Year 5 taken off reading scheme even though they haven’t completed it? Is this normal?

[PrimaryReading]

DC is in Year 5, reading books at around Year 2 level not sure of exact level as they use a mixture of schemes after Year 2, but its equivalent of ORT levels Gold/White, DC is between them.

Apparently as of the end of this week we break up for half term this week DC is being pulled off the reading scheme due to being too old to be on it and there being no other concerns. Apparently, it’s not normal to have not completed the scheme by end of Year 2 and they’ve let DC have an extra 2 years but now’s the time to come off.

There are children in the class still on Reading Scheme at a similar or lower level but from talking to their parents they all seem to be on IEPs or EHCPs which my DC doesn’t have as theres no other concerns. All of DCs actual friends in the class and the other classes finished the scheme around about end of Year 2, some where still on it in Year 3 but they’d all finished by end of Year 3.

DCs writing level is just below where it needs to be. Maths is exceeding and has been since Year 1. Struggles a bit in lessons where there’s a lot of reading; English and History especially but no other concerns when read to they understand things they just cannot read well themselves.

I’ve bought up dyslexia but school say DC doesn’t meet the criteria for assessment and I can’t afford private. I don’t think we’d get EHCP due to this alone as DC is overall fine.

What do I do now? How can I help DC with reading? Can I borrow the books from the local library easily?

Also is this normal? Or should I be fighting the school to keep DC on it?

@saywh4tnow No, they can attempt Julia Donaldson but usually need help, they won't decode or blend they literally stare at the word and if you attempt to break it down they don't try and blend/put it together they wait for you to say it.

They're the equiviliant of Gold or White ORT books, school don't stick to one scheme though so it's hard to know exact level but school are saying DC is end of KS1 beginning of KS2 level.

@saywh4tnow They've said in their email that ARP or HILR Ability books are for those on IEPs or EHCPs not just for anyone.

Your child is 3 years below their chronological age for reading. The school are failing him by not testing for dyslexia, but there are things that you can do.

• Ask the school whether they have any screening tests that they can do with him such as the Rapid.
• Request a meeting with the SENCo and ask what support is in place. If the answer is nothing, you can request a meeting with the SEN governor.
• Contact an advocacy support group such as British Dyslexia Association or SOS SEN

You don't have to take the school's word as final. They are underfunded and under resourced but that doesn't mean your child's education should suffer.

Would he listen to an audio book and follow the book at the same time? Doing that might help him to take in what he's reading a bit more

Look in the library for some Barrington Stoke books.

They're designed for children your DS's age, but with simplified vocab and interesting stories.

They are for children with dyslexia, which he does sound like, especially with phonics not working well for him.

I think some kids just are not ready for phonics at the time and pace it is delivered at, then there is limited provision later up the years.

In the end I learned about it and taught DS myself at home.

Barrington Stoke are good.

Don't understand school attitude of saying AR is just for the kids with iep/EHCP. That's bonkers. Surely help with reading should be for anyone who needs it?

They are not following govt policy

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/whats-new-in-the-dfes-expanded-reading-framework/

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1186732/The_reading_framework.pdf

Specifically says children struggling to learn to read should have extra help - and with phonics.

Obviously try to work with school but if they are evading the issue you may need to keep pushing for some meaningful help.

Print it, highlight it, plonk it on SENCO's desk with a meaningful thud.

I have a friend who does this with the SEND Code Of Practice. She's not lost a battle yet.

SEND Govenor/s after that, and/or head teacher.

Too many kids are still leaving primary (and secondary) with poor reading ages/literacy. It's appalling that schools are failing in this basic duty.

Has he always had a hearing impairment ? This has likely impacted his ability to learn sounds.
Do you think he uses his phonic knowledge or sight reads ?

The scheme books are likely to be too young for him in their story telling.

Get him to read recipes, shopping lists, labels in supermarkets etc.

Praise any reading and just ask him to check again if he is misreading or jumping words. How is his reading comprehension ?

oxfordowl.co.uk have some free ebooks at different levels which may be a way to support from home until you get response from school.

