Little wandle year 1 reading

[Wonderingpurple]

Can anyone tell me how reading levels are assessed in year 1 (and reception too) in the little wandle reading program? I am trying to understand the rationale behind the level of reading books he is bringing home. He is currently getting books marked phase 2 set 5, this hasn’t changed since the last term in reception, he doesn’t seem to move up levels very regularly at all. When I asked his teacher about it last year she said they only have the opportunity to move up levels at the end of term (although another parent has told me their child in the same class moves up at least every 3 weeks, although of course this child could be in an advanced reading group).

I am just really baffled why they still have him on such basic books. I signed him up to a reading subscription in January which moves him up levels automatically and he is easily reading books at a much higher level to those the school are sending home-(the school books are very dull, it’s hard to make a good story out of basic cvc words!).

I have asked his new teacher who said she would do a quick reading assessment with him but I don’t think this has happened (I expect she’s very busy and doesn’t need the hassle of dealing with fussy parents!)

I would love to hear any insight from other parents/teachers. His reports all say he is exactly at the right level.

This is the DfE guidance that schools have to follow. It will give you a wider understanding of reading and expectation.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-reading-framework-teaching-the-foundations-of-literacy

The journey trilogy looks beautifully illustrated, I'm sure DS would enjoy that.

@CateinEd
It says that guidance is for teachers. Does it talk about what they should do for children who can read? Do you know how long it should be before DS is given books that are like typical picture books 4 year old enjoy?

My school teaches Little Wandle. There are very clear, regular assessments, although there is some flexibility for teachers if they feel a child has been allocated a book that doesn't match their level. By the end of Year 1, all children should have completed the phonics programme. The last books which match sounds are on the turquoise level and contain the trickier alternative sounds, et si/ti/ssi, silent letters etc. After that they move onto books still within the scheme but not focused on particular sounds. I find that the turquoise books are actually trickier to read than some of the higher books as they specifically focus on using words containing tricky sounds.

A big part of allocating books is the fluency level. Children should need be able to read their allocated books almost fluently, sounding out no more than one in every ten words. This is where many readers fall down. I have had to give some of my Year 2 children books back at phase 3 because although they could sound out words from higher phases,they were reliant on sounding out almost every word, which isn't reading.

IMO, there isn't enough focus on reading fluency as part of the scheme and schools need to factor that in.

I've said in other little Wandle threads that even the more able readers benefit from the spelling part of the programme. If you have a naturally able readers, by all means supplement the reading scheme books with your own books at home or from the library.

If you have a naturally able readers, by all means supplement the reading scheme books with your own books at home or from the library.

Would you push a child to read the reading scheme books if they are not showing interest? We already visit the library regularly and borrow books, DS loves the library.

I'd make sure they can read the book fluently but not make them read it repeatedly if they can.

At the moment they don't have words and DS is saying no he'd like to read a different book instead.

There is very much a focus on reducing the disadvantage gap, so helping all children read.

Given the breadth and richness of reading, the child who can read, always benefits from the richness and breadth. There is always something to learn, dependent on the individual child’s reading skills and gaps.

Consistency, in children developing phonic skills with no gaps is a biggie. Schools are building this, even if a child can read. Without clarity, it is a bit like building on ‘quick sand’ rather than a solid foundation.

Follow what the individual school asks if you. This will differ for each phones scheme.
The greatest thing you can add are the wider attributes, language richness, talk, understanding, an enjoyment. Read to your child whilst they move through the stages of the phonic scheme.

Breadth of reading. https://clpe.org.uk/blog/response-revised-reading-framework-2023

He should also be bringing home picture books to share in addition to the LW books. If he enjoys sharing story books with you, that's great. I'd be reading to him a lot and sharing books aswell as him reading the LW books.

My son is year 2. His school swapped over to Little Wandle from Sept of this year.

My son had always struggled with reading. This was despite us sitting down and reading to him every night and us getting him to read his school books every night. I got a few sets of the Songbirds books over a year ago, and made time for him to read those to us too. It was painful listening to him read - sounding out words he must have seen 100's of times.

