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Read with Oxford

 

If you would like to give your child a bit of extra help with reading, then look no further than Read with Oxford. Read with Oxford is a home reading scheme that can be used alongside any school reading scheme that your child is using. It has six Stages to take your child from their first steps in phonics to being independent readers.  

Find out what Stage is right for your child here

Read with Oxford Stages use the same reading skills progression as Oxford Reading Tree Levels – but in wider bands:

Stage 1
Oxford Level: 1, 1+
Book Band: Lilac, Pink
Approx. age: 3–4

Stage 2
Oxford Level: 2, 3
Book Band: Red, Yellow
Approx. age: 4–5

Stage 3
Oxford Level: 4, 5
Book Band: Blue, Green
Approx. age: 5–6

Stage 4
Oxford Level: 6, 7
Book Band: Orange, Turquoise
Approx. age: 5–7

Stage 5
Oxford Level: 8, 9
Book Band: Purple, Gold
Approx. age: 6–8

Stage 6
Oxford Level: 10, 11, 12
Book Band: White, Lime, Brown
Approx. age: 7–8

Find more information about the individual Stages below.

Stage 1: First steps

First steps – I am starting to use letter sounds to read simple words

Read with Oxford Stage 1 is for children who are ready to start learning to read. They will enjoy listening to stories and will be beginning to recognise letter sounds and read simple words.

Approximate age: 3–4
School: Early Years
Equivalent to: Oxford Levels 1 and 1+ | Book Bands Red, Yellow

Browse Stage 1 books >

Stage 2: Early reader

Early reader – I can use letter sounds to read simple words and short sentences

Read with Oxford Stage 2 is for children who are able to read very simple stories. They will still enjoy listening to stories while practising their own early reading skills at the same time.

Approximate age: 4–5
School: Reception/P1
Equivalent to: Oxford Levels 2 and 3 | Book Bands Red, Yellow

Browse Stage 2 books >

Stage 3: Growing reader

Growing reader – I am starting to read more words and longer sentences with less help

Read with Oxford Stage 3 is for children who are becoming more confident in their reading. They will be building on their earlier reading skills and will often use their knowledge of phonics automatically.

Approximate age: 5–6
School: Years 1 and 2/P2 and P3
Equivalent to: Oxford Levels 4 and 5 | Book Bands Blue, Green

Browse Stage 3 books >

Stage 4: Gaining confidence

Gaining confidence – I sometimes read by myself, and I can read lots of everyday words

Read with Oxford Stage 4 is for children who are beginning to read with more confidence. They are often able to use the phonics they have learned without being reminded, and they are starting to feel more comfortable reading by themselves.

Approximate age: 5–7
School: Years 1 and 2/P2 and P3
Equivalent to: Oxford Levels 6 and 7 | Book Bands Orange, Turquoise

Browse Stage 4 books >

Stage 5: Becoming independent

Becoming independent – I can read and enjoy a whole story by myself

Read with Oxford Stage 5 is for children who are reading confidently, silently and independently most of the time. They will use their phonics knowledge automatically to tackle words they don’t know and will be able to make predictions about what happens next in stories.

Approximate age: 6–8
School: Years 2 and 3/P3 and P4
Equivalent to: Oxford Levels 8 and 9 | Book Bands Purple, Gold

Browse Stage 5 books >

Stage 6: Independent reader

Independent reader – I can read and understand longer chapter books by myself

Read with Oxford Stage 6 is for children who reading confidently, silently and independently. They will have a greater understanding of what they are reading, feel comfortable tackling longer books in one sitting and will enjoy books of different genres.

Approximate age: 7–8
School: Year 3/P4
Equivalent to: Oxford Levels 10, 11 and 12 | Book Bands White, Lime, Brown

Browse Stage 6 books >

image of an illustrated boy and his dog

Oxford Reading Tree

Find out more about the Oxford Reading Tree and discover how the scheme can support your child in their reading journey.

Find out more

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Bookshop

Discover the wide range of our Read with Oxford titles in the bookshop, with suitable adventures for every stage.

Browse books