Friend boasting about Y1 reading levels

[CalamityJane10]

DS is Y1 and on Turquoise /level 7 book band. I thought he was doing really well; I am really proud of him.

Met an old friend today whose DD is same age and at a top London prep. She asked me outright what reading level DS is on and was visibly pleased when I told her.

So I (stupidly) asked about her DD and she said most of class are on Purple or level 8 and her DS has just been moved up to Gold.

I just feel really flat about it. DS is one of the stronger readers at his school but none are on level 8. Should I be worried?

[catkind]

Reading levels are so not comparable between schools. Not because they're different schemes necessarily, lots of schools use similar colour bands, but they use them differently. Currently school had DC on level 5 who wouldn't have been allowed off level 2 in previous school; otoh they also had DD on level 5 when she had been (fluently and with comprehension) reading chapter books for a year or two. Same books, used very differently.

What's much more interesting to compare is what DC are reading for fun at home.

[madeyemoodysmum]

Funny thing is my two now 12 & 10
I couldn't tell you what levels they were in at age 6/7.

No one cares

Same as breast feeding v formula
Weaning at 4 0r 6 months
When they walked
Yadda yadda yadda

I bloody dreading gcse results week tho

[PutYourBackIntoit]

There's nothing to be 'proud' for when a DC reads better than they should for their age. Just like I have nothing to be ashamed about that my DC is behind on their reading level for their age.

[pumpkinpie01]

Aaah why do parents do that ! Just so they can brag it’s pathetic. Children progress differently as different parts of the brain develop - one kid might be a brilliant reader but can’t get dressed without help whilst another has no interest in reading but can get dressed, make a sandwich , get themselves a drink. They all develop differently!

[Catsandbootsandbootsandcats]

Ask her what her reading level is.

My kids are mostly teens now. They started reading between ages 3 - 7. Now, apart from the one with SEN, you couldn't tell them apart with their reading skills. So it matters not a jot what level they're at at 5.

[RoboJesus]

You asked her and she answered. What do you expect her to do lie? She's proud of her kid too. My kid passed Turquoise /level 7 when they were 3 so I wouldn't say they're under that just make you happy. Just be happy for her kid too 🙄

[humdrum21]

I cannot imagine why you are asking if you should be worried. I can't relate at all to someone listening to that and thinking, should I worry. I'd laugh. You obviously know it's stupid, what else could any of us say.

[madeyemoodysmum]

Robo Jesus
Stealth boast much!!!

[RoboJesus]

@madeyemoodysmum nope just trying to get through to her. I am happy and proud of all of my friends kids achievements whether they are ahead or behind my child. If it's an achievement for them I'm proud, everyone should be and shouldn't have to hide or lie about anything.

[Naty1]

I dont like all the secrecy tbh.
But i think school determined bands are likely not correct anyway. Dd school dont read with them often and were very 'conservative ' maybe to be able to show progress later or maybe because only reading with them 1-2 per term they cannot determine the appropriate level. So we have been on 7 or so when able to read and understand brown/grey bands. Even now we get simple chapter books which would have been easy 18m ago

Imo until you give them the correct level book you cant see whether they read it well. Some kids hit the right point at the right time, others hit it the day after so dont get moved up maybe for months.
What makes a lot of difference is how frequently books are changed and that doesnt show intelligence, more school effort and parental effort in reading them.
Some schools yr 1 target is only purple so your dc is doing well. And can likely pick up and read most things which is the main thing.

[Norestformrz]

"All schools reading bands and levels differ your level 7 could be above their gold.
^
There is no set national banding for schools to use.^" I'm afraid it's an international system of levelling books using very flawed criteria but if schools use published schemes they are the same.

[Norestformrz]

As Catkind says how schools use book bands differs and some schools don't use bands at all because they're based on flawed methods.

[Twirlbites1]

Is this the first time you’ve ever heard anyone talk about what their child their child can do? I gave up caring when dd (now 7) was about 3 months behind all my other Nct friends children crawling. She’s my dd and whether she can crawl/speak/read better of worse than the child next door makes no difference to how much we love her. Indeed one of my nct friends said ‘well it’s a given that your children will be really bright’, to which I replied ‘and that will be of no use at all if they are a drug addict lying in the gutter by the time they are 20’. You have no idea what the future will bring, so celebrate what your child can do now and encourage them. And have a hug x

[IggyAce]

But can they comprehend the text and read with expression? Comprehension is much more important than what level they are on. Once they get to around gold/white band they can read most other books, but wether they understand them is another matter.

[lunar1]

Where are all the people whose children have read Harry Potter independently by the end of reception? They are usually drawn to these threads!

[DevonCherry]

Gah, pushy parents. The only advice I can give in 12+ years of schooling is don't engage and don't compete.
By the way, the child who trumped all his old primary school friends at GCSE this summer is the one who couldn't even speak properly when he started reception and never shone all through primary. Sheer hard work got him a string of 9s this summer.

[Ynci]

With my year 6 class, some were quite concerned about what to say to friends if they were asked about their Sats results. Obviously nobody else’s business, but people do ask.
I told them all to say they got greater depth in everything as only me, them, and their parents would know what they actually got anyway and I wasn’t going say anything differently! They all loved the idea and it worked well to combat the nosey parents.

[Kokeshi123]

What does it even mean to be "on" a band, anyway?

My daughter reads books at all kinds of levels. Sometimes she relaxes with an easy book, sometimes she has a harder one for times when she is comfortable with a bit more challenge, then there are the ones where she can mostly manage but needs help with the trickier words so I have to be available if she is tackling one of those, then there are harder still books where "I read a paragraph, she reads a paragraph" because these require a bit more stamina.

If someone asked me what level she was "on" I wouldn't be able to give a clear answer.

[Kokeshi123]

There are people who put down private schools ("The kids are spoon-fed" "They are full of drugs" "Waste of money" "The kids will never be able to mix with different people and live in the real world" "Universities favor state school candidates all other things being equal") because they send their child to a state school and are secretly writhing with insecurity about the whole thing and are terrified to think that their child is missing out.

Then there are people who use private schools and CONSTANTLY bang on about how wonderful and superior their child's experience is, because they are not able to afford private education without a struggle and they are already quietly shitting themselves about how much this is costing them and how much the fees will rise and how are they going to pay for a pension or help their kids out with housing....?

In both cases, the important thing to remember is that the person is not actually having a conversation with you at all. They are having a conversation with the worries inside their own head, and trying desperately to put their own doubts and fears to rest. They deserve pity more than anything else.

[Kokeshi123]

Robo, aren't you the one who thinks their kid should be doing KS4 work at the age of 5?

[SoyDora]

I agree Kokeshi123, and that’s why I’m not sure why some parents get so hung up on book bands. DD reads far harder books at home than her supposed book band at school, and her teacher is aware of this. She sometimes chooses to read easier ones. Sometimes she brings the same book home from school more than once as she has enjoyed it. As long as she’s enjoying reading and has access to a wide range of material (between the school/home/the library etc) then I’m not fussed what arbitrary ‘band’ she’s supposedly on.

[SoyDora]

And with regards to what book bands others in her class are on, I don’t see it as ‘secrecy’, just that it has no bearing on my child what level other children are on. I’ll concern myself with my children and their parents can concern themselves with theirs!

[GoodStuffAnnie]

Some of the answers here are brilliant.

Think how full of angst this poor woman is.

[GoodStuffAnnie]

Kokeshi that is so thought provoking. Thanks.