The Intent of our Reading Curriculum
To ensure that all children reach their full potential across the curriculum, we take a consistent and rigorous approach to the teaching of reading, starting with a phonics scheme beginning in the early years. We want all children to consider themselves a reader and be able to independently explore genres and texts. We want our children to read widely and often and take part in discussions about their favourite texts. Throughout their school careers, we want to provide children with exciting reading experiences to encourage a love of reading. When children reach Year 4, we want them to be able to read fluently and confidently whilst being able to consider what they have learnt from the text.
How we Implement our Curriculum
Phonics
When the children begin school in Reception, they begin a systematic phonics programme called Little Wandle. In Reception and Key Stage One, children receive daily 15 minute sessions where they learn a new sound each day. While completing the Little Wandle programme, children read books which are matched to their phonics knowledge. This allows them to apply their segmenting and blending skills and build fluency in their reading style as they read and re-read texts suited to their reading ability.
Reading books
As children move on from phonics based texts, books are grouped into colour bands and focus more widely on reading comprehension skills. Teachers will decide when children are ready to begin, and when to move through this scheme. Children read these books with members of staff in school and they will also be sent home to be read with parents. Children are assessed regularly on their comprehension skills and will move through colour banded levels at their own learning pace. This levelled reading book in school is called 'My Book.'
In addition to their colour banded book, children also take home a library book of choice each week. This is to promote a love of reading and encourage children to read books for their own pleasure. This book of choice is from a wide range of text types in the class library and may sit outside of their reading stage. We encourage families to share these books together with children and support where necessary.
Children in year 2, 3 and 4 take part in regular guided reading sessions in which they will be taught reading skills and given the opportunity to practise these. Children will read regularly with an adult in school either independently or as part of a group.
These reading lessons focus on the VIPERS reading areas.;
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Vocabulary- discuss words and phrases
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Inference - inferring character's thoughts, feelings and motives and finding evidence in the text of this
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Predict what might happen from details stated and implied
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Explain- Identify or explain how information or narrative content is related and contributes to the meaning as a whole. Identify/explain how meaning is enhanced through choice of words and phrases. Make comparisons within the text
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Retrieve information from the text.
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Summarise or sequence the main ideas from more than one paragraph
Above all else, we want our children to enjoy reading and have the confidence to read independently, exploring a range of genres and authors. All children have access to a library within school, whether this be in the classroom or in a shared area. We have designed these spaces carefully to ensure they are inviting for all children. Across the curriculum, teachers carefully choose high quality texts linked to their topics, interests and to include a range of diversity.
Extra-curricular
Within the last year, we have offered additional activities to promote reading enjoyment:
- Live book workshops with authors
- Library Visits
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World Book Day – dressing up as book characters and taking part in book day themed activities.
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Reading challenges both in school and at home.
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Teachers have visited different classes to read their favourite texts.
- Daily storytime
The Impact of our Curriculum
We want to instill a love of reading in all children. By using engaging texts in English lessons and in learning across the curriculum, children are exposed to a range of genres and styles. By creating reading rich environments and celebrations across the school year, we want children to see that we are all readers and it is a skill we all need to learn.
As a result of this ethos and a rigorous approach to the teaching of reading, our children will:
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Read widely and often across the curriculum and be able to extract information from different genres of text. Children will be able to apply their phonics knowledge to decode unknown words and by re-reading texts, will gradually build their fluency.
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Reach their potential in all areas of the curriculum as they will be able to apply their reading skills to different subject areas.
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Learn new pieces of vocabulary and gain creative ideas from fiction texts. After listening to inspiring stories, children will be able to transfer ideas into their own writing and be motivated to use higher level vocabulary.
