Oxford Reading Tree Levels by Age Explained: Biff, Chip and Kipper Stages, Book Bands and Which Set to Buy

The short answer: Oxford Reading Tree (ORT) books are organised into numbered levels, each matched to a coloured book band. Roughly, children read Levels 1 to 3 in Reception (age 4–5), Levels 4 to 6 in Year 1 (age 5–6) and Levels 7 to 9 in Year 2 (age 6–7), before moving on to the higher levels in Key Stage 2. At home, the Read with Oxford range groups these levels into simpler Stages 1 to 6. Every child progresses at their own pace, so use the level, not the age, to choose books.

If your child brings home a Biff, Chip and Kipper book with a coloured sticker on the spine, you may wonder what the level means, whether your child is on track and which books to buy for reading practice at home. This guide explains the Oxford Reading Tree levels by age, how they match the book band colours used in schools, how the Read with Oxford stages fit in and which Biff, Chip and Kipper set is right for your child.

What is Oxford Reading Tree?

Oxford Reading Tree is a reading scheme published by Oxford University Press and used in many UK primary schools. It is best known for the Biff, Chip and Kipper stories, created by Roderick Hunt and illustrated by Alex Brychta. The stories follow twins Biff and Chip, their younger brother Kipper, their dog Floppy, their parents and friends such as Wilf and Wilma.

The books start with simple, everyday stories about family life. As children move up the levels, a magic key in the children's playroom starts to glow and whisks them off on adventures, from castles and pirate ships to the future. Generations of children have learned to read with these characters since the scheme began in the 1980s, which is why many parents remember them from their own school days.

The scheme is levelled: each book is carefully written so that the words, sentence lengths and story structure match a particular stage of reading development. That lets teachers give children books that are challenging enough to help them progress but not so hard that they lose confidence.

Oxford Reading Tree levels by age and book band

This table shows each Oxford Reading Tree level, its matching book band colour and the age at which children typically read it. The ages are a rough guide only.

The upper levels vary slightly between sources and editions, so if your school uses its own colour scheme for older readers, go by your child's teacher. Some schools also use a Brown band for confident readers in the middle and upper levels.

What level should my child be at?

As a broad guide, Oxford suggests that by the end of Reception many children will be reading at around Levels 1+ to 3, by the end of Year 1 at around Levels 4 to 6, and by the end of Year 2 at around Levels 7 to 9. These are typical expectations, not targets. Children develop at very different rates, and a child who is a level or two above or below is completely normal. If you are worried, the best person to talk to is your child's class teacher.

What are the Read with Oxford stages?

If you buy Biff, Chip and Kipper books for home, you will often see them labelled Read with Oxford Stage 1, 2, 3 and so on, rather than by school level. Read with Oxford is Oxford's range for parents, and each stage covers one or more school levels.

So if your child is on Green books at school, a Read with Oxford Stage 3 set is a good match. If they are on Purple or Gold, look at Stage 5.

What does each stage involve?

Lilac and Pink: first steps

Lilac books are often wordless. Children tell the story from the pictures, which builds vocabulary, prediction and an understanding of how stories work. Pink books introduce a few simple, decodable words alongside the pictures.

Red and Yellow: early decoding

Children start blending sounds to read short words and simple sentences, plus a handful of common "tricky words". Stories are short, with one or two lines per page.

Light Blue to Turquoise: building fluency

Sentences get longer and stories have more structure. Children start reading with more expression, and the magic key adventures begin to appear, which makes reading more exciting.

Purple to Lime: growing independence

Books become longer, with more text per page and richer vocabulary. Children begin reading silently and talking about characters, plot and meaning, not just decoding words.

Grey and above: confident readers

By the higher levels, children read short chapter books independently. Oxford's TreeTops series, which includes fiction and non-fiction, is designed for these stages.

How Oxford Reading Tree fits with phonics

Most English primary schools teach reading through systematic synthetic phonics, and many use a dedicated phonics programme alongside or instead of ORT. In Year 1, children take the Phonics Screening Check in June, which tests whether they can decode a list of real and made-up words.

The Biff, Chip and Kipper stories are written to develop reading skills generally, so at home they work best alongside decodable phonics books. Oxford also publishes phonics-focused titles, including the Songbirds series by Julia Donaldson and Biff, Chip and Kipper phonics readers. If your child's school uses a particular phonics programme, ask the teacher which books best match the sounds they are learning.

Which Biff, Chip and Kipper set should I buy?

Match the set to the level your child is reading at school, or one level below for easy, confidence-building practice at home.

For pre-school and Reception (Read with Oxford Stages 1–2)

• The Read with Oxford Stage 1 Biff, Chip and Kipper 4-book collection is a gentle introduction for children just starting out.
• The Read with Oxford Phonics Stage 1 4-book set adds early phonics practice.
• The Biff, Chip and Kipper Stage 2 16-book collection is ideal once children are blending sounds and reading Red or Yellow books.
• The First Experiences with Biff, Chip and Kipper 8-book set covers real-life moments such as starting school, a new baby and going to the dentist. These are lovely to share before a big change.

For Year 1 (Read with Oxford Stages 3–4)

• The Biff, Chip and Kipper Stage 3 16-book collection suits children reading Light Blue or Green books.
• The Read with Oxford Winnie and Wilbur 6-book set is a fun change of character for growing readers, and a second Winnie and Wilbur 6-book collection offers more stories once they have finished it.
• The Read with Oxford phonics practice 6-book set (Stages 1–3) adds puzzles, writing and rhyming activities.

For Year 2 (Read with Oxford Stages 5–6)

• The Biff, Chip and Kipper Stage 5 16-book collection suits children on Purple or Gold books, with longer magic key adventures.

For confident readers (Levels 9 and above)

The Oxford Reading Tree TreeTops Fiction 15-book collection is a bridge into chapter books, with a mix of funny and adventurous stories.

For phonics practice across the early stages

• The Julia Donaldson Songbirds 36-book collection (Read with Oxford Stages 1–4) is full of rhythmic, decodable stories.
• The KS1 phonics 3-book set includes practice for the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check.
• For extra variety, the Usborne Phonics Readers 12-book set and Scholastic Phonics for Little Wandle Starter Pack 2 offer more decodable reading.
• The Reading Champion 30-book collection is another book-banded series that is useful for wider reading.

Signs your child is ready to move up a level

Teachers decide when to move children up at school, but at home it helps to know what progress looks like. Your child may be ready for the next level when they:

• read most words in a book at their current level without needing help;
• read with some expression, pausing at full stops and changing their voice for speech;
• can retell the story in their own words and answer simple questions about it;
• work out unfamiliar words by sounding them out or using the picture and the sentence;
• seem bored rather than challenged by their current books.

If your child is reading every word correctly but cannot tell you what happened, they may need more time at the same level to build understanding. Comprehension matters just as much as decoding.

Tips for reading Oxford Reading Tree books at home

1. Talk about the pictures first. Ask your child what they think will happen. This builds prediction and vocabulary.
2. Let them have a go. If they get stuck, encourage them to sound out the word before you help.
3. Re-read favourites. Reading a familiar book again builds fluency and confidence, even if it feels easy.
4. Ask questions afterwards. "Why did Kipper feel sad?" or "What would you have done?" helps with comprehension.
5. Keep it short and fun. Ten relaxed minutes a day is better than a long, stressful session once a week.
6. Don't rush up the levels. Plenty of practice at the right level helps more than moving up too quickly.

Frequently asked questions

What age is Oxford Reading Tree Level 1?

Level 1 (Lilac) is usually for children aged about 3 to 4, at nursery or the start of Reception. Many Level 1 books have no words, so children tell the story from the pictures.

What level should a 5 year old be reading?

Many 5-year-olds in Reception read around Levels 1+ to 3 (Pink to Yellow), and many move on to Levels 4 to 6 during Year 1. It varies a lot between children, so ask the teacher if you are unsure.

What is the difference between ORT levels and Read with Oxford stages?

Levels are used in schools, and each matches one book band colour. Read with Oxford stages are used for books sold to parents, and each stage covers one or more levels. For example, Stage 3 matches Levels 4 and 5.

Are Biff, Chip and Kipper books phonics books?

The classic stories develop wider reading skills and are not all fully decodable. Oxford publishes separate phonics titles, such as Songbirds and Biff, Chip and Kipper phonics readers, which work well alongside them.

What comes after Oxford Reading Tree?

Children usually move on to Oxford's TreeTops books and then to independent chapter books. Funny, illustrated series are a great next step for newly confident readers.

Why is my child still on the same level?

It is common for children to spend several weeks, or even a term, on one level. Teachers often keep children at a level until they are reading fluently and understanding the stories well, not just decoding the words, so a pause is usually a sign of careful teaching rather than a problem.

Find the right reading books for your child

Whether your child is just starting with Lilac books or moving on to chapter books, the right set at the right level makes reading at home easier and more enjoyable. Browse our Biff, Chip and Kipper collection, our early readers and our phonics and activity books, or see the books for ages 3–5 and books for ages 5–7. When your child is ready for longer books, our guide to children's book box sets by age has plenty of ideas.