Levels of attainment end Y1

[ksld]

Does anyone know where I can find a broad spectrum guide to what children should be achieving by the end of Year 1?

My DS is in a class where they have had several different supply teachers without any consistency throughout the year. The supply teachers have been unable to provide parents evenings. We have been offered meetings with the Head of KS1 instead, but she doesn't know who DS is so wasn't able to give me much information.

I go up to the class sometimes to help with reading and two thirds of the class are on ORT Stage 1 and 2, with the rest Stage 3-8. Looking on the ORT website this would suggest they are falling behind?

If as a class they are behind, is this something that I should be concerned about or will they pick up in Year 2 ?(I realise they are all still very young).

Not sure if this is right or not, but someone told me children need to be ORT6 to be average (whatever that means!) for end of Yr1. Some won't be there - more boys apparently - but some will be way further ahead. There's a fair few in DS's class who are ORT10 or more, but also a fair few who are still on ORT3 too. They all develop at different rates, so if your son is at the lower end it doesn't mean you have to panic. It's not good if the majority of the class are no where near the average though, so I'd ask for a meet and get the school's take on it.

Hiya, I'm a year 1 teacher & head of first school so hopefully I can help...
Firstly, ORT means NOTHING - it is one of a many hundred reading schemes available to schools and shouldn't be used as a marker for your child's reading abilities. True reading assessment takes into account your child's ability to decode words, discuss a book, make predictions and offer opinions - its not until later in his years that comprehension etc become more refined skills. SO DONT PANIC!!!
Personally, I threw out all the ORT book in our school as I feel they are just the same set or words in a different order on each page. The best advice I can give, is to engage your child in reading a variety of texts in different contexts - comics, information books, cereal boxes - whatever! The important thing is for a child of 5 or 6 to enjoy their reading, to understand how important it is and the different contexts in which we rely on reading.

Hope this makes sense - Its something I am HUGELY passionate about!

sallybean you sound fab. Wish there were more like you.

Ah, thank you. It breaks my heart to hear parents worrying about reading and feeling under such pressure
I just think teachers have a responsibility to help parents understand that oxford-bloody-reading tree is outdated nonsense & that reading should be done for enjoyment at such a tender age.

ps: If you want a few fab books to share with DS try "Oliver Jeffers" -- the perfect author for mums & cherubs alike

Completely agree with Sally, although my point of view is much more amateur than hers! Oliver Jeffers books are brilliant for this kind of reading level, although watch out for the funny font's effect on the g's!!

Although you might cringe at the grammar sometimes, Charlie and Lola seem readable by my ds and he enjoys them (I just hope he won't start saying "so I say x and then he says y" all the time).

If ORT is the only tangible benchmark you have then yes, ORT6 is about average at the end of year 1 according to their website (they're mainly orange band in NC levels).

fonts not font's. Bad grammar from me

Don't worry where he is at in school.

Read with him at home, the picture books from when he was younger are a good place to start. Then go to library.

In my DD's class whole range from ORT2 (mainly those with EAFL) to those on ORT 10 chapter books. Most on ORT 5-8.

Also they can catch up quickly in year 2. You can work on his reading between now and then if you are worried.

I think you need to speak to the Head regarding your concerns over the use of supply teachers and the affects it may be having on your child's education. I don;t think it's a crisis but I wouldn't be happy with a repeat situation in Year 2.