reading level in year 1

[clairebi]

I feel slightly embarassed asking this, but it's just out of curiosity really, dd is in an english school abroad, with a very small class, children of all nationalities, so it's difficult to gauge how well she's doing compared to what she'd be expected to do in a 'standard' uk school....so, I was wondering for those who use magic key books, what stage is your chil at at the end of yr1?

thanks

I've helped in dd's Year 1 class and I'd say the lowest is about Stage 6 and highest on chapter books like Horrid Henry. Ours uses colour levels ORT books plus a variety of Ginn and Rigby of similar difficulty. hth

DS is on Stage 9 of the ORT ones

I knew I shouldn't have asked....now I'm worried.....

thanks for the info though!!!!!!!

However in ds' class at International School (he was there until Grade 1/UK Year 2), he didn't even start phonics or reading until that year (ie did nothing much formally during their equivalent ofo UK Reception year) so the variation was from minimal to about Level 5/6. So you may not be comparing like for like.

Here is a link to the ORT that might help :

fds.oup.com/www.oup.co.uk/pdf/oxed/primary/ORTreadingAges.pdf

FWIW, reading abilities at this age vary widely, and children who seem 'behind' quite often click with it very suddenly and after a few weeks there is little difference between them an early readers.

I reckon it is most important that children of this age enjoy books tbh.

My dds school doesn't do ORT btw, they use the national curriculum book bands. DD is currently in white level, but has been a free reader since before Christmas, so sometimes the reading scheme does not reflect reading ability and comprehension anyway.

HTH?

Here is an idea of book bands :

www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/english/ks1_2/literacyhour/guidedread/bookbands.shtml

alth ough as your dd is educated abroad, they may well not do the english national curriculum?! D'oh!

Anyway, at the end of Yr 1, green book band (I think) is the expectation. The link has another link to what the specific skills for each level are too...

I'll also point out that DS is one of the oldest in his class which I think makes a difference

that's interesting Katepol , is there anything to suggest what books are in which colour, not sure of it is the same as our school uses or not.

expected ORT levels

level 4-5 is standard for end year 1

Whizz, I am not sure on that. Certainly the 'weakest' readers in dds Yr 1 class are summer born boys though (possibly because they still can't sit down to learn...).

Hwr, the top reading group comprises 4 girls, 2 boys.

The breakdown is 1 x winter girl, 1 x spring girl, 1 x spring boy, 3 x summer girls...

DS seems to have run out of reading scheme books and has been sent home with the Teaching Assistant's Michael Morpurgo book. But DS is (all of a sudden, definitely not apparent until very recently) the best reader in the class.

has he read the Captain UNderpants set .. our kids seem to continue to keep pace .. strongly recommend captain underpants for engrossing 6 year old boys

LIZS, I can't find a link between ORT and the book bands alas.

Hwr the reading scheme my dds school uses is Rigby Rocket, which are the same as the book bands - see :

www.harcourt.co.uk/AssetsLibrary/SECTORS/Primary/PDFs/StructureCharts/Rigbystarindepende nt.pdf

I did ask ORT what the equivalent was and I think they said ORT levels 8 and 9 were purple on the book bands...

hth?

Well we have read 3 Captain U's as bedtime stories (ie me to him) but I am sure that he could manage them himself. Although he is much likely to give it a go if he has had it sent home from school than if I suggest it.

ahhh yes .. completely interchangeable children

DS2 is on stage 4 (he's just finishing year 1) and I've just snooped in his friends bookbag (he's round for tea) and he's on stage 4 too. They do the Oxford reading scheme.
Sarah

Levels seem to vary hugely in a class. DS2 has just finished ORT 11 and is now on Ginn level 7 pocket books. They use a variety of schemes so they don't necessarily always seem to follow on in difficulty. I think he is fairly close to the end of the reading schemes and will soon be a free reader. A couple of kids in his year 1 class already are free readers. However, there are also lots of kids still doing Magic Key books

sorr for not repling earlier, been on holiday.

I'm still a bit confused, but according to twiglett's link she seems to be doing ok, and she's just a june girl too, so I suppose that has some impact as well.

thanks for all our suggestions, trying hard not to worry too much about it really, I'm not pushy, but wouldn't want her to fall behind either ikwim.

thanks!