Reading

Teaching of Reading 

In Key Stage 2, children should be able to read independently, fluently and enthusiastically, a range of age-appropriate books, and understand what they have read. To ensure continunity with the infant school, children who are not fluent readers and do not yet have a sound phological awareness follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised Rapid Catch up scheme where they read and study fully decodable books. Once fluent readers at this level, Year 3 and 4 follow the Big Cat reading scheme. Children are assessed at the start of Year 3 and are encouraged to read a range of genres and fiction and non-fiction books within their level. The teacher assesses children's reading fluency and comprehension before moving them up to the next level. Once they have completed the reading scheme, teachers guide the children to choose from appropriate texts for their year group: children are able to select their own books from home, the library and class book corners. 

Year 5 and 6 use Accelerated Reader which assesses their reading skills and guides their selection of books providing an appropriate challenge based on an assessment tool, which is completed at the start of each term. Children will be guided in their selection of books through different colour stars labelled on the books in the library. Quizzes are available for each book which children can complete once they have finished to test their understanding of the events in the story. Class teachers continue to read with the children to assess their understanding and application of reading skills. All children have access to a range of books and are never discouraged from reading or listening to more challenging texts as we aim to foster a love of reading. 

READING SKILLS LESSONS

Reading skills lessons are taught four times a week in a whole class session with an additional reading for pleasure session on a Friday. We teach children to decode, understand new vocabulary and support them to bulid a mental model of a range of texts in order to confidently comprehend and discuss. The core reading skills are embedded into all English lessons, reading lessons and the wider curriculum in order to build automaticity and independence by the end of KS2.