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?

@ReadyForPumpkins They mix schemes so it's not all stritcly ORT, theres also big cats, usbourne, ladybird and another one, so it's basically a school run scheme.

The books DC has are short but not very short. They have a paragraph of 5-6 lines per day and big pictures. A few have a couple of chapters. DC manages at most 5 pages a day, I cannot get them to read more, they just stop and refuse even if we read in the morning - which is difficult due to them being at breakfast club 4 days a week.

It sounds like he is sight reading as he cannot access the sounds due to hearing loss. I sight read don't sound out/blend.

things that helped me was looking up the word in a dictionary as once I got the meaning of the word I often knew the word so could say it.

also put subtitles on the tv then you subconsciously read along.

I think you need a conversation with the senco to discuss his support need regarding hearing/sight and reading. The end of the day his ability to access his education when his reading level is low or considerably slower is going to be harder

agree that it sounds like he’s a sight reader, I don’t think that’s such a bad thing. My son is too.

I will probably get slated for this but he learnt a LOT of reading from Minecraft and roblox. Also reads a lot of comics - Dog Man, Bunny vs Monkey etc. Might be easier for your DS to read comics as the words to picture ratio a bit more friendly!

Sight reading is OK I have taught reading with a few children between 7 and 11 like this, but they will struggle every time they get to a new word (and try to 'match' it with a word they already know - like quite for quiet) and then comprehension gets mucked up. Phonics is the advised method for literacy difficulties as it gives them the tools to work out an unfamiliar word.

From what you've written your DS is resilient (because he's coping with school even though the texts they're looking at are increasingly out of reach) and clever (because he can make sense of texts even though he can barely read - which is like learning to play chess from a manual written in Russian).

He's a credit to you and you should be proud of him. He has huge potential to do well.

He's also being failed - badly failed - by the school - probably because they have no resources and he's safe to ignore because he won't kick off. Don't assume that the system works and if he needs help he will get it. He won't.

A yr5 should not struggle reading Julia Donaldson. This is the stuff he should be comfortable reading: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/reading-lists-for-ks2-school-pupils/suggested-reading-list-for-year-5-pupils-ks2-age-9-10/

He is not going to cope in secondary unless things change fast.

None - none - of this is your fault or his fault - but you are going to have to act. Doesn't mean fighting school, means politely and relentlessly pushing them to prioritise him.

Stuff you can do that costs nothing but your time:

You can apply for an EHCP without school support. It is harder, but not impossible. Take a look at IPSEA and the SEN boards on here. Tbh - if you tell school you are applying they might come on board. Start now and you might have something in place by yr7.

You can also go back to school - senco and governors - and - politely - ask how they're going to get him to achieved level for yr6 sats. If they fudge, ask again.

Ask them what they think the problem is if it's not dyslexia.

Ask them to justify how he can be 3 years behind in reading. Assuming he isn't disruptive and has ok attendance - what is going on?

Contact the RNID and the National Deaf Children's Society- say what you've said here and ask if they have any advice.

Consider applying for disability living allowance. It's a horrible form, but it could help you pay for an assessment. The NDCS do a guide to applying for DLA.