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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Please can someone explain infant level reading schemes to me?

33 replies

Scrumplet · 06/03/2009 13:37

DS is halfway through Reception and, I think, doing well with his phonics and reading. Our focus has been on getting him happy and settled at school and less on the academic side, so I've been pleasantly surprised at him picking up his sounds and basic reading as well.

A fellow parent told me yesterday that her DD (in DS's class) is on level 5 reading. DS is on level 1. I assumed his books were about right - average - for his age but am now wondering if he's struggling without me realising. So what's the normal range of reading levels for Reception? I have no idea ... didn't even notice the numbers on the front of DS's books until this mum pointed them out to me yesterday.

Thanks.

OP posts:

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AMumInScotland · 06/03/2009 13:41

I think the sort of parent who points out to you that her child is on a higher level than yours is probably not an entirely neutral person on this subject .

Mintyy · 06/03/2009 13:41

Lol! She was just showing off.

My DS is in reception, too, and I think I have a very similar attitude to you.I have no idea what "level" his reading is at. All I know is that he can read lots of 3 letter words, knows all his phonics, and is very keen on school. Which makes me very .

notnowbernard · 06/03/2009 13:42

DD1 is in Reception and I have absolutely no idea what level she is (if indeed she is on any level)

She comes home once a week with a designated reading book - for her to read with us - it is rated 'Pink' if that's any help?

TBH it is VERY simple - 'A dog' 'A cat' 'A rat' - type thing. She can read quite well now from her own books at home, so I feel this is easy for her. But am just glad that she's enjoying learning the phonics thing so much and wanting to read with us. I guess Yr 1 is when they'll bring more individually tailored reading material home? I really don't know either!

wrinklytum · 06/03/2009 13:48

Blimey I have no idea.DS is in reception but he is a winter birthday,so older than quite a few of his class peers.

He is doing those Oxford Reading Tree thingys and has recently stared stage 2 books,so reading sentences like

Biff fell on the concrete (WTF is that all about then?)

and

Dad was cross!!

I have no idea what level this is,but the main thing is that in reception they are happy and settled.

(I am developing an intense dislike of Biff,Chip and Kipper!!! and that flamin Scruffy dog.)

wrinklytum · 06/03/2009 13:48

Blimey I have no idea.DS is in reception but he is a winter birthday,so older than quite a few of his class peers.

He is doing those Oxford Reading Tree thingys and has recently stared stage 2 books,so reading sentences like

Biff fell on the concrete (WTF is that all about then?)

and

Dad was cross!!

I have no idea what level this is,but the main thing is that in reception they are happy and settled.

(I am developing an intense dislike of Biff,Chip and Kipper!!! and that flamin Scruffy dog.)

wrinklytum · 06/03/2009 13:48

Sorry!

Original poster

Scrumplet · 06/03/2009 14:27

Sounds like DS is fine then - my instincts were right, and I should have trusted them yesterday with said parent.

I read on another post earlier about a parents-mixing-with-parents rule of thumb being to never reveal or ask for a child's reading level - and now I can bloody well see why!

Notes to Scrumplet: extricate oneself if reading level territory is entered again among chatting parents. Assume that if teacher hasn't raised any concerns (which she hasn't), all is fine and dandy.

I can empathise with Biff-and-Chip fatigue. God, aren't they boring?

Thanks for reassuring posts.

OP posts:

ForeverOptimistic · 06/03/2009 14:32

I think that sounds about right. Ds is in Reception (August born) and is on level 1 books, they did put him up to level 2 but I wrote in his reading book that I thought it was too hard for him so he has moved back to level 1.

