Reading Levels Chart for Australian Schools

Reading Level Conversion Chart – Australian Primary Schools

Australian schools use several different reading level systems, and converting between them is one of the most common tasks in primary literacy teaching. Whether you're matching a student's PM Benchmark level to a Fountas & Pinnell level, explaining reading levels to parents, or selecting guided reading texts from a different publisher, this chart will help.

The table below maps the most widely used reading level systems in Australian primary schools: PM Benchmark, Fountas & Pinnell (F&P), Reading Recovery, Lexile, and DRA. Whether you need to convert a Lexile score to a PM Benchmark or F&P guided reading level, match Reading Recovery levels to PM, or check the expected reading level for each Australian year level — this chart has you covered.

Bookmark this page — you'll come back to it every time you set up guided reading groups, order new texts, or write student reports.

The following table provides approximate conversions between the major reading level systems used in Australian schools. These are guidelines — individual assessments are always the most accurate way to determine a student's reading level.

Notes:

• PM Benchmark levels are most commonly used in Australian schools (published by Cengage/Nelson).
• Fountas & Pinnell (F&P) levels are used globally and are common in schools using the Benchmark Assessment System.
• Reading Recovery levels align closely with PM levels up to level 20, after which Reading Recovery discontinues levelling.
• Lexile levels are used internationally and are particularly common in digital reading platforms.
• DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) is less common in Australia but used in some independent schools.
• These are approximate conversions. Different sources may show slight variations.

Sources: This table draws on correlation data from the Fountas & Pinnell Instructional Grade-Level Equivalence Chart, the Scholastic Reading Level Correlation Chart, and Cengage PM Benchmark resources. Lexile ranges are based on MetaMetrics grade-level data.

PM Benchmark (Most Common in Australia)

PM Benchmark is the most widely used reading assessment system in Australian primary schools. Developed by Cengage (formerly Nelson), it uses a numbered levelling system from 1 to 30+. Students are assessed individually using PM Benchmark Assessment texts — the teacher listens to the student read aloud, records accuracy and errors, and asks comprehension questions.

PM levels are used to:

• Place students in guided reading groups
• Select appropriate texts for independent reading
• Monitor reading progress over time
• Report to parents on reading development

Assessment frequency: Most schools assess PM levels at the start of each term (4 times per year) and more frequently for students receiving intervention.

Fountas & Pinnell (F&P)

The Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient uses letters A–Z to level texts based on a range of characteristics including vocabulary, sentence complexity, text structure, and content. It was developed by Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell and is widely used in the United States and in Australian schools that follow their guided reading approach.

F&P levels are used to:

• Match students with "just right" texts for guided and independent reading
• Create guided reading groups
• Track student progress through the reading continuum

Reading Recovery

Reading Recovery is a short-term, early literacy intervention for Year 1 students who are the lowest-achieving readers in their class. It uses levels 1–20, which align closely with PM Benchmark levels 1–20. After level 20, Reading Recovery "graduates" students and levelling is no longer used.

Reading Recovery levels are relevant for:

• Early intervention programs (Year 1)
• Progress monitoring during intervention
• Communication between Reading Recovery teachers and classroom teachers

Lexile Framework

The Lexile Framework measures both text difficulty and student reading ability on a single scale, developed by MetaMetrics. Lexile measures range from below 0L (beginning readers) to above 1600L (advanced). Many digital reading platforms (including Reading Eggs and Epic!) use Lexile levels to recommend texts.

Lexile levels are useful for:

• Matching students with digital reading resources
• Comparing reading ability across different assessment systems
• Converting Lexile scores to guided reading levels (PM Benchmark or F&P)
• Setting reading goals for independent reading

Lexile Levels by Year Level in Australia

Australian schools don't typically use Lexile as their primary reading assessment, but many digital platforms report Lexile scores. Here's how Lexile ranges map to Australian year levels: Foundation BR–150L, Year 1 100–350L, Year 2 300–500L, Year 3 450–600L, Year 4 550–750L, Year 5 700–900L, Year 6 850–1050L. Use the conversion table above to find the corresponding PM Benchmark or F&P guided reading level for any Lexile score.

DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment)

DRA uses a numbered scale that assesses reading engagement, fluency, and comprehension. It's less common in Australian government schools but used in some independent and international schools. DRA levels are assessed through one-on-one reading conferences.

Reference: Correlation data sourced from the Fountas & Pinnell Grade-Level Equivalence Chart and the Scholastic New Teacher Starter Kit.

Many digital reading platforms — including Reading Eggs, Epic!, and school-administered online assessments — report student reading ability as a Lexile measure. If your school uses PM Benchmark or Fountas & Pinnell for guided reading groups, you'll need to convert that Lexile score into the system you use in the classroom.

Step-by-step conversion

1. Find the student's Lexile score from their digital reading platform or assessment report (e.g., 420L).
2. Locate the Lexile range in the conversion table above that contains the score. For 420L, that's the Year 2 (mid) row: 350–450L.
3. Read across to find the corresponding PM Benchmark level (20–22) and F&P level (K–L).
4. Use this as a starting point, not a final placement. Confirm with a running record or PM Benchmark assessment using the school's physical assessment texts.

Worked examples

Example 1: A Year 1 student scores 250L on Reading Eggs.

• 250L falls in the Year 1 (mid) range: 150–300L.
• Approximate guided reading level: PM 12–14 / F&P G–H.
• This is within the expected range for a Year 1 student mid-year.

Example 2: A Year 3 student scores 550L on an online assessment.

• 550L falls in the Year 3 range: 450–600L.
• Approximate guided reading level: PM 26–28 / F&P M–P.
• This is on track for Year 3.

Example 3: A Year 2 student scores 300L.

• 300L falls at the boundary of Year 1 (end) and Year 2 (early): 200–400L.
• Approximate guided reading level: PM 15–19 / F&P I–K.
• This student may be reading slightly below the mid-Year 2 expectation — worth confirming with a running record.

Source: Lexile grade-level ranges are based on MetaMetrics Lexile Framework data. PM and F&P equivalences are drawn from the correlation data in the main conversion table above.

Reading Recovery is an early literacy intervention designed for Year 1 students who are the lowest-performing readers in their class. It uses levels 1–20, which align closely (though not exactly) with PM Benchmark levels 1–20.

Reading Recovery to PM Benchmark Conversion

Note: Reading Recovery levels and PM Benchmark levels align closely but are not an exact one-to-one match at every level. The two systems were developed with awareness of each other (Reading Recovery originated in New Zealand and Australia where PM is dominant), and for practical purposes most teachers treat them as approximately equivalent. Small variations exist because the levelling criteria differ slightly between the systems.

How Reading Recovery works

Reading Recovery is a short-term intervention — typically 12 to 20 weeks of daily 30-minute one-on-one lessons with a specially trained Reading Recovery teacher. The goal is to bring the student up to the average reading level for their class so they can participate in regular classroom reading instruction.

Who qualifies: The lowest-achieving 10–20% of readers in Year 1, as identified by school-based observation and assessment. Students are typically reading at level 1–5 when they begin.

What happens in a lesson: Each 30-minute session follows a structured format: reading familiar books, taking a running record on yesterday's new book, letter/word work, writing a story, assembling a cut-up sentence, and reading a new book introduced by the teacher.

When it ends: Students are "discontinued" (graduated) from Reading Recovery when they reach level 18–20 and can read at the average level for their class. After level 20, the Reading Recovery levelling system is no longer used — students transition to the school's standard PM Benchmark or F&P assessment.

Reading Recovery in Australian schools

Reading Recovery was once widely used across Australia, but its availability has changed significantly in recent years:

• NSW discontinued government funding for Reading Recovery in 2018, following a 2015 CESE evaluation that found participants generally showed lower Year 3 achievement compared to peers. Individual NSW schools may still choose to fund it independently.
• Victoria has moved toward structured literacy and explicit instruction approaches. The number of schools using Reading Recovery has declined significantly.
• Queensland has adopted an evidence-informed structured literacy approach emphasising systematic synthetic phonics.
• Other states vary — some schools continue to offer Reading Recovery while others have transitioned to alternative early intervention programs.

The organisation Reading Recovery Australia remains active and provides training and resources for schools that continue to implement the program.

For parents: If your child's school uses Reading Recovery, it means your child has been identified for extra one-on-one reading support — this is a positive intervention. The program is intensive but short-term, and most students make significant progress.

Both PM Benchmark and Fountas & Pinnell (F&P) are reading assessment systems used to determine a student's reading level and match them with appropriate texts. While they serve similar purposes, they differ in their assessment method, scale, and how widely they're used in Australian schools.

