Reading

Whole Class Reading

From Year 1 to Year 6, our pupils enjoy dedicated Whole School Reading Lessons, which focus on using reading VIPERS for the explicit teaching of core the reading skills; Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explanation and Sequencing/Summarising. These specific dedicated reading skills lessons are focused on not only age-related expectations but also on cross-curricular and wider cultural capital exploration opportunities for our pupils to acquire knowledge through text exploration. Each year group reads a class novel daily; this text is used to access deeper thinking activities during reading two of the week’s dedicated reading sessions. The remaining reading skills lessons are based on different text extracts; the extract themes vary to include fiction, non-fiction, notable people, historical themes, geographical themes, poetry, science, SMSC themes and more. Within reading skills lessons opportunities for discussion, individual thinking and presentation of opinion based on the text are created with the aim of enhancing oracy and aiding vocabulary development. Reading skills lessons also provide opportunity for all pupils to be heard reading by their class teacher weekly to support assessment for learning against age related expected reading outcomes. In turn, this also provides further evidence for triangulation of teacher assessments (teacher evidence, formal assessment and in lesson record) which are completed each term.

Reading Books

All children taking part in our chosen phonics programme (Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revisited) have a fully phonic decodable reading book matching the phonic phase and set of sounds the child is currently learning. Once pupils have passed the Year 1 phonics screening evidencing that they are ready to move beyond fully phonic decodable reading books, children select an Oxford Owl Reading Tree reading book. Oxford Owl Reading Tree books are grouped progressively in levels. Following appropriate assessment, an Oxford Owl Reading Tree level is assigned to children, who then select a reading book from their appropriate level to read and enjoy with adults at home. Children who progress through all of the Oxford Owl Reading Tree levels and linked assessments become free readers and as such choose from the wide range of age appropriate texts available in the Upper Key Stage Two area or the library.

Reading at home

Reading at home is an integral part of our children’s learning journey. Our expectations for reading at home are the same for all of our pupils. We expect children to read at home a minimum of three times a week but ideally five times a week. It is important that this is recorded in children’s planners.

Reading at home can be completed in a variety of ways. Children can and should read to adults at home, reading the reading book they bring home but also books, newspapers, magazines or electronic texts they may have. Children can also borrow books from our ever-growing school library. Adults can also read to children at home; bedtime stories, sharing favourite stories or novels form their own childhood or just reading any text together. Older children can read to younger siblings too. We encourage parents and carers to record this in reading records of children's planners.