'Being a Reader’

Curriculum Intent

At Stickland’s, we believe reading provides the foundation for pupils' achievement throughout the whole curriculum and all other areas of learning for now and the future. 

As readers, we want our children to be able to read fluently with a good understanding.  It is our intention to build positive reading habits so that the children read often, to enable them to build and acquire knowledge and simply for pleasure and enjoyment. 

We aim to help children build a good range of vocabulary, grammar and conventions across a range of genres. 

Implementation

• The systematic teaching of phonics has a high priority throughout EYFS and Key Stage 1. At Stickland’s CE VA Primary School, we use a synthetic phonics programme called ‘Read Write Inc’.
• All children in Reception, KS1 and, where necessary, KS2 have daily phonics sessions in small ability groups where they participate in speaking, listening, spelling and reading activities that are matched to their current needs.
• Vulnerable groups and those needing additional reading support (across all year groups) are identified by class teachers and reading interventions are put in place to support the development of their reading. This may be small group comprehension work or additional daily reading to develop fluency and build confidence.
• We have a strong team of experienced reading volunteers who work with each class a minimum of three times per week providing daily reading opportunities in addition to taught teacher-led sessions; the focus being on the lowest 20%.
• Purchases of lower level, older interest books have been bought to support our less confident readers in KS2.  Furthermore, Pupil Premium children have a Reading Champion who listens to them read as often as possible; these are staff and governors.
• When children have completed the Read, Write, Inc phonics programme, reading comprehension is developed during a combination of whole class guided reading and carousel activities, using high quality texts and focused skill teaching through the VIPERS model in KS2.
• Strong links are made between reading and writing.  Children read and enjoy high quality fiction and non-fiction texts, which (where possible) are linked to their topics across the curriculum ensuring that it is made explicit that reading can be a tool e.g. being able to read a source of evidence as a historian.
• Regular Story Time and ERIC time (Everybody Reading In Class) is planned into the school day, allowing the teachers to model and promote their own love of reading.
• All classes texts are carefully selected (from our progressive reading spine), for pleasure, to excite and engage the children, and to expose them to new and varied vocabulary. All books shared with children are age appropriate and give children exposure to a variety of different authors, cultures and experiences.
• Reading is celebrated through events such as World Book Day, Books at Bedtime, Reading Assemblies, visiting authors, local library visits and creative activities.
• Reading at home is encouraged and promoted through class incentives and parental engagement sessions. Children working on the Read Write Inc. programme take home a book matched directly to their current phonics level; they are also encouraged to choose an additional book to share with their family at home. Following this, children move to Accelerated Reader which ensures that children are reading books that offer an appropriate level of challenge.  

Impact

Through the teaching of systematic phonics, our aim is for children to become fluent and confident word readers by the end of KS1.

Pupils have exposure to a broad range of genres and authors throughout the school and have a good range of vocabulary that they are able to apply in their writing. 

By the time they leave Stickland’s, the children are fluent, confident and able readers, who can access a range of texts for pleasure and enjoyment, as well as use their reading skills to unlock learning and all areas of the curriculum.

We firmly believe that reading is the key to all learning and so the impact of our reading curriculum goes beyond the results of the statutory assessments.