In Letters and Sounds, there are ‘sets’ within the Phases – so your child might not know all the sounds in every book within their Phase. Step into the world of King Arthur as he faces a huge giant and meets a boy as small as a thumb! Two classic folk tales retold by Jeanne Willis. Here is our ‘All you need to know about the Oxford Reading Tree’ parents’ guide to help you understand their system and to see if your child’s reading is at the right level. So what level book should your child be reading in school? When your child is learning to read, they need to read books at the right level of challenge. If your child’s book is too hard, they will find it frustrating (and so will you) and might be put off reading. If their book is too easy, their reading won’t get any better. Your child will read a number of books at one level, band or colour before your child’s teacher will decide that they are ready to move on. The series is written by top children's authors and the series editor is best-selling award-winning author Jeremy Strong.

The Oxford Reading Tree is a reading scheme which has been developed to help children learn to read between the ages of 4 and 11. It comprises over 800 books which have been graded according to their difficulty into 20 ‘Oxford Levels’ and 17 ‘Colour Bands’. Published by the Oxford University Press, it is the reading scheme used by most schools in the UK. Familiar settings, real-life scenarios and humorous illustrations to engage and motivate the reader. Underpinned by Oxford Assessment and Levelling, matching every child with the right book for them through carefully graded language. The prize draw is only open to UK Residents, but the survey is open for anyone to complete and we'd love to hear from all of you – wherever you are in the world!Find more support and resources for Read Write Inc. in our parents' guide to Read Write Inc.> Looking for printed books for phonics practice at home? Many mums call me to discuss their child’s reading level. They worry that their child’s classmates seem to have different colour books. Does this ring a bell with you? If so, read on!The Oxford Reading Tree banding gives a pretty good guide on where your child’s reading should be. Our Read with Oxford series features the much-loved characters who have been helping children learn to read for over 30 years.

A reading scheme is a series of books that have been carefully written to help children learn to read. Your child’s school probably has at least one reading scheme such as Oxford Reading Tree, Big Cat or Bug Club. The books will be organised into levels, or bands, or colours. Before your child starts reading, chat about the cover and title. Talk about what the book might be about. Our Read with Oxford range of levelled readers help children develop reading confidence at home: Read with Oxford books > Parents of children using Read Write Inc. Phonics may be interested in our home learning kits and flashcards: Read Write Inc. Phonics kits >

Featured eBooks

Inside cover notes to help adults read and explore the story with the child, supporting discussion and comprehension. Help your child build their vocabulary and develop spelling skills with age-appropriate dictionaries from Oxford children's dictionaries. Children's fiction If your child is struggling with a word, help them to break it down into individual sounds, then blend the sounds together. Breaking words down into syllables can also help. With longer or compoundwords, support children to identify elements of the word they might know or find easier to decode, for instance, rain/ing, kind/est, foot/ball. Cover up part of the word and encourage children to read it in smaller chunks.

It is really important to read from your child’s reading book (or another book at the right level) every day. It can seem like a struggle or a chore if your child is unenthusiastic, but try and find the time – your child’s reading skills will blossom for it. If your child is using Letters and Sounds, you can find this list of eBooks by Letters and Sounds Phases useful. Bear in mind the following:

Oxford Levels