Reading

The reading scheme in EYFS and KS1  ensures that the books children are reading at home match with their phonic ability and reading level. As the children progress through the school, their reading band becomes wider, based around their accelerated reader range. This provides children with a broader range of levels to select from to give them that freedom to select a more challenging book or decide that they would like to read a shorter book.  Teachers listen to children read regularly so that they can practise the skills that they have learnt in context. We use banded books to meet the needs of groups of learners and to practise essential comprehension skills, as well as building confidence and fluency. This also provides ongoing assessment and learning opportunities for teachers to regularly check pupil progress and adapt the teaching of reading as necessary. 

Within Year R, Year 1 and Year 2 the focus of reading is based around Twinkl phonics, the children have a story which develops across the week within their Phonics lesson, retrieval and inference are used within these.  Alongside this from years 2- 6 the VIPERs approach is developed further building upon the first steps towards this through the Twinkl phonics Scheme.  We use materials from Ninja comprehension and YARC to develop the children’s comprehension skills focusing upon a mixture of fiction, non -fiction and poetry across the each half term. Within Key Stage 2 there is a daily focus on the VIPERs either through discussion, echo reading or through a written assessment. Phonics is continued throughout the school through spellings and reading building upon the skills taught in Key Stage 1 and is referred to, where relevant, within any reading exercise. 

As soon as children are ready, usually from year 2,  we move them onto the Accelerated Reader Programme where  they  will read and then answer questions online about the book that they have completed. Children in year 2 will still read their twink phonics book as part of their daily learning, but have the option of an accelerate reader book for enjoyment. Children continue to be heard read by adults in school on a regular basis, until year 3 this will always be their twink phonics book. At the end of the week children  are rewarded with certificates if they achieve personal targets on Accelerated Reader or within their class reading. These are the Reading Champion Certificates and are celebrated in the Friday Celebration assembly. 

All children visit the school library and are encouraged to take books that they are interested in to create a love for reading. We model our love for reading through our class texts, which are often linked to learning within the curriculum. We also Drop Everything And Read which the children love as they can grab their book and sit and read- with all adults around the school doing the same (even the office!). In the early years the adult will grab a book and read to a group of children.

As well as this we celebrate World Book Day. The staff are fully engaged with this and enjoy theming around a book and coming into school in role as characters. We have author visits, book recommendations from staff and the class librarians, take part in reading competitions and have a designated area outside both within the EYFS play area and the main playground where children can sit and read a book.

"I love the way that each book — any book — is its own journey. You open it, and off you go…" – Sharon Creech