Reading levels

[alieninvasion]

Y1 child here. Everyone talks about their child's reading ability as in "oh they're on blue" books but how do I know. I read the books that are sent home with my child but I've no idea what stage/colour these are? When is this ever explained?

Your school should tell you which colour book your child is on each term. The book may have a colour on the spine, or a coloured sticker on it. If not, ask.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/2928552-Helpful-book-band-reading-age-chart

This thread will help if you need to see the succession of the colours

So my ds is only on the first pink colour, is 5 years old (summer baby) and just started y1, this looks like he's waaay behind? I thought he was ok...confused.

Is he reading the kind of books with just a few words on a page? Are the words easy to sound out e.g. pin, tap, sun, or do the books have words like 'there' 'goes' which are harder to sound out?

The problem is that all schools use slightly different systems, so one school's 'pink' books might not match to another school's.

If your DS is on the very first stage books, I would have thought that you would already have had discussions with the school about this. Are they concerned? Is he having extra support?

BTW, the book bands linked above are an old system and don't really correspond to the phonics books that all schools should now be using.

I've not been told there's any issues, he has no more support than any other child (Teacher and TA) I believe. Books have longer words like "fight" "knees" and "cannot". We try and read every night, he's reluctant but can do it. His reading record is positive but I don't know if the teachers are told to only be positive. I just have no idea if this is good, bad below average etc

Could you post a photo of the cover of his reading book? or tell us some of the titles he has had?

If he was the first pink level in the usual reading bands from the chart above it wouldn't have words like fight, knees, cannot in, so they are probably using a different scheme. I work in a school that uses books from a number of reading schemes and there is definitely a massive difference in bands between different schemes, which is why my school put little stickers on.

Can I ask, that chart posted further up the thread..Im guessing its for the end of the years...
My daughter is also yr 1 (summer born) and on yellow books but itsnt getting extra help so guessing teachers arent concerned at the moment as she should be on blue or higher come the end of yr 1

My point is.. dont panic, by May/June time your child will probably be on Blue or Green books and exactly where they need to be for yr 2

Just for the record - orange is the minimum expected level at the end of Year 1. But I would expect children starting Year 1 on yellow to meet this. In fact, I quite often have children who were only pink at the start of Year 1 fly, and reach turquoise or even purple.