Reading at our school.

We start our reading journey in Nursery with picture books to develop the love of reading before we move on to one or two word simple sentences on each page. In Reception, we encourage early reading through decodable books that our children take home, starting off with one or two words moving on to longer sentences. In Reception, our children also take part in weekly guided reading sessions to enable each child to discuss, infer and comprehend a book. Children are taught phonics through the Letters and Sounds programme throughout EYFS and flash cards are sent home for parents to support at home and phonics workshops are ran to give parents information and ideas on how to support at home.

In Key Stage one, we work hard to continue the good start in EYFS with regards to learning to read. Within Year One, Read Write Inc books are used to link with the sounds being learnt in the Letters and Sounds daily phonics sessions, so that children have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills immediately through the reading of a book.

It is our aim that all children enter Year Two as strong readers. We therefore continue grouping for ‘Read, Write Inc’ synthetic phonics, where children are taught in small groups of similar ability. We also have interventions such as one-to-one phonics so that no child is left behind.

In KS1 it is normal for a child to re-read the same book several times until the teacher is confident they fully understand the book. Comprehension is vital at this age.

Once children have reached the National expectation in phonics, they begin a more formal approach to English lessons. This programme of teaching follows on from the pace and passion needed in phonics to continue to make outstanding readers by developing comprehension skills, fostering a love of reading and becoming accomplished writers.

The opportunities, organisation and provision for the teaching and learning of reading are as follows:

• Shared reading
• Class reading sessions
• Class comprehension sessions (once a week in KS2)
• Guided reading
• Accelerated Reader from Year 4 to Year 6
• Independent reading
• Daily reading opportunities for selected pupils
• Synthetic Phonics: Taught daily using the Letters and Sounds programme and linked to Read, Write Inc.
• Resources – Reading schemes operates across the school with children working their way through the Key Stage One and Two schemes and then becoming free readers.
• Links to parents – Each child has a reading record book which logs books they have read and comments about their reading. Parents and teaching staff write in this book.
• Library- Each child has the ability to visit the library on a regular basis to change their book.
• Our Library facility is open at least three lunchtimes each week for recreational reading opportunities
• Class books: Stories are read to the children on a daily basis throughout the school.
• Reading at home: Children are encouraged to read at home every day and this is given high priority
• EYFS & KS1 hold a ‘reading café’ each Friday morning to give parents or carers the opportunity to listen to a story or read a story to their child
• Lending library available in EYFS and KS1
• Reading den and reading sheds on both key stage yards have been purchased and will be up and running by Summer Term

Each half term, children who have read at least 4 times each week are entered into a raffle. One winner from EYFS, KS1, Lower Key Stage 2 and Upper Key Stage 2 are picked and they then choose a book from Amazon

From Spring 2, we will announce each Friday the class with the highest percentage of children who are reading at least 4 times each week. They will choose a reward for the following Friday. The percentages will appear on our website and on our weekly newsletter.

Reading schemes