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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

ORT pink Yr 1

24 replies

Dinglingding · 13/09/2017 15:46

Hi everyone

My son has recently moved schools - at his previous school they didn't use ORT and seemed from the outside to take a very relaxed approach ( books changed only once a week at most etc.). He is a summer born boy and late to get reading - not until Feb of reception. He got meeting expectations in his school report but my feeling was that he is a bit behind his peers.

Early days at new school but he has been given ORT pink books and I'm just wondering how unusual this is to still be on pink? I don't want to pressure him to read or anything like that but really would just like a vague sense of where he is.

Many thanks!

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Hersetta427 · 13/09/2017 16:20

I think the 'expected average' at the end of reception is yellow (Level 3). Pink is band 1 so a couple behind .

DD started yr 1 on red (level 2) - she was a reluctant reader (31/8 birthday) but something just clicked and she has just started yr 6 and has been the top reader in her class for 2 years.

toomuchicecream · 13/09/2017 17:04

Last year I found that a scary number of my year 1 class had gone backwards over the summer, so lots of children who'd been given expected at the end of Reception were on red books (and one or two on pink). Once we were back into the swing of reading regularly, they very quickly picked up and moved through the several colour bands in the autumn term.

Original poster

Dinglingding · 13/09/2017 17:20

Thanks both

He does seem to have regressed over the summer and is definitely a reluctant reader plus he can be a bit shy when reading and I wonder if that is part of it with him being at a new school. He did read the books easily at home.

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2014newme · 13/09/2017 17:31

It's vital to keep reading daily over the summer, going to the library etc. He's probably reluctant because the books he's on are boring. If you can support him to make progress he'll get onto the more interesting books and reading will become more rewarding

Original poster

Dinglingding · 13/09/2017 17:53

2014 yes this is the catch 22 I'm struggling to break through. I did try and read with him over the holidays, but it becomes such a battle that I worry about putting him off and he then starts deliberately reading incorrectly. He loves writing and being read to but is bored by the more simple books he has to learn to read with. I got some of the songbird books and he quite enjoyed those and improved a lot when reading them - reading stage 3 fairly confidently.

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Daisiesbox · 13/09/2017 18:01

I was a TA in year 2 and we had everything from pink to white and gold. Please don't worry!

Read to him, play word games online (loads of free and fun ones) find books on things he likes and loads of encouragement.

Some kids are slower to read or much younger than most of their year and that's fine. They all catch up and even if they don't there are things that can help.

Some schools also insist on reading every - - damn-- book in the scheme in order before they can progress to next level. It could also be that or if he is fairly new to the school they might just be figuring out what he can do.

Dentistlakes · 13/09/2017 18:12

From my own personal experience, there's a massive range in reading ability in the early years. My two couldn't read at all when they started in p1, whilst others were reading Secret Seven books! It does make you worry a bit, but after a few years everyone is at a fairly similar level, with the odd few who are exceptional. My advise would be to keep reading little and often. Try to find a time when they aren't tired. Tricky I know!

Original poster

Dinglingding · 13/09/2017 18:19

Thanks both for the reassurance. I suspect I find it particularly hard as I was an avid reader as a child, but that's for me to deal with my expecatations!

His last school did ' read every book' and I must admit with the book only changing once a week I also found it very tedious! In retrospect I should have tried to find him some different books myself earlier.

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bearstrikesback · 13/09/2017 18:57

The original ORT stories can be dull and dated. We used the Usborne books at home from the book people phonic readers and the [[https://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_product_tbp?productId=435162&storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100 library first reading library]] and they were very popular with DD.

bearstrikesback · 13/09/2017 18:58

Arrgh. first reading library

Daisiesbox · 13/09/2017 19:14

'Dinglingding

Thanks both for the reassurance. I suspect I find it particularly hard as I was an avid reader as a child, but that's for me to deal with my expecatations'

Ohh yes that is me too.
I am a massive reader and was one of those annoying reading the Famous Five in year one children.

Dc2 now a teen won't read, has never read for pleasure unless made to, Just won't. Although they can read really well now they hate it. It is something I have struggled with if I am really honest!

Original poster

Dinglingding · 13/09/2017 20:44

Thanks bear will take a look.

daisies yes that was me too - annoyingly precocious child reader who just loved books! DS1 would much rather be building things or even doing maths Interestingly DS2 even from a young age has been much more into books and being read to so it will be interesting to see if that continues!

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bangingmyheadoffabrickwall · 13/09/2017 21:32

My Y1 class have a reading range from pre-reading (lilac) all the way to orange!

My own DS was on yellow band wand was assessed as 'expected' for reading at the end of YR in the summer.

I wouldn't be concerned if DS was on pink band. They make rapid progress in Y1 with reading.

IF my DS was still on lilac and not blending VC or CVC words at the beginning of Y1, then I would be concerned.

Original poster

Dinglingding · 13/09/2017 21:52

Thanks banging that is reassuring - he can definitely blend and can sound out/read the majority of words when he focuses. I find it so hard to judge as a parent and get the balance between being engaged and yet trusting/not wanting to hassle the teacher!

Strangely he seems to do better when reading a more difficult book - so we have some yellow and blue bands at home from a big pack that he picked to read the other day and seemed to read much better.

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Londoncheapo · 14/09/2017 02:54

Try the Read Write Inc books--they are more fun than the ORT books, but well written and use proper phonics.

Original poster

Dinglingding · 14/09/2017 07:55

Thanks london He was actually using RWI at his last school and was bringing home purple books at the end of reception. As an untrained person it seems quite different to the approach his new school is taking - he tells me there is no more 'Fred' ?!? I dont know if that is also throwing him a bit ( and it is very early days too!)

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user789653241 · 14/09/2017 10:21

Maybe he was given pink since the new teacher is still assessing his ability? Also he may find it still nervous at his new school, and he maybe shy and may not show his ability to teacher yet.
Purple to pink seems very unlikely drop of ability, even considering slight drop during summer. I would speak to the teacher.

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 14/09/2017 10:35

I assume she meant purple rwi, which is about blue in ort.

user789653241 · 14/09/2017 10:42

Oh, thanks, tomorrow. Sorry about that!.

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 14/09/2017 11:02

Np. lol I've been looking up rwi this week as ds does both and had it up anyhow.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 14/09/2017 11:07

Are the ORT books he's bringing home phonics ones?

If they are not, then this might be the root of the problem. In which case it probably isn't his reading but may be the school's teaching that is the problem.

YorkieButtons · 14/09/2017 14:51

Don't worry too much op.

My dd is a February birthday and was on top table ( hate that phrase but it's what they use ) for reception and year one.

However, she hated reading and was behind her group, had no interest in at until the spring term of year one when something clicked.

She had started year one on red books and finally moved to yellow at the Christmas.
When she left year one in July she finished on purple which was amazing progress!

She is now a couple of weeks into year 2 and is flying. Can't get enough of reading and is on the next level which is white.

I worried myself terrible as had read to her from a tiny baby and am a prolific reader myself.

Sometimes children just need to be given time and they will get there in the end.

Original poster

Dinglingding · 14/09/2017 15:03

Thanks all

yorkie thank you and I think you are right! It's my aim this year not to get too caught up in school and comparisons and worrying

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poppet131 · 23/10/2024 12:58

@Dinglingding - how did your son get on with reading and when did it finally click for him? Any tips that you could share would be great! X

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