Does it matter if DC not given right reading books by school?

[BeccaBean]

My DC is in Reception and is reading quite well. School acknowledge this but send home a book that is way too easy each week. The teacher said they don’t have any more difficult books but have some on order and she could ask the year 1 teacher if she could borrow some but she hasn’t because my DC has told her that we regularly get reading books from the library which is true. I haven’t been too bothered except now my DC is close to the end of Reception and there is no evidence in her reading log of reading more difficult books which surely means the Year 1 teacher will not have any idea of her real level next school year and presumably she will have to carry on working up the levels from where she has ended reception per her reading log.

I know (from the teacher) that there are other good readers in the class but don’t know if they are given the same books. Although DC is a good reader she is not off the charts. For context, she easily reads Turquoise although she chooses what she wants from the library and brings home some purple/gold books from the library which she reads well. School have stopped at blue.

I knew after the return to school there would be other more important things for school to focus on so never said anymore after the initial chat with the teacher about why she brings home books that are too easy for her each week. I am now bothered about her going into Year 1 on books that are too easy and also I lost my job last year but hoping to return to work soon and won’t have quite so much time for library visits as it’s not that close to home.

Do you think I should leave this and see how she gets on in Year 1 or speak to the teacher again and ask if she can borrow books from the Year 1 class? Thanks!

Not a Y2 teacher so couldn't say except that as I understand reading levels aren't linked to the national curriculum. Some Y2 children take books from the KS2 selection but not many. We have had 100% reach ARE in Y6 SATS in recent years (pre 2020 obviously) and are rated Outstanding so obviously what we're doing is okay.

There is no mention of book bands in the TAFs but the objectives at expected all correspond with a child who is reading short novels. So yes - beyond gold band.

I really think you shouldn’t worry. Your daughter is massively ahead. My 4yo can read green/orange at home but gets yellow from school. I don’t think it’s a biggie at all. She loves being able to do the school books easily and show off her reading and then we just do a wider variety at home and work 1:1 on the trickier sounds.

I feel very lucky that when DD1 was in YR and was a good reader, the school had a “reading cottage” where the reading scheme books were kept for all classes. They were available from yr to y2 as it was an infant school.

If your child was assessed as needing a more advanced book, they got it from the central book cottage. They also had a library where dc could choose a book each week and either read it, be read to and/or discuss it. Reading scheme books were changed 2/3 times a week. This was pre phonics days (although they taught “phonics”) and the comments from me were most certainly read! Outstanding school in those days and lots of bright dc. We always went to the local library but the teaching of reading in school, assessment and choice of books was always excellent. Centralised store of books worked for us and we had children In DDs who could read paragraph books in yr!

When my DD started school (twenty five years ago), aged 5, she had a reading age of 12 and was correcting the reception teacher’s spelling!
Thankfully, being a small village school, with only 12 children in the class, the teaching was very individual, so they ditched the reading scheme altogether for DD and gave her half an hour a day reading Dickens and RL Stevenson with the headmistress.
The single “reading scheme” book that DD showed me before being given classics was incredibly banal and dull. I couldn’t imagine it encouraging a love of reading in any child. I taught her to read at 2, using fairy stories and a bit of Dr Seuss - much more fun.

Similar experience with school here. DS was independently reading chapter books at home, reading chapters out loud to me with expression and clearly understanding everything, and he was still being sent home with books that were far too easy for him. I asked a number of times at school just to be told that they didn’t reassess regularly during the year and he needed to work through the levels. I continued then to supplement his reading at home with a variety of different books.

A few months later the teacher handed me a letter to say that DS was being invited to have extra phonics tuition as they were concerned he wouldn’t pass the Yr1 phonics screening test. I flipped as that was clear evidence that his teacher had no real sense as to what his reading level actually was or that they were paying any attention to his reading record where he was writing in reviews of the latest David Walliams books he was reading himself at home.

Turns out that despite being a very confident reader, he was being perceived as exceptionally lazy in class and he wasn’t engaging as expected in lessons - he was just bored! That had never really been communicated to me previously and once we figured out what the gap was between engagement in school and joy of reading at home, we managed to turn it around. I did really had to push the teacher to communicate with me about what work he was being set and making sure he was being challenged - but once we got in a rhythm it has been fine since.

I would encourage you to keep talking to the teacher and find out how much they really do know of her actual reading level, supplement as much as possible at home and I’m sure you’ll be on the right path. The joy of reading is a gift for life as far as I’m concerned!

That’s highly unusual though. I believe most dc need reading schemes but they should be matched to assessment. There’s still 6 weeks of term left to improve.

I used to get heaps of books eg piles from charity shops and friend and some bought. It doesn't matter what they read as long as they are capable and interested. Also swap with friends.

If a school does not assess reading skills of dc, how can they plan the reading curriculum for dc? I have never understood whole class teaching for phonics when some dc clearly do not need it. Reading is often DIY at home but at least the school should have a coherent assessment policy and be aware of what each dc can actually read.

When I was a governor, my LA did have quite a few very bright dc who did not pass the phonics test. Some dc just did not see it as a sensible test. Never stopped them being great readers though.