ORT: Read at Home books, a guide to the levels

The Read at Home series of books from the Oxford Reading Tree have been designed to help parents support their children in learning to read. There are five levels and each level is graded either a,b or c to allow for a gradual progression as their confidence and ability grows.

To help you decide the correct level books to get for your child I have included these guidance notes.

Level 1: Getting Ready to Read

for Children who:

• can recognise their own name


• can match some words


• can recognise some letter sounds

Level 2: Starting to Read

For Children who:

• can recognise a few words by sight


• can use pictures to read simple sentences


• know some initial letter sounds

Level 3: Becoming a Reader

For children who:

• can recognise 10-20 words by sight


• can read simple sentences


• know all the initial letter sounds

Level 4: Building Confidence in Reading

For Children who:

• can recognise 30-50 words by site


• can read harder sentences, with less support


• can use letter sounds to help make words

Level 5: Reading with Confidence

For Children who:

• can recognise 75+ word by sight


• can read ahead to check meaning


• can read silently to themselves