Do many schools not use banded books after Year 1?

[TheYearOfSmallThings]

DS's school used Read Write Inc books in Reception and Y1, but once he got into Y2 (and now in Y3) they don't use them at all. The children pick a book from the class library, and fill in their reading journal to show they are reading. DS is a lazy and reluctant reader, although perfectly able, so he picks easy books.

I asked about it last year and his teacher said that since he can read now, there is no need for the banded books.

I see on here that many (most?) schools work their way through the full range of colour bands. Is it unusual to quit them early?

My DS is only Yr 1 but pretty sure that they finish the reading scheme they’re on early Yr 2 and from that point it’s effectively their choice of what to read.

I expect my DS will do the same and cherry pick the easiest books because he’s all for doing less work if it’s an option!

Ok, I'm slightly relieved - people on here are always comparing what band their 9 year old is on, and I honestly have no idea where DS would be.

I just wish he loved to read, like me, but I know book bands wouldn't help with that!

I think it depends on the teacher. I have two DC in the same school, one has banded reading books and the other has school library books.

It's definitely a school-wide policy in DS's school.

I think our school moves straight to Accelerated Reader after the end of Little Wandle (which I think is equivalent to orange in the old book bands). I suspect the books are grouped somehow for Accelerated Reader, but it’s definitely not reading scheme style books.

Accelerated Reader "bands" books by giving them a numerical value based on complexity of language, sentence and word length. Children then sit an assessment which gives them a numerical range- say 3.5 to 4.2- and a child can choose any book that falls within this band. These are whole, rather than scheme, books although some scheme books can be given a numerical value too if the school wants to.

Our school also use RWI, DD is Year 2 and most of her class are now off scheme, she has been since early Y1.... her class library is awful if i'm honest... she actually asked her teacher for chapter books :P we now just read our own stuff from home/library in town. Much more choice and she's choosing some really interesting stuff!

I'm a teacher and have never taught at or known of a school that does this but that's not to say the way they are doing things is wrong. It's just surprising as I know most schools are quite hot on monitoring reading levels but perhaps the school thinks the banded books are boring and are hoping to get children reading for pleasure more? At the schools I have worked at, all children read RWI books then moved onto Oxford Reading Tree until they finished that and became a 'free reader' (usually between y4 and y6). They are encouraged to read library books alongside this as the banded books as well.

Dd1 had finished the reading scheme my Christmas in year 1, they could pick any book in a section from then on (first chapter books) or bring a suitable book from home, borrow from the school library or public library. Dd2 was still on the reading scheme to the end of year 2

@JodiePants

But the Oxford reading scheme is only for little ones anyway, never known a junior school with reading scheme books (3 in total between my children)

@gogohmm Oxford Reading scheme goes all the way to level 20 roughly year 6. My daughter was on it till the end of year 4 I think she finished about level 17.
Going through the higher levels is really common in private schools.