We want children to read a lot of books! We value reading as a crucial life skill and by the time children leave us, they read confidently for meaning and regularly enjoy reading for pleasure. Our readers are well equipped with the tools to tackle unfamiliar vocabulary and children are encouraged to see themselves as readers for both pleasure and purpose.
We aim to foster and develop these reading characteristics with our children:
- Excellent phonic knowledge and skills.
- Fluency and accuracy in reading across a wide range of contexts throughout the curriculum.
- Knowledge of an extensive and rich vocabulary.
- An excellent comprehension of texts.
- The motivation to read for both study and for pleasure.
- Extensive knowledge through having read (and been read too) a rich and varied range of texts
Alongside whole class reading sessions in KS2 and group practice sessions in KS1 and Early Years, each class has regular time planned to enjoy a class novel. Teachers skillfully model reading aloud and the thought processes of developing comprehension as you read. Children are involved in deciding which novel to enjoy together from a suggested book list. There are inviting class library areas in each classroom and children are encouraged to make lists of books they wish to read. Other enrichment opportunities include inviting parents into school for shared reading sessions throughout the year along with a calendar of book related events such as competitions, World Book Day, an annual book fair and visits to Woodbridge bookshop.
Phonics
We teach reading in EYFS and Key Stage 1 through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, which is a systematic and synthetic phonics programme. We teach phonics for 30 minutes a day. In Reception, we build from 10-minute lessons, with additional daily oral blending games, to the full-length lesson as quickly as possible. Every Friday, we review the week’s teaching to help children become fluent readers.
Children make a strong start in Reception: teaching begins in Week 2 of the Autumn term using the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised expectations of progress 2021
Early reading practice sessions
We teach children in EYFS and KS1 to read through reading practice sessions three times a week. These are taught in small groups of approximately six children and use books matched to the children’s secure phonic from the Big Cat Books Scheme. Each reading practice session has a clear focus so that the demands of the session do not overload the children’s working memory. The reading practice sessions have been designed to focus on three key reading skills:
- Decoding
- Prosody: teaching children to read with understanding and expression
- Comprehension: teaching children to understand the text
Key Stage 2 Whole Class Reading Sessions
A broad and diverse range of high quality texts are used in KS2 reading sessions. Teachers use the modelling of thought processes and reading strategies as well as demonstrating prosody when reading to the class. Teachers ensure that knowledge of the text necessary for comprehension is taught before children read the text, alongside any vocabulary needed to set children up for success before they begin reading. Children engage in reading discussions using oracy and practice reading through techniques such as echo reading and fastest finger first.
Home Reading
In KS1 and Early Years, the decodable reading practice book used in class goes home to ensure success is shared with the family. In addition children also take home a book from their class library to share together.
In KS2, children take home books from their class fiction library which are selected to add variety and provide texts of high quality as well as link to class subject learning.
Support for Parents
We share the research behind the importance and impact of sharing quality children’s books with parents through workshops, leaflets and the Everybody read! resources.
We use the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised parents’ resources to engage our families and share information about phonics, the benefits of sharing books, how children learn to blend and other aspects of our provision, both online and through workshops.