Restricting school library book choice by year group.

[waitingforwombat]

My DD is 5, in year 1. She is a confident, fluent reader (she has just finished reading me Fantastic Mr Fox). School are vv cautious about moving up book bands, but reassessed her at the beginning of the year and put her onto orange band, whixh she reads in a couple of minutes with no difficulty. Notes in her reading diary this week have been "wow, fluent reading", and "superb expression and understanding". Trying not to be too PFB, and to just go with the flow on school reading books.

DD really looking forward to going to school library. Our local library has massively cut their hours, and now isn't open at the weekend at all, and sadly only open during the week on days I'm at work. She was hoping to get a new Roald Dahl/Enid Blyton. She has come home massively disappointed that she was only allowed to choose from the "reception/year one" shelf. She has sensibly chosen a fact book rather than a "boring easy book - just like my school books". There were no chapter books at all.

Would it be reasonable to ask that she has access to higher level books in the library? I get that there might be issues with content, but she is used to that (it's an ongoing issue with a confident reader). She goes to the school library once a week, and a new chapter book weekly would be fantastic for her.

Anyone has a similar issue/successfully challenged this?

I actually agree with this rule.

Without it many children will end up taking home completely unsuitable books that they get very little out of. Choosing a book at a optimal level gets easier the better you can read ime.

Ask if she could be allowed a sneaky chapter book in view of your lack of access to a library! But please don't try to get them to change the rule for all.

Berry, I see what you mean. I didn't want to go in asking for something "special", but maybe that might be more appropriate. I'm just worried by how disheartened she was, and by the fact she was describing the books as "boring", which is so unlike my little bookworm.

My DD is 4.5 and reading fluently. Once it clicked with her she was off... has been reading the oxford owls online books to satisfy her and stop the attempts to read over our shoulders at night when we're trying to give her relaxation time. She's just read a turquoise biff/chip "super dog" tonight, easily and with complete comprehension. When she started reception 3 weeks ago they put her in stage 2 books then moved up to stage 4. I was a bit annoyed but went with the flow, thinking she'd show them her true level and besides was reading daily at home anyway. The stage 4 are quite frankly easy or so I thought... she did one set of 6 books over a week and then they sent a non fiction "reference" book home instead which has just shifted the way she looks at books and given us more avenues to explore. We've now done a little reading but learnt a lot about the topic of the book, how to use an index/chapters/headings/diagrams. This has been an eye opener for us, her reading is easy (she's learnt to decode it) but the complete understanding still needs to be polished. Reception and year 1 books are designed for this particularly.

Its a shame for her. I think she was spot on getting a non fiction book. Maybe she can explore that section in more detail.

Do you buy books from Book people? They have brilliant deals.

I wouldn’t worry about school book levels, just encourage them to read other things at home. School will be well aware that they can read and will be working on comprehension and spellings etc. Once children can read they can read pretty much anything, it doesn’t mean they should or actually want to. Encourage and enable her to read things she wants to at home and just go along with the school book levels. Book schemes are pretty restrictive anyway

At DD's school, the books in the library are also banded, and DD can choose books that match her band. Incidentally, DD is on purple (also just entered year 1) so I totally get where you're coming from about a fluent reader where we need to watch for content. But at least this system allows more fluent readers to pick something at their level. Fortunately our local library is open at more helpful hours.

Hopeful, yes I agree, which is why I'm trying to be chilled on school reading books. (Although you may feel slightly differently after treading water with school reading books after a whole year of it in reception!). Trusting teacher on school reading books, and just putting our own reading into diary alongside it, so she is aware reading considerably higher level at home. My feeling on school library books (that come home weekly in addition to daily levelled reading books) is that they should be reading for enjoyment. My guess is thry don't restrict children on lower book bands taking home books that are "too tricky" from the library - my daughter says they could all choose anything from from the year 1 shelf, and there are several children in her class who really struggle with reading (and one moved from abroad who has not been to school before the past few weeks!). The books are to "enjoy with a parent" (ie read yourself or be read to). The problem is my daughter could read them all standing on her head.

Maybe raiding local charity shops is the way to go....

Sheepy - have you had any issues with school not wanting to move her up book bands because of age / content issue? Dd teacher was saying that was probably reason she was limited to green/blue in reception, and that they "need to be careful about moving up much further in year 1"...

DD was on turquoise and purple at the end of reception. She'd been on yellow for ages, then jumped to orange - they read in groups, and I understand that one of the other parents of a child in her group had complained.

We've had a couple of books with content issues (DD doesn't 'get' jokes yet, at least not ones that rely on word play such as 'why did the banana go to the doctor? Because he wasn't peeling very well') as well as some which have seen better days! However I can understand that a school may have slightly limited options for fluent readers when they don't read regularly enough to remember what a chapter book is about. I'd rather hit the odd content issue (never had anything inappropriate, but some has gone over DD's head) than have her bored.

Yes they should be reading for enjoyment.

However school library is usually a group activity, often done under time pressure, which with total free choice can easily end up with half the class picking up a Rainbow Fairies while some of others opt for a Harry Potter. Not many parents of those 5 year olds who aren't reading independently will relish week after week of the generic chapter books (that can develop great reading stamina in children reading for themselves and have their place.)

