Reading Banded Books
Recently, we have been carefully and systematically updating our reading scheme books. This process has been undertaken for a number of reasons:
• The DfE, and OFSTED, have stated that from September, children, who are on the phonics scheme, must be given a book, which is precisely matched to their current phonetic knowledge.
• To ensure that all children, regardless of their age or ability, have access to a book which is matched to their current reading ability in terms of both their decoding and comprehension abilities.
• To allow for systematic and appropriate progression within the scheme, which can be easily assessed and tracked.
• To ensure that concepts within the texts are matched to the children’s maturity.
• To provide confident, advanced readers with books that will challenge their vocabulary and analytical skills, as well as continue to foster a love of reading.
• To increase the level of engagement of the children with the books they are reading.
• To make sure that there are high interest books, matched to their chronological age for older children who might be struggling with reading. Where appropriate, these will be directly matched to their phonic knowledge.
• To improve and instil a passion for reading. Reading for pleasure is of the upmost importance. The updated reading scheme has allowed us to select a variety of different books, from a range of topics and genres that are designed to hook in to the interests of the children.
As a result, we will be using the coloured Book Band system for all the children’s personal reading books. This book will be of an appropriate level of challenge which they will be able to read independently. Children will also be able to take a second book home either from the school library or their classroom book corner. The children will have free choice when selecting this book and, as a result, it may be slightly more challenging and children may require more support from a parent or carer when reading this.
• The DfE, and OFSTED, have stated that from September, children, who are on the phonics scheme, must be given a book, which is precisely matched to their current phonetic knowledge.
• To ensure that all children, regardless of their age or ability, have access to a book which is matched to their current reading ability in terms of both their decoding and comprehension abilities.
• To allow for systematic and appropriate progression within the scheme, which can be easily assessed and tracked.
• To ensure that concepts within the texts are matched to the children’s maturity.
• To provide confident, advanced readers with books that will challenge their vocabulary and analytical skills, as well as continue to foster a love of reading.
• To increase the level of engagement of the children with the books they are reading.
• To make sure that there are high interest books, matched to their chronological age for older children who might be struggling with reading. Where appropriate, these will be directly matched to their phonic knowledge.
• To improve and instil a passion for reading. Reading for pleasure is of the upmost importance. The updated reading scheme has allowed us to select a variety of different books, from a range of topics and genres that are designed to hook in to the interests of the children.
As a result, we will be using the coloured Book Band system for all the children’s personal reading books. This book will be of an appropriate level of challenge which they will be able to read independently. Children will also be able to take a second book home either from the school library or their classroom book corner. The children will have free choice when selecting this book and, as a result, it may be slightly more challenging and children may require more support from a parent or carer when reading this.
Reading book band progression document below:
