My child can read every word, so why are they still on the same reading level?
1 min read Published 18 Oct 2026
By Holly Keenan, Primary School TeacherThis is one of the questions I'm asked most, and I understand the frustration. The reason is that reading is a two-part skill: decoding the words and understanding the story. As teachers, we need to see both before moving a child up a level.
Part one: decoding the words
When your child reads, they should be able to automatically recognise and read 9 out of every 10 words completely on their own.
Part two: understanding the story
Your child also needs to understand what they've read. Can they confidently:
talk about how a character is feeling?
predict what might happen next?
explain what happened in the story?
Questions to try at home
Try asking one or two of these as you go, rather than saving them all for a quiz at the end. It keeps the story flowing and the chat natural.
How do you think this character is feeling? How can you tell?
What do you think will happen next?
Why do you think they did that?
Can you tell me what happened, in your own words?
If your child reads the words brilliantly but finds these questions harder, that's exactly what the extra time on the level is helping with. If you're ever unsure, just ask your child's class teacher what they're working on.
This article is published by ParentBoost. It was written or reviewed for ParentBoost by the contributor below and edited by our team. It is general information for parents, not individual professional advice.
Holly Keenan
Primary School Teacher
Holly is a primary school teacher with experience across Reception, Year 1 and Year 3, and currently teaches Year 3. She holds a BA degree and a PGCE. Having taught children from their very first weeks at school through to the juniors, Holly shares the practical, everyday ways parents can support learning at home without it turning into a battle.
This article is general guidance for parents and carers, not medical, health, legal or other professional advice. Every child is different. If you're worried about your child's health or development, talk to your GP, health visitor or another suitable professional. In an emergency, call 999. For urgent advice, call NHS 111.
