Book bands?

[Seasonschaaaange]

My son is 4.5 and in his first year at school. He is on pink band books and has been since the start (started in august). When he reads at home he can read all his books with no issues at all (from memory and pictures rather than actual reading) he is getting quite good with phonetically reading words 3 - 4 letters long. I'm worried that because he's shy maybe the teacher doesn't realise he is capable of being moved up? Or do they maybe make them read every book in the band? I have no idea if other kids have moved up or not.

Why don't you ask? Why are people so nervous of asking the teacher a simple question.

Point taken just trying not to be that mum constantly over asking questions.

Well are you constantly asking questions? If so just ask teacher if you can arrange 5 min and go through all your questions at once. Teachers don't like being nabbed as they're going into class

Nah tbh ive only ever spoken to her once which was at meet the teacher. I just always see other mums over before and after school. Hopefuly not long till a parents night and I can ask then. Who knows...he might have moved up by then and this will be for nothing like everything else I have wondered about.

If you've never asked a question why would you be a parent constantly asking questions, I don't understand?
Don't wait till parents night if you have a question ask it surely.
Confused as to why you wouldn't

To be honest as a teacher I wouldn't move children up who were memorising the words (easy enough to check by handing them a new book on the same level). Being on pink it fine at this point in reception, some children will stay on that colour for months until phonics knowledge has embedded and then they move through quickly. At all the schools I have worked out we don't require a child to read all the books on a level before moving up but you would really need to clarify this with the class teacher. We don't mind parents asking us questions honestly! You are new to this and there is bound to be lots you do not know, I'd be more frustrated if a parent thought I wasn't approachable enough to ask.

I agree I wouldn’t move a child who is guessing or memorising a book.

Thanks for answers guys. 2014...what I mean is if I went up and spoke to the teacher everytime I was wondering something I would be there all the time. If I ever have something I am really major worried about then I will definitely speak to her. Just thought people on this forum might have an insight to how the bands work. Is that not what the forum is for?

Thanks for the info guys. By the time I do the reading with him he has already practised in school so he is like a pro 😂 it must be like you say. They will be wanting him to know the words first time reading before moving him up.

“They will be wanting him to know the words first time reading before moving him up.” No. They will want him to read not recite or guess and to be able decode any unfamiliar words.

They need to be able to sound out and blend the words accurately. Also in say phonic bug there were loads of pink (or may have been red level) books as they covered digraphs etc. So that took several months to get through

I wouldnt worry about reading bands so early in the year especially as reception children are getting used to the school envronment. Dds school didnt give any books out for the first half term as long as he is reading regularly at school and home he will be fine.

If you want to give him a range of reading resources at home though then Oxford Owl is a good resource its free to sign up and has lots of the Oxford books as ebooks from the full range of book bands.
Alternatively the local library often has a good range of reading scheme books instead of buying your own although I brought some from the bookpeople that were a very good price then donated them to the school when we finished with them.

My DD also enjoyed using reading eggs but you just need to be aware that the pronounciation of some things are off as they are an Australian or possible american company.

If his books seem too easy, ask about the level. Our teachers don't mind in the least a two minute conversation at pickup or an email. She may say that he is reading them at school first and is working on decoding/not guessing/saying the letter sounds/whatever at a level that is appropriate for pink books.

Oxford owl is great for books online, so if he seems to be reciting a book he's read multiple times already, offer him the iPad (magic for my kids) to read a pink level book on there that he's never seen. It'd be better practice anyways.

Don't stress about the levels. Often I only asked to move my kid up when my kid was unhappy about the level. Also, don't stress your kid out about the level. Mums here give rewards to kids moving up a level. That's also difficult, because moving up is not just about a child's motivation to learn but also about their capabilities. The reception kids who got rewards at our school when my oldest went through were really competitive about levels (yes, the kids).