Side-by-side comparison

How each assessment works

PM Benchmark Assessment:

1. The teacher selects a PM Benchmark assessment text at the student's estimated level.
2. The student reads the text aloud while the teacher records a running record (noting errors, self-corrections, and reading behaviours).
3. The teacher asks comprehension questions and may ask the student to retell the story.
4. Based on accuracy (95%+ for instructional level) and comprehension, the teacher determines the student's PM level.

Fountas & Pinnell BAS:

1. The teacher selects a BAS text at the student's estimated level.
2. The student reads aloud while the teacher records reading behaviours.
3. The teacher conducts a structured Comprehension Conversation — a key differentiator from PM. This conversation is scored on a 0–3 rubric across three dimensions: thinking within the text (literal understanding), thinking beyond the text (inferring and connecting), and thinking about the text (analysing and critiquing).
4. Based on accuracy, fluency, and the comprehension conversation score, the teacher determines the student's F&P level.

Which should my school use?

Both systems are well-established and effective for their purpose. The choice usually comes down to:

• PM Benchmark is the more common choice in Australian government schools because the PM reading series is widely used and the assessment texts are designed to match the PM guided reading books already in most school book rooms.
• F&P is preferred by schools that follow the Fountas & Pinnell literacy framework and have invested in the BAS assessment kit. It's common in independent schools and schools that use F&P's guided reading approach.
• Consistency matters more than the system. The most important thing is that all teachers in a school use the same system so that reading levels are comparable across classes and year levels.

Use the conversion table at the top of this page to translate between the two systems when needed — for example, when a student transfers between schools that use different systems.

The following benchmarks represent the end-of-year expectations for each year level. These are general guidelines used by most Australian schools — individual schools may set slightly different targets. Benchmarks are drawn from commonly cited state education department resources and Cengage PM Benchmark assessment guidance.

Foundation (Prep/Kindy)

• End-of-year target: PM 5–8 / F&P C–D
• Students should be able to read simple, patterned texts with one or two sentences per page. They rely on picture cues and initial letter sounds to decode unfamiliar words. They can retell the main events of a story in sequence.

Year 1

• End-of-year target: PM 15–17 / F&P I–J
• Students read short texts with more complex sentence structures and less picture support. They decode most single-syllable words independently and are developing fluency. They can answer literal comprehension questions and are beginning to make simple inferences.

Year 2

• End-of-year target: PM 23–25 / F&P L–M
• Students read longer texts with multiple paragraphs. They handle a wider range of vocabulary and can read silently with understanding. They identify the main idea and supporting details and can make predictions based on text clues.

Year 3

• End-of-year target: PM 26–28 / F&P M–P
• Students read chapter books and informational texts with confidence. They use a range of comprehension strategies including summarising, questioning, and making connections. They can compare information across texts.

Year 4

• End-of-year target: PM 28–30 / F&P P–S
• Students read complex texts across a range of genres. They identify how authors use language to influence readers and can distinguish between fact and opinion. Reading stamina increases significantly.

Year 5 & Year 6

• End-of-year target: PM 30+ / F&P S–X
• Students read critically and analytically. They evaluate texts for bias, purpose, and reliability. They synthesise information from multiple sources and can discuss themes, character development, and authorial intent. By Year 6, formal PM levelling is typically discontinued as students are reading age-appropriate novels and informational texts independently.

What If a Student Is Below the Expected Level?

If a student is reading below the expected level for their year, the first step is to identify whether the difficulty is in decoding (sounding out words) or comprehension (understanding what they read). This determines the type of intervention needed.

For decoding difficulties, evidence-based phonics intervention is recommended. See our Decodable Readers and Science of Reading pages for more information.

For comprehension difficulties, targeted teaching of comprehension strategies (predicting, questioning, visualising, summarising, making connections) is most effective.

If you're a parent trying to understand your child's reading level, here are the key things to know:

• Reading levels are a tool for teachers, not a label for children. They help teachers select appropriate texts and monitor progress. They don't define your child's potential.
• Don't get fixated on the number. A child reading at PM 12 in Term 1 of Year 1 is progressing well. Context matters more than the number itself.
• Ask your child's teacher what level system the school uses (most likely PM Benchmark) and what the end-of-year target is. This gives you a clear benchmark to work towards.
• The best thing you can do at home is read with your child every day. For younger children, read aloud to them and talk about the story. For older children, listen to them read and discuss what they've read.
• If you're concerned about your child's reading, raise it with the teacher early. Early intervention (especially in Foundation and Year 1) is the most effective time to address reading difficulties.

For more on supporting reading at home, see our Decodable Readers page.