In order to keep pace with National Curriculum expectations, we move children up a book band every 3 months. With the right support at school and home, most children are ready to move up this frequently. However, if you feel that your child isn’t quite ready to move up a level, just keep reading the books you have and only move on when you think they are secure. It isn’t a race, it is a journey and consistent reading practise at home is what really matters.
Category: FAQ
I’d like to donate the books my child has finished with to a charity, what do I do?
We’d be happy to donate the books for you. Just get in contact and we will send you a freepost bag.
Can I return the books if my child has already read one of them at school for another one?
Our books cover a range of genres (poetry, fiction, non-fiction). Occasionally your child might receive a book that they have read at school. We send several titles each month so that there is always plenty of choice and re-reading titles is still a great way to practise.
When can I cancel?
You can cancel your subscription any time by logging into ‘My account’ and updating your subscription. We will cancel the next delivery after the point of cancellation. Please see full terms and conditions here.
I’m going away for a long holiday, can I get the next box in advance?
Of course and this is a great idea. Spending 5-10 minutes every day will really help boost your child’s progress and this is particularly important over the holidays (and a great way to keep kids busy on the plane!). Just send us an email and let us know the boxes that you need a month in advance. We will get them to you before you go!
I’m going away for a long holiday, can I pause my deliveries?
Yes, we’d be happy to do this. Contact us and just let us know the months that you will be away. Your deliveries will be stopped for the months (maximum two months) you are away and will automatically resume when you are back. However, we follow the school curriculum so each month’s content is specifically authored to cover what is most relevant each month. If you don’t want to miss out on the content that would have been send for the months that you are away, we can always send you these boxes in advance.
Do you offer a sibling discount?
Yes we do! After you register one child, you can easily add a sibling. Simply go to ‘My Account’ then select ‘Add a sibling’, follow the prompts and checkout. Add the code SIBLING10 at checkout for 10% off the monthly subscription for siblings.
When do I receive my first delivery?
If you sign up before the 25th of the month, the current month’s box will be sent to you asap. If you sign up after the 25th, you will receive your box for the next month. Subsequent deliveries are usually out during the first week of each month.
Can I change my child’s reading level once they have started with The Bear Can Read?
Yes, of course. You can change your child’s reading level anytime by going into the ‘My Account’ area and selecting ‘Change Child Details’. You will see that the Book Band Level can be edited. This Book Band level will then be used when creating your child’s next box. Alternatively, you can send us a note and we will adjust the level for you.
Please note that in order to keep children progressing, we will also change your child’s reading level, but we will let you know when we think the time is right to do this. We make this decision based on the National Curriculum and the length of time children are usually on each book band before it is time to move on.
Any requests or updates to Book Band level must be made before the 14th of the month if you want the next month updated.
I don’t agree with the book band level my child’s school has them, can I select a different one for The Bear Can Read deliveries?
Yes of course. When you get started, you will be able to add a note about your child’s reading level so you can let us know where you think they should start. Please keep in mind the advice about how you know if a reading level is too easy, hard or just right.
All schools encourage children to read at home. Many schools insist that the child stays on the school assigned reading level in school (they may have many reasons for this such as wanting the child to explore a different genre at that level or they are focusing on expression and fluency) but they are more than happy for you to pursue your own books at home. These could be at a different reading level for consolidation or extension. Remember all reading practise is great practise!