Yes well worth investigating hearing and any visual issues (does he ever report text moving or blurring/doubling?)

Behavioural optomestrists can shed light on this. See BABO website or refer to orthoptist via NHS if concerned.

@Alltheyearround No blurring or doubling since they got glasses in Year 2.

@Talapia Hearing issues picked up at birth but didn't get Aids until they were 2.

Early hearing issues are classic for causing difficulty with reading later (though funny with the correct spellings huh?) as can affect phonological awareness (hearing the sounds in words - key for reading words).

I'd save up for a dyslexia assessment if you can (Level 7 assessors via PATOSS will be less ££ than an ed psych as they train for about 5 years). So might be £400 rather than £800 (rough idea).

That sounds really poor from the school. The suggestions above about putting concerns in writing that he is significantly behind his year group, and then arranging to meet the SENCO and escalating to the SEN governor sound probably your best bet. However, I'm not sure how easy it will be to get them to do enough. My experience round here is different schools can vary hugely in how well they support, are there any alternative schools you could look at?

@CrabbyCat I think I'd need ExH permission to move DC as ExH has PR and he wouldn't agree, this is one of only two schools in our (admittedly rural) town, they go to High School in the next town over (only choice for that really).

I take it he failed the phonics screen in y1?
It seems strange being able to read that band but not able to blend etc.

If he is sight reading it would be slower and need someone to sit with for any new words.

@TenisslfL Failed it yes then didn't retake it because was in Year 2 during 2021/22 so it was cancelled.

I have a child with similar issues (younger at 7 but reading on pink level 2, they also have severe speech problems and bilateral hearing impairment and are aided for this).

I would arrange a meeting with school sendco to discuss your concerns.

Also, has he had a review with his Teacher of the Deaf recently? They are a great source of help in terms of classroom management of hearing loss. Does he have access to roger microphone in class? Just thinking if he is hearing all the words spoken and can then translate to reading.

I would also ask for a dyslexia screen, children with HI are more likely to have reading problems.

@TenisslfL DS wasn't even put in for Y1 screener age 6 as his teacher said she never gave children a task she knew they would fail. I quite agreed.

I downloaded the test materials and we did the test every summer at home (whilst working on phonics). I think he finally passed in Y6 (we did some of Y5 and all of Y6 as Home Ed for Covid and other reasons - I felt I could do a better job 1:1 frankly, even though his class teacher was amazing she still has 29 other children to teach and DS was years behind at that point).

@PrimaryReading He so needs some form of assessment to find out his phonics skills, phonology e.g. blending, and whether he is using just words he knows by sight. How does he tackle an unknown word? Guessing using a visually similar word is often the case, not a terribly effective strategy as it often makes the sentence into a sort of nonsense mush.

This sounds like dyslexia to me too. School should be able to do a dyslexia screening assessment (not a full assessment), which will be free. At my kids primary they use a 'nessy' programme to do it. It will say if dyslexia is likely or not. That also sounds like a lot of a dyslexia assessment, they are a lot yes but I've been told £450 ish which is at least a bit cheaper.

Maybe try as a pp say phonics test now to see if there are still particulsr sounds hes struggling with.
It might be split digraphs for eg.
The subtitles might welo help as it could clarify what is being said.

@PrimaryReading are you sure white and gold are equivalent to Julia Donaldson? I have a year 4 and her school stops reading schemes at white on Oxford reading tree book bands. In year 2, she’s reading Tom Gates and Dr Seuss when she came off the reading schemes books. Julia Donaldson is written for adults to read to preschoolers and reception kids. It maybe deceptively difficult and themes too young for anyone above 6 or 7.

I agree with another PP that it’s odd he’s on gold/white but can’t blend (in additional to not being able to read young children’s books).

@Maddelight Teacher of deaf? How do I get one of these? We see the consultant a few times a ear for any adjustments and thats about it. Same for eyes, we go to the optician a few times a year and get any new glasses/adjustments but thats about it.

@Alltheyearround Doesn't blend, so either stares at the word they don't know or substitutes it for a word they do know that looks/sounds similar and carries on.