give the school an opportunity to assess their understanding of different texts.

Pizzaexpressreview · 08/09/2017 21:34

Mine is off the scheme!

user789653241 · 08/09/2017 21:37

Thank you mrz.

user789653241 · 08/09/2017 21:47

Although ds is allowed to read any book to me, our school uses online reading scheme as well. So as Oythe says, they will be assigned the scheme books by the teacher for comprehension purposes.
My ds stayed on lime level throughout ks1(have ceiling), and being on ruby since yr3, but I assume he will stay on that level until the end of yr6. But tbh, he actually enjoys reading those books, since a lot of them he won't choose himself, except for fact books. I love the choice, since the teacher seems to pick classics to counter his more modern choice of books.

mrz · 09/09/2017 06:08

"Mine is off the scheme" We don't use a scheme. By KS2 our children read a variety of authors and texts, but children are allocated books and have reading records.

Pizzaexpressreview · 09/09/2017 06:32

My daughter reads quite wildly thankfully
she'd resent having books chosen for her now. The librarian they used to have used to have at school used to be really good at suggestions though.

MerryMarigold · 09/09/2017 06:35

I don't think ours had them. My son in y3 last year was a prolific reader and slowed to fill it in himself. Maybe that's a compromise.

MerryMarigold · 09/09/2017 06:35

Slowed = allowed

UnaPalomaBlanca · 09/09/2017 06:53

Yr5 teacher didn't look at reading record once. I took it to parents' evening and thrust it under his nose but he still wasn't interested. I don't think DC got ANY benefit whatsoever from filling it in.
It's much better to have a conversation with your DC about their books.
My heart sank when reading record appeared for Year 6.

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