To be honest as long as he can recognise his letters and have a go at blending I wouldn't worry too much about it. I was a very early reader but everyone else caught up with me by the time I was about 9 or 10, I don't think early reading is a sign of intelligence.

clutteredup · 06/03/2009 14:34

Yes moral of story unless tacher says so your DS is doing fine and next time the parent mentions it lie and say your DS has done with reading levels and now enjoys reading harry Potter at home

Bakersman · 06/03/2009 14:36

I'd love to know whether ds is doing well, average or not so good in his reading - without wanting to do the Mummy Olympics thing at the school gate! However in his school they use colours as the levels. He has been on red level since December and seems to be finding them easy now. He is 5 next month.
Any ideas?

wed99 · 06/03/2009 16:31

I believe the colours relate to achievement levels in the national curriculum .
Lilac, Pink and Red are foundation stage colours and then Yellow, Blue and Green are year 1.
So your children are reading within the correct bands for their year group.

My DD's are in year 5 and 2 - eldest always been ahead of peers since Nursery for reading and youngest took a bit longer to get started but is now in a reading group with all those children whose mummies used to make me feel bad about her reading.

I think as long as your children are happy to read to you and enjoy looking at books they are doing just fine.

jumbo67 · 06/03/2009 17:26

I think there is a difference between reading and understanding. I know a few mums who thought their little ones where light years ahead but were then held back for lack of comprehension.

MollieO · 06/03/2009 17:29

Isn't the dog called Floppy. We read more advanced stuff at home than ds gets from school but not sure what level. Will have to check tonight. School reading is ORT and incredibly dull. I reckon it takes ds about 2 mind to read his school book. Means homework isn't very trying so that is a plus

MollieO · 06/03/2009 17:32

2 mins

Mercy · 06/03/2009 17:37

My ds is in Reception and can barely read more than half a dozen words.

They don't have numbered or colour coded books either. They are just labelled Reception age!

Agree with jumbo's post

BlackLetterDay · 06/03/2009 18:45

Ah I have never noticed the numbers on the books, dd seems to get a couple of story books and one of those horrible biff and kipper things every week, sad thing is she seems to enjoy them

pigsinmud · 06/03/2009 18:52

Dd1 is in reception and is on red books. They have to read a new book to the teacher and het something like 90% or 95% of it right before they move on to the next level. I remember from my boys that they get tested on comprehension too.. that might be higher up he school though.

Personally we have never paid too much attention to what colour they're on. Have loads of books at home and dd1 enjoys reading those with us and picking out the words she can recognise.

It sounds like you have the right attitude.

BlackLetterDay · 06/03/2009 19:18

Although the latest one has nadim, he must be new, how exciting.

verygreenlawn · 06/03/2009 19:35

ORT gets a bit better when they get to the Magic Key stuff, up to then it basically seems to revolve around Mum being cross.

Ds1 finished reception on a ridiculously high level of ORT - 12; the problem with doing this is that while he could read and understand the general sense of the words, the themes got a bit mature. I was a bit when he came home with one about WWII and started asking why anyone would want to drop bombs on children - he was only 5 at the time.

I would never never share that BTW with anyone in real life - why would anyone else be interested in knowing what level book my ds is on?!

MollieO · 06/03/2009 20:14

The book ds has tonight from school is ORT level 1+. We read level 2 at home. We get a new book every day except Wednesdays but he spent all of last half term refusing to read books with words. Fortunately he seems to have rediscovered his enthusiasm and I'm not sure what happened for him to lose it in the first place.

Found this on an old thread.

vgl level 12 - wow! I agree with the magic key ones they do seem a bit odd, especially the one where gran gets locked up!

MollieO · 06/03/2009 20:16

Also this

MollieO · 06/03/2009 22:43

this seems to be the most up to date info on ORT levels.

Jajas · 06/03/2009 22:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mollymawk · 06/03/2009 23:23

Think yourselves lucky. DS1 is in Y1 now and loves those blasted Magic Key books so much that after he has read the book I then have to read it back to him as his bedtime story.

critterjitter · 06/03/2009 23:25

I always love that parent who announces their child's reading level to other parents at the school gate. Closely followed by loud conversations about the number of play dates their child has been invited to. And how their little darling wouldn't even eat sweets if they offered them to them....

Its calculated to wind you up. Ignore.

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