Most of her reading is done outside of school and in everyday life so it doesn't matter if there's one place where she has a limited choice. This won't hold her back in anyway so I personally wouldn't raise it

My DC went to a infants school so the sort of books you would like weren't even in the school library!

I totally see your point, but the flip side is your child coming home with something unsuitable (many threads about this on here).
I'd accept that the school library is not her only source of reading matter and expand her horizons elsewhere. Is there no other library you can get to? How about swapping books with friends? School Christmas fairs will be coming up before you know it, there are generally loads of books for sale very cheaply there.

I just go for the book people bundles. Got all Roald Dahl and famous five (duplicates are given away as gifts). In DCs school they can pick anything (member of staff just stops them taking anything inappropriate). Presumably the less strong readers are read the book by a parent instead of reading it themselves.
My eldest was also a fluent reader by 5, it gets easier as they get older and it clicks for the slower starters. There ends up with a much smsller(or non existent) gap.

I really sympathise! DD was an advanced reader from a young age, but we were lucky that the school didn’t restrict her reading level at all, even with the school reading books. We had the opposite problem: she was sometimes given books with content we felt was unsuitable. This is less frustrating!

DD’s school library is open after school one day per week, manned by parent volunteers, and children can borrow any book they like. I think it is a shame your DD’s school is restricting her choice, especially as you can’t get to your local library. I wouldn’t make a big thing of it, but perhaps at the next parents’ evening you could explain your predicament regarding the public library, to see whether the teacher can help you out at all.

Meanwhile, buying cheap bundles and raiding charity shops is a good idea, but if your DD is anything like mine that won’t be enough: DD has read hundreds of books per year since Reception. You could consider Reading Chest, where books are posted to you to borrow? I think it’s quite expensive but it might be the easiest solution for you.

Alternatively, can you find another library that is open on Saturdays, even if you have to travel further? DD and I have library cards for two different local authorities for more flexibility.

Are the library books not for the parents to read to the children whereas the book band books are for children to read to parents?

We have the same problem. International school with students 2-18years and Y2 and below share a “library club” (which we have to bloody pay for on top of school fees). Most of the books are for toddler with just a small box of early reader/short chapter books. There is a lovely big library in the school but it’s just y3+.
I just buy from the book people.

I also remember feeling a bit frustrated with the reading scheme books at the beginning of y1, but now at the beginning of y2 I can sort of see the value of grinding through all the stages. From stage 8 up they are increasing in complexity rather than length or vocabulary, so it’s not really about decoding anymore, but more being able to parse complex sentences for meaning and using the correct expression. The practice of going through all the books in a stage seems to make a real difference with this.

I second the PPs who said The book People. It's a shame the resource of the school library is restricted, lots of my eldest's Y1 class were free readers choosing chapter books. The school library doesn't tend to be an exhaustive resource though so I would just hit up the charity book shops (if there are any near you) or book people.

Also to add it's normal for the book scheme books to be much easier than the books kids read for fun at home. They're working on expression, comprehension etc they're not meant to be difficult to read.

My DD chose The Diary of Samuel Pepys in YR from the school library. It was a Ladybird version but she could not actually read much of it. I could though - to her.

I queried her choice in the reading log, and her teacher replied that they did not restrict choice of books because we could read it together and I could read it to her and she would enjoy it. She did. We went to see where the Great Fire started. It was a catalyst for further learning. She chose lots of similar books.

So, your DD should not be restricted. Reading is not just about ploughing through books chosen for you. Reading schemes are for this. There is a wider education to be had through books. I am grateful that our school recognised this. So, I would ask for something more interesting to be made available so she can broaden her education instead of having it limited. Also go to charity shops and buy some books. Ask for books for presents. Can she go to the library wth someone else?

@waitingforwombat - I know you haven't asked for recommendations, but can I suggest The Land of Green Ginger, by Noel Langley - it is a chapter book, and very funny indeed.

I think that, in your position, I would ask the school if your dd can choose from 'older' shelves - the last thing they want is to put her off reading, and making her read books that she finds boring is a very easy way to put her off.

ArfArf, your comment about the benefits of scheme books is interesting. I have a nagging feeling DD has missed out through lack of higher level scheme books and attention from school. She whizzed to the level beyond Lime in YR, after which the school do their own thing and she had a mixture of interesting higher level scheme books interspersed with random stuff, before becoming a ‘free reader’ early in Y2. She has probably read 1:1 with an adult (teacher, TA, parent helper) fewer than 20 times in three years at school.

She reads to us almost every day (and we to her), and I guess the school just trust us to look after her reading needs, but I do think she has missed out on the benefits of short but ‘rich’ content in the higher level scheme books.

When I was five, I used to sneakily peel off the coloured labels in our school library which denoted age/reading band, so that I could get away with picking more interesting books than the ones I was meant to have. Not that I would recommend doing anything naughty like that, of course...

I would have a word with the teacher.

That's shocking. There are plenty of suitable chapter books for her age. Rainbow Magic

My dd had a reading ability above her age but I actually complained about the content of some of the free choice books she was bringing home. (Crushes on pop stars in year 1) so I agree with year group restrictions. However it sounds like your child's school could do with re-avaluating their stock.

Ufortunately funds for school libraries are limited so it my simply be they cannot afford more books.

Our school restricts book band books in ks1. It sucks.