English - Reading and Phonics

Intent

We are determined that:
 

• Every pupil will learn to read, regardless of their background, needs or abilities.
• All pupils, including the weakest readers, make sufficient progress to meet or exceed age related expectations.
• Children are able to develop vocabulary, language comprehension, and a love of reading through stories, poems, rhymes and non-fiction.
• Children are familiar with, and enjoy listening to, a wide range of stories, poems, rhymes and non-fiction.
• The Phonics Programme (Read Write Inc.) matches or exceeds the expectations of the national curriculum and the Early Learning Goals.
• All staff have clear expectations of pupils’ phonics progress term by term, from EYFS to Year 6 as appropriate. Pupils are provided with phonics support in KS2 according to need.
• The sequence of reading books shows cumulative progression in phonics knowledge that is matched closely to the school’s phonics programme. Children have access to phonetically decodable books through the Bug Club reading tool. Accelerated Reader is used in KS2.
• Teachers will give pupils sufficient practice in reading and re-reading books that match the grapheme-phoneme correspondences they know, both in school and at home.
• Reading, including the teaching of systematic, synthetic phonics, is taught from the beginning of Reception.
• Ongoing assessment of pupils’ phonics progress is sufficiently frequent and detailed to identify any pupil who is falling behind the programme’s pace. If they do fall behind, targeted support is given immediately.
• All staff have regular training in the teaching of phonics and reading to ensure confidence and competence.
• The Re-think Reading scheme will be used to systematically improve children’s ability to read and respond to texts and will match the reading skills concisely and consistently.
• Children are exposed to a breadth of high-quality texts during the writing teaching sequences which includes text analysis and deconstruction with rich opportunities for collaborative, and independent writing.

Intent for Developing Children’s Love of Reading
We give all children the opportunity to enter the magical worlds that books open up to them. We promote reading for pleasure as part of our reading and wider curriculum.
 

We aim to ensure that:

• Children are encouraged to develop their own love of genres and authors and to review their books objectively.
• Children gain a deep love of literature across a range of genres, cultures and styles and that this is considered on the myON reading tool to promote and encourage readers.
• We have a reading culture where children are exposed to a range of high-quality texts in a variety of contexts and have opportunities to browse literature, as well as structured reading activities.
• Children build preferences in reading and choose to read a variety of texts.
• Children recognise individual authors and styles of reading that they enjoy.
• Children engage in book discussion in a range of contexts, alongside both adults and peers, linking to reading skills that they are familiar with.
• Children are given the opportunity to share and recommend a range of books. 

Implementation

• Well-chosen and engaging curriculum texts and for reading for pleasure links
• Links made across the curriculum using high quality texts and genres (e.g. newspaper reports, non-fiction texts)
• Class book corners
• High quality whole class stories 
• Focus on maintaining high quality, interesting and well-matched books in the library (AR link)
• Well maintained, inviting libraries in the lower and upper key stage, maintained by staff and pupils
• Annual book fair to promote new books available as well classic texts
• Promotion of reading during World Book Day and involvement of parents to share a love of books
• Sharing books in assembly and among classes, year groups, phases and whole school
• Class visits to the local library / assemblies from the library service
• Outside classroom for lunchtime and break time reading
• Parental engagement and involvement – reading at home 

Impact
As a result, we have a community of enthusiastic readers who enjoy showcasing their ever-developing skills. They are confident to take risks in their reading and love to discuss and share their ideas through the use of Oracy. Reading at home has also flourished as children love the books that they are reading and enjoy sharing these beyond school, and demonstrate an understanding through use of quizzes. A rich language culture is evident across the school and children can talk confidently about the triangulation of Oracy, Vocabulary and Reading.