Reading EYFS, KS1 and KS2

Our curriculum is carefully planned to ensure that reading resources in school maximise children's progress, attainment and love of reading.  Recent investment has meant that books across different subject areas and class libraries have been improved significantly. School leaders share the vision and the importance of reading in the primary curriculum.  It is a topic that is discussed at staff meetings and all staff share this view.   Since Sept 2018 Reading Journals have been introduced across KS2 to ensure that all pupils are reading a broad and balanced range of texts.  the children complete activities based on the texts that they have read - this is a very popular piece of homework.

Our early readers follow the Twinkl validated phonics scheme.  This scheme is fully explained to our parents at the beginning of the academic year (each year) so that they can support their children.

We encourage our parents to help their child foster a love of reading. In October 2022 we introduced ‘EYFS Parent and Children Reading Together’ sessions. Parents are invited to school and asked to bring books from home and share them with small groups of children. In Reception, phonics games and activities are also included so staff can model how parents can help their child at home. 
 

The EYFS (and since February 2023 Year 1) are taking part in the ‘1000 Stories Shared at Home’ initiative to help children foster a love of books, develop their language and give children the opportunity to share books at home with parents. Children choose one book every day which they take home. Inside this book is a special ‘Wow Word’ that parents are asked to explain and children have to listen out for when the story is read to them. There is great excitement at the start of the day and children are often heard talking about their stories. 
 

In 2022, we introduced our Book of the Month across the school, this has proved very popular with all of our pupils, they have enjoyed selecting new books and they are being challenged to read texts that will stretch them.  Children enjoy giving book reviews to their peers - there is a great sense of excitement in classrooms when new books arrive.

Since 2022, teachers have been reading bedtime stories for the children, they are on the Video Resource Centre of the school website - there is a large library there now.  We hope that you will enjoy them.  These stories are updated half-termly.

Teachers also engage in monthly reading swaps, during these sessions class teachers swap classes and read a story to another year group.  These sessions are enjoyed by teachers and pupils alike.  Our older pupils also like to read with our younger children - these sessions happen monthly across school.