@ShrinkyDinkyPetal thank you for the information, it’s interesting to see where other children at and I really don’t want to be that parent at school!!! I’m also surprised there are so many different schemes, pre my son going to school I naively assumed it was standardised!!!
@Seashor thank you- I’ve googled free readers and the info I’ve got has different definition of free readers depending on key stage. At your school what reading level on the ORT would be classed as free reader, would it completing them all, so dark red? I’ve flicked through some of those books and would immensely impressed with a 4 year old reading them. Or would be it another stage, I think I read elsewhere it was white?
@BoleynMemories13 thank you. What you say about book bands makes sense- the books sent home from school are from all over the place (the earlier levels there were more biff and chip, which annoyed me because, as you say, they had split digraphs in, one book is called the pancake or something and I thought how do I read this with him!) but the school have banded them in line with the ORT, but it means some of the books will say purple- the school have assessed as a bit easier so will have categorised it as turquoise. It means there’s a lot of variety in the books coming home at least. But the levels definitely don’t match the phonics level they’ve been taught. By the end of summer term the class were half way through twinkl phase 5sound mat, whereas I’d say from Easter the books at home were ahead of the phonics learning.
thank you for experience with the chart, that helps put it in perspective for me. Noted re scheme books, in my recent post I explained that I was conscious of summer slide, so got the same level band books just to maintain his reading level- I’m not just saying this, he’s genuinely enjoyed the stories, the creepy castle range, ginger bread man, Hansel and Gretal etc. if I got any form of pushback from him, I wouldn’t do it with him, we’re big readers in this house and don’t want to put him off! We do read other books for fun, too. Chapter books (bar the hodgehog) haven’t really held his attention a yet. I’d be really grateful for any illustrated book recommendations, he loves Julia Donaldson, Kes Grey and Jim Field, all the funny bones books, Detective Stanley Range, Paw Patrol books etc.but if there’s any for that age group that you’d suggest I’d really appreciate it!
@lostinchaos thank you. From my googling of this it seems a lot of things tend to even out around year 3, I guess it’s developmental. White at the end of reception does look really advanced though, well done to him!
@Lllaaad thank you! Chapter books haven’t really held my son’s attention yet, did your daughter have a favourite? It’s a shame there’s such a difference between reading in schools- we viewed a mix of state and private schools (we only went private because we didn’t get any of the 6 schools we applied for and they gave us a school in borough, but really far away- I’m in London) and all bar one state school aimed for once a week reading with a TA, once a term with the class teacher, with 2 group reading sessions a week. One school didn’t send home a book, it was a link to a book to be read on a tablet and that was half termly, which didn’t seem enough to me!
@Kingdomofsleep thank you- that makes sense!