Reading at home

We encourage the children to read as regularly as possible at home. This could be quietly to themselves, or to another adult or an adult reading to them.  Although the children become much more independent as they become older, it is still important that they have the opportunity to read aloud and also listen to stories. Although we like the children to have an ongoing book they are reading, in addition to this any reading is important including  non- fiction books, poetry, comics, newspapers, recipes and instructions – any reading is better that no reading!

The children record their book choices on reading record cards and monitored by class teachers.  We do ask that the reading is recorded in their homework diaries as this is another way in which we monitor your child’s reading (what they are reading and frequency).   The class teaching assistant regularly checks the diaries and the teachers are always reported back to and will respond to any comments made by parents.

Reading at school

Guided reading

All the Key Stage 2 classes have guided reading every day.   The class have a set book that they read and work on together over half a term.  The book is carefully chosen to be challenging but engaging; each child has a copy of the book within school while they are working on it. Guided reading is taught as a class, but also in smaller groups within the classroom when the teacher works with the children in the group and listens to individual children read the text that is being studied in the context of the lesson.  These lessons also allow the opportunity for the teachers to have a good overview of the reading and comprehension skills of the individual children in their classes.

Individual readers

Individual readers are listened to by teachers in guided reading and library time.  The class teaching assistant also listens to individual readers. We are also always extremely grateful for parent help with listening to readers.

The class teaching assistant works with children who require extra reading opportunities and support, but under the direction of the class teacher. 

Please be assured that teachers are very aware of reading abilities and levels of the individual children in their class as they will know their reading really well due to all the opportunities for reading within the classroom

Story time

Every day the class story, carefully selected for content and enjoyment, is read by the class teacher.  Story time is a time our classes love – they can just relax and enter an imaginary world for a while.  Story time is of course vital to develop their love of books, but also their vocabulary, imagination and concentration.

Library time

Each class has library time each week.  This time is used for the children to browse and choose new books, and to read quietly.  The teachers work with the children in these sessions: hearing readers, supporting book choices and talking to individual children about their reading.  We are really lucky to have this resource, and of course we also have our librarian – Mrs Canham- who is always on hand to recommend different books.

Independent reading

During the course of the week there are opportunities for the children to read quietly to themselves for a sustained period of time – another very important part of reading in school.

English lessons

Our English lessons are all taught thorough quality, high level texts.  There is a reading opportunity in every English lesson and the children learn to study texts in greater depth while participating in reading texts they would not normally choose or be able to read independently.

Other Curriculum subjects

We are continuously evaluating and developing the teaching of our teaching of wider curriculum subjects through as many engaging texts and reading support resources as possible to develop the skills needed for the children to apply their reading skills across the whole curriculum.