Reading
Early Reading
We start off your child’s reading journey by securing word reading and decoding through daily streamed phonics sessions using the Read Write Inc (RWI) scheme. We run a phonics information meeting every year during the Autumn term for parents and carers to discover more about this area of reading. Children are provided with phonically decodable reading books at their level to support the children’s phonics learning in school which are sent home for parents to share with their and support their reading at home. We assess phonics groupings every 6 weeks to ensure that each child maximises the progress they can make.
We develop children’s reading fluency through repetition and structure and explore their comprehension through retelling, repetition and role play.
We ensure that we promote vocabulary rich environments to promote oracy throughout all year groups.
Years 2-6
As children finish our phonics programme, they move onto our reading inference lessons during year 2 or at the start of year 3. These lessons teach the children to look at what they are reading more carefully and to discuss what text means now that they have learnt to decode. Once the phonics programme has been completed, we also provide your child with levelled ‘Oxford Scheme’ books which ensure that your child has a book that is at their reading attainment level.
Children also receive lessons in reading fluency which looks at helping your child to develop the speed in which they read so that they sound less robotic. This not only helps them to better comprehend what they have read but allows them to read more of an age appropriate amount of text.
Finally, your child will be taught comprehension skills within their reading and also how to answer questions about what they have read as well as what different styles of comprehension questions there are on offer. Underpinning all of our teaching of reading, we have the promotion of reading for pleasure. We have a daily story time which has been designed to ensure children hear high quality texts being read to them throughout the week. We celebrate World Book Day with various exciting events and also have Year 6 Reading Champions which promote reading across the school and run competitions throughout the year to promote reading. We also reward reading done at home with generous awards of House Points to encourage this.
Additional Needs in Reading
Some children will progress with reading at a different rate and may need some extra support in this area. Children who are assigned GRASP targets will have a more individualised approach to help them to access our reading curriculum.
We assess and monitor your child’s progress in reading closely and will provide phonics interventions, access to catch up programmes such as NESSY and also provide them with daily fluency challenges to boost progress further in this area.
How we assess reading
Early Reading
Children are assessed every six weeks to ensure they have the maximum opportunity to make progress.
At the end of Year one all children participate in a National Phonics Check assessment. You will be informed of their result.
Years 2-6
Children who do not pass the phonics check in year one will be reassessed in year 2.
In year 2, children will take reading comprehension tests and have reading tests at key points during the year.
Years 3-6 undertake reading comprehension assessments twice a year to track their progress in reading and also keep a check on their fluency and understanding.
At the end of Year 6 children are tested in Reading with National SATS tests. Evidence has shown that children need to be fluent readers at this stage with a good understanding of what they read as well as pace hence our build up to help children meet this standard.
What can you do to help your child with their reading?
Read with your child even when they have completed phonics and can decode words and sentences. Watch the video below to explain why…
Recommended reading lists for each age group can be found on the following website.