Reading and school reading books in KS2

[brilliotic]

DS' school currently seems a bit disorganised re reading. On the one hand they are frequently reminding the children to read daily, to record all reading in their reading records, and threatening sanctions to those who don't read enough.
On the other hand, since starting Y3 DS school reading books have hardly ever been changed, despite him having read them, me having signed them off, and him having put them in the correct box ('books need changing'). I understand from other parents that it has been similar with all or most children, independent of their reading levels. Up end of Y2 we got 4-5 reading books per week.

So I am just trying to navigate my way through this. But I realised that though I feel I understand quite a bit about 'learning to read' (and was able to substitute at home where I felt school was lacking), I do not really know what is meant to happen (in a good school) once children 'can read', and so don't know if/how DS' school is falling short, and if/how I could support at home.
What would 'progress' mean? How are children 'instructed' in reading at school? What purpose do the school 'home reading books' fulfil?

I understand that in some schools, once children 'can read' that's it, there is no further reading 'instruction'. Children are asked to read (i.e. practise), but aren't taught anymore. Yet if I remember correctly, some teachers on here have mentioned that reading instruction should continue right through KS2. I just don't know what that should/could look like.

The class teacher has been off with illness a lot this half-term and I really do not want to create extra stress for her. DS is doing well; I just wish to understand what 'reading' could/should look like.

They will have guided reading at school all the way through to Year 6.
Some schools may still be doing phonics in Year 3, as well.

Depending on the school your child may be still expected to follow a reading scheme for slightly longer/follow a scheme all the way through school or just pick their own books to read.

My DC changed their own reading books since Reception - is this something you can suggest is teacher is way/busy/whatever?

The school wants to introduce children changing their own books, but seem too disorganised to get it going. They tried at the beginning of Y1 but soon gave up and went back to parent volunteers doing it.

I do not know how they handle the scheme in KS2. I do know that they have a good number of scheme books going beyond level 11 (lime/bright pink). In KS1 they have a policy of all children reading every book of each level. DS read about 140 books at lime/bright pink level last year - and finally exhausted the list... So now he is 'off' the list and gets to choose his own books (but TA changes them. In theory. In practice it has happened twice so far this term.) However they are from a levelled box, they are scheme books, and they are still bright pink level but aimed at KS2 children whereas the books he worked through last year were the same 'level' but aimed at KS1 children. So it seems they keep children on a scheme at least for a little while into KS2? (DS reads well beyond that level, and has done for a good while.)

I am happy to provide books at home; we frequent the library and raid the charity shops, and I'm a good customer over at The Book People. But is DS missing out on some learning, on progressing, by not being given school scheme books at the appropriate level? When I get books for him I don't care how hard/easy they are, only if he's keen to read them. So if he 'ought' to be being stretched by harder books/unfamiliar genres, then school isn't doing it nor am I!

Given the school's very lukewarm attitude towards phonics I doubt they are still doing any; we are told they do guided reading regularly (1-2x weekly) and record it in the reading record, however there is no record in DS' reading record yet for this term.

At ds's school, children change books from reception.
They only goes up to lv11 in KS1, but they goes up to lv16 in Ks2.
Children are free to choose their home reading books from leveled books/ library books/ home books anything, as long as they read. Main purpose is to read aloud.

They have log in to online reading comprehension as well, which teacher assigns books according to reading levels.
Also seems to do guided reading divided into ability groups. But they don't record anything in KS2.
I am quite happy with school's approach.

Reading with interest. DD’s school is more organised about the changing of books and doesn’t force people to read all of the books at a particular reading level, but now DD has been given ‘free reader’ status (I recognise that this means little between different schools) I don’t know whether there will continue to be any sensible progression.

It appears that, in her school, ‘free reader’ means being given completely random books! This week it was an old-fashioned fairy tale book (fine but a bit easy) and an ‘adult’ book which was a study of cat characteristics and behaviour. She’s only in Y2! I don’t think we can face several more years of random books.

At home she loves reading and we go to the library a lot, but like OP I don’t make special effort to challenge DD – and I’m not sure how to, when there is no scheme to follow.

So really, Brilliotic, my post is just to say you’re not alone!

I think if the child read regularly, and enjoy reading, they will progress. I never really thought about challenging ds for reading. We did work on comprehension side since it was mismatched to his decoding. Don't know about school, but they seems to be very relaxed about it.

DS (yr3) is classified as a free reader which means at his school he can choose from either a selection in the classroom, from the school library (the librarian seems to give some guidance), or anything from outside of school. He's a very keen reader and stretches himself so this works fine for us. I know they also do guided reading in the classroom.

DD is Yr 3 and as far as I can work out, her class does 10-15 minutes reading to themselves most mornings. She can chose a book from the book corner, or bring one in, but the book stays at school. I don't think there is any guidance as to which book to choose, or any discussion about what they are reading. She doesn't have a reading record any more and they don't do scheme books now.

She does read at home though, and we have a deal that she always has one book on the go that we choose together, and then she can read what she likes the rest of the time.

What I'm reading from these responses is that in the main, schools do 'guided reading' and encourage the children who 'can read' to read regularly (within school hours and/or at home), but provide little to no guidance with this.
With the exception of irvine's school where they have online comprehension stuff and book levels up to 16.

If that is considered fine, then I won't worry about the number/level of school reading books DS gets. He usually reads plenty at home.

I am still interested in the opinion of teachers, e.g. Mrz, who IIRC have critical views regarding guided reading and online comprehension tools, and believe in continuing instruction in 'reading' rather than just letting kids read (and presumably learn by practice/osmosis).

“They will have guided reading at school all the way through to Year 6” not necessarily many schools have never used guided reading and many others have moved to whole class reading lessons.

Ah - I was considering whole class reading to come under the umbrella of "Guided reading". Is GR specifically only small group then?

My DD in year 6 has been a free reader since yr2. She’s reads what she likes from School library and we get books from our town library she has to write in her reading record what she reads, they expect a min 20mins every day and I sign the record weekly to acknowledge it. They get reward certificates at school when they read 20-50/75/100 Books in the year. I’ve not worried too much about the type of books she reads just that she enjoys reading. Mostly it’s been Tom Gates which are really easy reads but she enjoys them my younger DD on the other hand likes non-fiction 500 facts type books & rainbow fairy books! But she’s only in y2 and they read every morning for 10mins after register.

Yes, they do whole class reading as well at ds's school, but seems to go on for while and more deeper than just for "reading". They use the book for different aim, like writing alternative ending, analyzing text, etc.