Reading begins in EYFS and KS1 through the teaching of phonics using the ‘Unlocking Letters and Sounds’ phonics programme. This is taught at the same time each day for consistency and throughout the programme children will learn the 150+ graphemes that are represented by the 44 phonemes of the English language along with common exception words. This is achieved through daily phonics lessons, reading practice using fully decodable books matched to the child’s phonic knowledge and daily handwriting practice.
All children in KS1 are issued a phonics reading book that is appropriate for their reading ability and is changed weekly. They can also choose a ‘Reading For Pleasure’ book to share with adults at home. Parents are encouraged to read with their child at least three times a week.
In Year 2 (From Term 3 onwards) and KS2, reading is taught through daily Guided Reading sessions that focus on reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension . Children have an opportunity to read through approaches such as echo reading, paired reading and whole class reading. Through these daily whole class reading sessions, the children have the opportunity to broaden their experience of literature with a clear and purposeful synergy to other areas of their learning. In addition to this, there will be time allocated for independent reading and reading for pleasure. There is a class book for Teachers to share with their class and time allocated for each class to visit the School Library.
Children will also bring a reading book home which they are encouraged to read at least three times a week. We have invested in the Accelerated Reader (AR) scheme which ensures children’s books are closely matched to their reading ability – both word recognition and comprehension. After reading, children are expected to take a short quiz to see whether they can progress to the next level or spend more time consolidating their skills.