Fast forward to now and we're what - 5 weeks into Little Wandle and the difference is stark!! He's not sounding out and is reading fluently with expression. Well, he does sound out, but only more complex words and seems to be doing it quickly in his head. It may of course just be coincidence!

There's nothing at all to stop you from getting suitable library books, doing book swaps or buying books to support your child. There's loads of stuff you can do at home as part of daily life. Shopping lists, recipes, shampoo bottles, TV guides!

I would add we tend to get library or charity shop books that follow his interests. Like most infant age kids he loves dinosaurs. You can get some really simple non-fiction books. We share the reading with him. I've always seen the stuff that happens at school as the bare bones - what happens at home puts the meat on the bones!

Follow what the individual school asks if you. This will differ for each phones scheme.The greatest thing you can add are the wider attributes, language richness, talk, understanding, an enjoyment. Read to your child whilst they move through the stages of the phonic scheme.

Trying to convince DS to read a different book to one he chooses is difficult that is a new thing for him. He also struggles with a degree of demand avoidance at times. I do what is asked of me and fill out the journal with what he has read. I read to him but we can run out of time on weeknights if he insists on reading instead.

@Pipistrellus this is the same issue we are having, he might read the school book once or twice a week but nothing like the 5 times a week they ask. I present a choice of 3 books to him every evening and he picks one to read. I think he’s made amazing progress but the school apparently don’t seem to think so as they are still sending home phase 2 books- he’s now reading phase 4 books fluently on the first read

I’m finding it quite interesting seeing how different little wandle seems to be for my reception child compared to letters and sounds with my eldest. It feels like the start is much quicker. I think she’s done 20 odd sounds this half term but I think it’s too quick for my youngest as her recognition isn’t great on all of them and she’s still on the wordless books which she doesn’t like. Whereas with my eldest they really drilled satpin and got them started on books with words really quickly. I also found my eldest engaged with the song from her old programme and I can still remember the sounds and actions. Eg ants of the apple, a,a,a versus a for astronaut. So far i think i like the old one better but ill reserve judgement until later on in the year.

@Wonderingpurple

I don't see how you can convince a young child to read a book they don't find interesting when they have other books to choose from. Especially if they are an avid reader, they like the books that flow and rhyme and are well written and illustrated. If he wasn't reading other books then it would be in the same non negotiable category as tooth brushing, but he is.

Why bother? Honestly. They read the books with them at school. I certainly won't be forcing mine to read books he has no interest in.

Keep him reading books he is engaged with.

I know this post was a while ago but I wondered how your son is doing? I’m struggling with my daughter who is in reception. The school is doing little wandle but despite being great with the flash cards she is still really slow to sound out words and often misses di/tri graphs within a word. We have a tricky word list and it is painful seeing her seemingly unable to retain the word in her memory despite us practising a 1000 times. Weirdly if reading her a story book from home she will often point out words she recognises and/or have a go at easier words within the text, but for some reason the wandle books from school are like banging our head against a brick wall. I’m really struggling to know how best to help her! She also brings home really varied sets and phases so not really sure what level she is at, sometimes she struggles with a really easy one and other times she flies through a much harder one! Her baseline assessment when starting school was very high, but her teacher is concerned she isn’t making expected progress and suggested she doesn’t listen very well in class so not sure if that is a factor. My older daughter did the Oxford reading levels which I found much more transparent!

We don't do little wandle at our school but tbh it's really obvious that the school are not progressing a handful of the kids anywhere near as much as they could do in an attempt to keep the class as level as they can. For this reason and because they're bloody boring the school textbooks are a fraction of what my dd and I read. We read the school books as often as we feel she needs to. Some she'll be reading fluently after one readthrough, others might have complicated place names etc and will require more repetition. You're not a teacher but it's easy enough to judge whether a child is getting anything out of the books and whether they have any gaps that need filling. Just use common sense and fgs expose them to something more stimulating than the school books or of course they're going to be turned off reading