Does my child's reading level really matter?

[Runoutofideas]

A quick question for teachers really, please.

My dd1 is 4 and in reception. I think her reading is coming along really well. She reads to us every night, either a reading scheme book or a "normal" story book. At school they do rigby rockets/rigby star books and she is on yellow level. At home though she is reading books more complex than this. She cruised through some ORT level 5 books and ladybird read it yourself level 3 which we got from the library, just to see is she could do them. Her expression and comprehension seem good to me too.

My question is, do I make a point of trying to get her level raised at school, or just leave them to do their thing? So far I have had to make comments in her reading record book to get her raised from pink to red then red to yellow and I really don't want to keep doing this and come across as a horrendous pushy parent. I just want her to read at the right level for her. They seem to only read to the teacher once a week and have small group sessions where I think they all read the same book. Could this be why she's not racing through the levels....? Any opinions welcome. Thanks

The next level up is Blue, which is 1C/1B, with Green being 1B:

Expects written text to make sense.

Reads, on sight, words for YR from appendix list 1 in the National Literacy Strategy Framework and other important and familiar words.

Uses phonic knowledge to attempt unknown words.

Blends phonemes to read words containing consonant clusters.

Reads book band 4 books with no support and band 5 with little support

May substitute a plausible alternative word or words using context/pictures

Locates and reads significant parts of a recount and identifies the main points in correct sequence.

Shows an understanding of the elements of stories, including main character, sequence of events, openings and endings

Shows an understanding of how information can be found in non-fiction texts to answer questions about where, who, why and how.

Uses knowledge of simple sentence structures and repeated patterns to make predictions and check reading.

Uses the meaning of the story to make sensible, simple predictions.

Iidentifies the patterns and structures of rhyme and patterned text when retelling and reciting.

Understands, and uses correctly, terms referring to conventions of print: book, cover, beginning, end, page, word, letter, line.

Understands the structure of a simple story and uses this when re-enacting and retelling.

Identifies the patterns and structures of rhyme and patterned text when retelling and reciting.

Talks about stories and other texts identifying major points and key themes

Returns to favourite books, songs, rhymes to be re-read and enjoyed.

Seeks out different books around a simple theme ?e.g. books about cats?

Expects written text to make sense.
Reads, on sight, words for YR from appendix list 1 in the National Literacy Strategy Framework and other important and familiar words.

Uses phonic knowledge to attempt unknown words.

Blends phonemes to read words containing consonant clusters.

Reads book band 4 books with no support and band 5 with little support

May substitute a plausible alternative word or words using context/pictures

I was a very advanced reader for my age at junior school, but we had three reading levels and I was on the bottom one for ages. This was because, when I joined the school, I was put on the "red" bottom level books, like everybody else. My parents bought me books which were harder, I read them, so I rarely bothered with school books. Therefore, I spent three years on "red" level in the library, because you had to read a certain number to progress, and I never bothered!Because they were too easy!

Thanks Hulababy for all that - I definitely think blue or green would be right for her. For example she was reading a "normal" storybook this evening and the only words she got a bit stuck on were "stretched" and "grumbled" - both of which have lots of consonants together.

Does 1B mean average in year 1?

Well....I spoke to the lovely TA this morning who said that she heard dd read yesterday and she was rushing through it and adding extra words in "because it made the book sound better". She said that she thought dd was finding the books too easy and that she'd have a word with the teacher. I asked if there were other children on blue or green books and maybe she could move groups, and the TA just said that she was already reading with the strongest readers anyway. Will just have to wait and see if anything changes I think.

Good luck, that sounds promising. I heart TAs anyway, sounds like you've a good un.