Reading
At Wheelwright Lane Primary School the children read with focus for new learning, pleasure and practice.
Exciting texts lead learning throughout each topic to develop a deep love and enjoyment of fiction and non-fiction in our children.
Reading across the school is supported and enabled through the use of the Floppy Phonics programme. This is supplemented by the use of RWI digraph sayings to support children’s understanding and choices in reading and writing.
New Learning
This is where children are taught new reading skills and strategies for decoding and understanding a wide range of text types. These are focused sessions which enable teachers to assess progress and plan next steps in learning in a small group and/ or whole class situation.
This occurs twice a week in Key Stage 1 where children enjoy Guided Reading and the opportunity to discuss their group’s book and share their thoughts with an adult.
In KS2, children read part of a book at home and then bring back in to school to discuss with their group and an adult who will ensure understanding of the text and enhance the children’s understanding through strand-related questions – such as authorial intentions. This occurs weekly.
Also, twice a week, children in KS2 get to explore a short text or extract as a class. These sessions – referred to as ‘RIC’ provide children with the skills to read unfamiliar words and gives them the opportunity to deepen their understanding by specifically focusing on one reading strand.
Practice
This is reading that is directed and resourced by school staff. However, it is designed for you and your child to enjoy together as you support them to practise and apply the skills taught in school. This comes in the form of a reading book in Reception and KS1 and a ‘Group Reader’ in KS2.
Children who are still progressing with their phonics in KS2 will have individual books to read at home.
Pleasure
Children benefit from an incredibly well-stocked modern library. Books are added to our collection every term. During the year, children have the opportunity to select which books they would like to be purchased and reserved for their year group.
In the library, we have fiction and non-fiction sections, picture books and novels, as well as our school recommended books which have been selected specifically for readers in each year group. We also have a child recommended section where children write reviews about books they have enjoyed, to encourage others to try out a new text.
In this way, they learn to choose books appropriate to their need and interest level and begin, what will hopefully be, a life-long love of reading. Furthermore, a good breadth of reading experience builds their bank of ideas and vocabulary to feed into their writing.
Also see the Oxford Owl website to help you with your child’s learning. Oxford Owl has over 250 free eBooks suitable for all children of primary age.
Summary
EYFS
- Phonics: Floppy Phonics
- Reading Scheme: Oxford Reading Tree
- Guided Reading: 2 sessions per week
Key Stage 1
- Phonics: Floppy Phonics
- Reading Scheme: Oxford Reading Tree
- Guided Reading: 2 sessions per week
Key Stage 2
- Phonics: Floppy Phonics
- Reading Scheme: Oxford Reading Tree – Treetops and Essential Texts
- Guided Reading: 1 session per week
- Reading (RIC): 2 sessions per week