English

Reading

Intent

I am a reader. I can decipher the written code in texts of varying length and complexity; I can take meaning from the texts that I read; when I read, I read with fluency, intonation and at an appropriate pace. Reading enables me to make more sense of the world around me, it broadens my knowledge, widens my vocabulary and ignites my imagination. Reading gives me the power to develop myself as an individual and as a part of society.

Our aim is to make this a reality for all children at Minerva Primary School.

By the time children leave school, they will be avid readers who, through reading, broaden their understanding of the world and enrich their imagination; enabling them to work collaboratively with others, demonstrate compassion to others, show courage in their lives and strive for excellence. 

Implementation

Reading is a social activity; we want pupils (Minerva Citizens) to have opportunities to share their reading experiences with their peers and their teachers. Giving our Citizens the time to think, consider and question what they have read forms an integral part of their development as a reader. Giving them the time to share these thoughts, considerations and questions with their peers and their teachers forms an integral part of their development as an individual.

Opportunities to share reading experiences feeds into our drive to ensure that pupils read for pleasure – enthusiasm for reading is driven initially by the teacher and the culture of our school but ultimately, this enthusiasm will be carried forwards by the pupils themselves.

Pupils know that the adults who work at Minerva Primary School love reading because conversations about what has been read – at home, in the classroom, on the playground – will be heard regularly, throughout the school. Children will talk with enthusiasm about books they have read, books they’re looking forward to reading and they will talk about themselves and their teachers as readers.

Pupils will understand the power of reading; they will be able to talk about this and what it means to them as an individual and their future in society.

Working in conjunction with CLF guidance and documentation, we have reading overviews and literacy spines which inform the planning, teaching and learning. In EYFS and KS1, we utilise Unlocking Letters and Sounds which supports Minerva Citizens to read, spell and write fluently and quickly. Citizens access daily teaching and learning for phonics. In addition, interventions are in place for all relevant children (from EYFS to KS2) to ensure they ‘catch up and keep up’. As children progress into KS2, they access Whole Class Reading sessions which builds progressively from their learning in EYFS and KS1.

Reading Overview EYFS – KS1 – KS2

EYFS:

Phonics x2 sessions per day and 1 Guided Reading Session daily (Reception)

Opportunities for parents/carers to read alongside their child/ren / Shared Learning Phonics Sessions / EYFS Library / Book Spine for EYFS

KS1:

Year1 – Phonics x2 sessions per day / x5 Guided Reading sessions per week

Year 2 – Phonics x1 session per day (Phase 5 Aut 1+2) / x5 Guided Reading sessions per week

KS2:

Year 3-6 x5 Whole Class Reading Sessions per week

Whole Class Reading in Key Stage 2

School Leaders have used Chris Such research to inform the planning, teaching and learning of reading comprehension at Key Stage 2. Research on reading comprehension emphasizes the importance of understanding both the technical and practical aspects of how children read.

1. Reading Development: Such highlights the importance of understanding the stages of reading development. This includes recognising the relationship between phonemes (sounds) and graphemes (letters or groups of letters) in the English language.
2. Phonics and Decoding: He stresses the need for systematic phonics instruction to help children decode words. This involves teaching the correspondences between sounds and their written representations.
3. Comprehension Strategies: Such advocates for teaching specific strategies to improve reading comprehension. These strategies include predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing, which help students actively engage with the text.
4. Reading Difficulties: Identifying and addressing reading difficulties early is crucial. Such suggests using assessments to pinpoint specific issues and tailoring interventions to meet individual needs.
5. Morphology and Etymology: Understanding the structure of words (morphology) and their origins (etymology) can enhance vocabulary and comprehension. Such recommends incorporating these elements into reading instruction.
6. Classroom Application: Practical application of these principles in the classroom is essential. Such provides strategies for integrating these concepts into daily teaching practices to support all learners.

By focusing on these areas, teachers can create a more effective and comprehensive reading program that supports students’ development as proficient readers.