Reading
At Ss Peter and Paul’s, we value reading as life skill and as a school community we are fully committed to enabling our children to become competent and life-long readers. We place reading and books at the core of our whole curriculum, recognising the important role it plays in extending vocabulary and developing comprehension skills both in Literacy and across other subjects. For this reason, our intent to increase our children’s access to high quality texts, extend vocabulary, challenge children to become more confident, engaged and discerning readers but most of all- promote greater enjoyment of books! We understand that these elements are all intertwined, each relies on the other if our children are to become lifelong readers.
We are aware that access to books and high-quality literature is limited in our community however we acknowledge that children need access to a range of books to become fluent engaged readers. Whilst local library services are in are operation, we know that many children and families do not access such services independently. Therefore, as a school, we are best placed to support children and families with exposure to high quality books and literature.
These challenges underpin our rigorous approach to reading. Without fluency, which is underpinned by oral language and decoding ability, our children will struggle to access a wider curriculum. As research shows that there is a strong relationship between children’s attainment and a school’s culture toward reading, it is essential that our structured approach, aims to overcome these barriers and enable of children to move on from our school, as engaged and competent readers.
Intent
At Ss Peter and Paul’s we believe that all pupils should have the opportunity to be fluent, confident readers who are able to successfully comprehend and understand a wide range of texts. We want pupils to develop a love of reading, a good knowledge of a range of authors, and be able to understand more about the world in which they live through the knowledge they gain from texts. By the end of their time at primary school, all children should be able to read fluently, and with confidence, in any subject in their forthcoming secondary education.
We do not put ceilings on what pupils can achieve in reading and we do not hold pre-conceptions about any pupils’ ability to make progress. We understand the importance of parents and carers in supporting their children to develop both word reading and comprehension skills, and so we want to encourage a home-school partnership which enables parents and carers to understand how to enhance the skills being taught in school through good quality texts and promote reading for pleasure.
Implementation
Classroom organisation
We teach phonics in ability groupings and reading skills as whole class lessons, so that all children have access to the basic concepts of word building and the age-related skills and knowledge contained in the National Curriculum.
Within lessons, teachers and teaching assistants target support for slower graspers to enable them to achieve at an age-related level wherever possible. Rapid graspers are also given opportunities to demonstrate a greater depth of understanding through extended answers, targeted questioning requiring more reasoned answers and making greater links across and between texts.
Phonics and Reading
We use Essential Letters and Sounds to teach phonics and graphic knowledge (common exception words and tricky words) as it offers precise structure and a ‘whole class mastery’ opportunity. We ensure enough time and priority are given to fully implement our Phonics programme. Children in Reception and Year 1 have 4x weekly phonics session lasting for an average of up to 20 mins. However, the teaching extends beyond ‘dedicated time’ and is applied and reinforced when appropriate throughout day.
The pace of the programme is maintained and children are grouped into year groups and within these into ability levels and assessments are carried out at different milestone points. Groups are differentiated to cater to the pupil needs through levels of teacher input and expected outcomes. Interventions are in place to support children who require further consolidation of sounds following regular assessments.
The structure of each session is as follows:
- Revision and review of prior knowledge e.g. prior sound
- Introduction and modelling of new sound through teaching
- Practise of new sound
- Application of new sound though either of selected activities:
- Identifying the new sound in a sentence
- Reading the new sound
- Recalling the new sound
- Writing the new sound
During the Summer Term in Year 1, pupils undertake a Phonics Screening Test which assesses their ability to apply what they have learnt. After this, lessons move towards whole class reading lessons that take the same model as Years 2 to 6. Pupils who do not pass their Phonics Screening Test continue to have intervention to support the acquisition of these key skills.
Whole school Reading
The teaching of reading is based on the 'Talk for Writing' approach, exposing our pupils to high-quality texts and modelling good language structures. Children from Year 1-6 are heard read at least once a week with home readers encouraged. We ask that parents read with their children for 10 minutes, four times per week and record this in their reading record. Some children who may require additional support/intervention, read to a member of staff three times per week. Teachers will read to their class at least three times a week either from the class text or a book to stretch the class vocabulary and interest.
Reading Assemblies
Each class partakes in a weekly 'Reading Assembly', hearing a member of staff bring a story or novel to life. Our children engage fully and their interest in reading is further developed.
Reading Vocabulary
All children will be exposed to relevant reading vocabulary ongoing assessment/questioning from skilled teachers after 1:1 reading sessions. Furthermore, our weekly 'Raid the Reader' activities from Y1-6 helps to develop our pupils' ability to analyse a text. This helps build consistency and knowledge as well as reading skills.
Marking and Feedback
Feedback and marking should be completed, where possible, within the lesson. All marking and feedback is given in line with our marking and feedback policy.
Summative Assessment
Summative assessments will be entered into FFT Aspire each term. Teachers will use their professional judgement to determine whether a child is working within age-related expectations, above or below. They will base their judgements for the most part on the quality of the written outcome’s pupils given after structured teaching within the agreed reading skills. Teachers may also complete reading assessments to provide another piece of evidence to support their assessment judgement. If tests are used, care is taken to ensure that pupils are prepared appropriately for the test, and any barriers to accessing these is removed.
Impact
Pupils will enjoy reading across a range of genres and make good progress from their own starting points. Pupils of all abilities will be able to succeed in all reading lessons. They will use a range of strategies for decoding words, not solely relying on phonics.
Pupils will have a good knowledge of a range of authors. They will be ready to read in any subject in their forthcoming secondary education. Through engagement parents and carers will have a good understanding of how they can support reading and home, and contribute regularly to home-school records.
The % of pupils working at ARE and Greater depth within each year group will be at least in line with national averages. There will be no significant gaps in the progress of different groups of pupils (e.g. disadvantaged vs non-disadvantaged)
Most importantly, the pupils will develop a love of reading and be well equipped for the rest of their education and beyond.
