Book bands year 1

[Chillichutney1]

Just received ds report back for year 1, he has been given a working at average level for English. He is currently on purple band - is this average for year 1 or above average?

I’m not a teacher but I have a DS in year 1. I’d imagine that purple is higher end of average but other factors are taken into consideration.

I am curious to know (if you don’t mind sharing) whether he got given expected or exceeding for reading in the EYFS?

I’ve always wondered whether those with exceeding are more likely to be pushed for greater depth.

Why do you want to know? If you're concerned about his reading, speak to his teacher. If you want to know how to help him improve, speak to his teacher or ask a specific question on here. There is a huge range of reading abilities in Year 1, probably more than any other year, so it's hard to define "average".

I have a purple reader who is also 'at'. I think from experience with my older children that there is such a wide range that it isn't that unusual to make a leap mid year 1 but still to be fairly average.

Their twin is a better reader (not sure what level) and is exceeding. The difference is the ease with which they understand what's being read, work out words in context and question what the words mean which means their comprehension levels are higher and reading is much more fluid. The purple reader tends to read the words to get the job done but if they don't know the meaning they will just carry on.

I really wouldn't worry about levels though. Just keep reading. One of mine was working towards in year 1, greater depth in year 6.

he has been given a working at average level for English.
He is currently on purple band - is this average for year 1 or above average?

I think you've answered your own question. If he's been given a working at average level then he's average for his year.

I honestly wouldn't worry op, I had a reluctant reader in year one who is now about to end year 3 on the highest level in her class.

I was quite upset that dd seemed really below average in reading during year one as I'm a huge reader and she had been read to since she was born. She simply flew in year 2. They all learn at different rates and there was a huge spectrum of readers in dd's year one class.

I started a thread on a similar topic this evening. My yr1 DS has a high reading ability, he’s off the couple band scheme and is on the accelerated reader programme (currently at 3.2 - equivalent to yr4). As part of the accelerated reader programme, children have to pass comprehension tests to get new books and move up the levels (DS has moved from 2.1 books up to 3.2 books since the Feb half-term). Despite this, he just got ‘meeting expectations’ for reading fluency & comprehension. Does this make any sense to anyone?

*colour band scheme

My Ds went back to the beginning ? Red in the beginning of year 1 . He was tested at year7 (11) his reading age is 16/17.

Loving books , sharing stories is really more important than reading ability at that age.

A child might be able to decode brilliantly so it seems that they can read very well and thus be on a high bookband (gold or white) but their comprehension skills might mean that they are only at an expected level. Purple is a perfect place for a year 1 child to be at. I've taught year 1 for 8 years.

DD1 finished Yr1 on level 4 (blue). She started the year on pink so we were all very happy with her progress. (Now white at end of Yr3 and suspected Dyslexia)

DD2 is on Green at end of year 1 but is a lot better at reading than her sister was. I don't think she has been properly assessed in months despite asking... Apparently the blue books she has been getting were to boost her confidence, but just made her hate school books. She starts a new school in September so I am planning on some work over the summer to get to at least level 7 (turquoise?)

My DD was red at the beginning of yr1, she is now on gold. Essentially she didn’t really click with reading last year. Even though she is gold, I am not really expecting her to get greater depth in the report because there is more to English than reading and her writing and spelling is not great..

Here you go OP
www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/starting-school/oxford-reading-tree-explained/

So purple is Level 8, a level that looks like its expected in early/mid yr 2, so he is somewhat ahead of expectations.

It’s ahead in terms of book band, but that’s not the only thing they base the level they are at on.

They will do guided reading and reading comprehension tests, that will be where the average mark comes from.

Purple band for reading, average level for English.

How is his spelling? How is his comprehension? How is his writing? English is not just about reading at this age.

Purple is slightly above average for year 1 but not much. The thing is though that greater depth is about more than just reading words and having a basic understanding of what's going on. It's more about wider comprehension, making comparisons between books spontaneously EG oh look Mrs. H can I read this? It's another book about an evil king like in Rumpltiltskin, and also having a deep understanding of the text EG maybe somebody hurt the king when he was little and that's why he was mean to everybody. That said, the national curriculum now is quite tough and any child who gets age related is doing really well.

Thanks for the info and advice! I had a couple of reasons for asking - one is that we are thinking of entering ds for 7+ exams, however if he is getting average for national curriculum and year group, it may not be worth the extra time and effort in preparing for 7+.

Thanks teddyrobinson for the band chart, I had a look at that and it did seem to me that purple was more average for year 2. I do realise English is a lot more than just reading, but he has always been confident and articulate for his age, and his spelling is way beyond what they are working at in class.

We didn’t have parent meetings this term so I haven’t had a chance to ask but probably worth speaking to the teacher about this. It may be his writing and comprehension that needs more work then?

lemonfritz he was given a Mark overall for English, so not just reading, which was working at average level for his year group and the NC

Also bear in mind that schools use the book bands differently. Two children who have the same reading ability (decoding, comprehension) might be at very different levels, just because the schools have different policies around when a child is moved up.

So whereas on 'average' purple is high end of Y1, that needn't be the case at your particular school. Maybe your school's 'purple' readers would all be on orange at the next door school, and therefore right bang on expected.

The good news is that once a child is comfortably reading purple level books, they can get started on some easy/short chapter books. Books like e.g. The Magic Treehouse series are at around purple level. And so the fun begins!

It also depends on the rate that a school moves them through the book bands.

I can’t remember colours now but I know my DD was always behind some children at other school, book band anyway.

She has just done Y2 SATs and is greater depth for reading.

When my daughter was in year 1 not so long ago, the teacher said that turquoise was the expected level for year 1, so purple is just above that I think.

Purple is pretty standard in my daughter's class. She's on turquoise.

I wouldn't worry about bands too much, just see what is in the report. My eldest two are twins and I was constantly on here worrying about bands. They made steady progress through them, high bands for their age, but I still fretted.
With my youngest I've been much more relaxed. He has just finished Reception and I don't know what band he's on. But his report is reassuring and he can read. He's learnt in a very different way to his brothers with the same outcome.
If there are any worries, school will tell you. Just read with them and relax.

Thanks for the direct reply re: expected/ exceeding in EYFS.

We got DS report on Friday - he got “exceeding” in reception and did go onto get “working above” in year 1.

I did wonder(/worry) whether on the back of his reception report he would have to achieve the higher standard every year or he will have “failed” to make progress.

It’s not entirely relevant because our two boys are not on the same book band but an interesting discussion. I do wonder how difficult it can be in some scenarios for the teachers and children when the government seem to expect linear development - perhaps expected is better all round because it doesn’t actually change what your DS can do.

Massive well done to your DS for achieving expected. The NC expects so much of such small people. I hope you have a wonderful summer holiday.