Phonics and Reading

Foundation and KS1 - Every child 'Reading like a reader.'

Teaching: At St. Patrick's we use 'Read Write Inc.' as our Systematic Synthetic Phonics programme. This programme is followed with rigor and fidelity by all teachers and teaching assistants. Phonics lessons are taught daily in Years 1, 2 and Reception and flashcards and reading opportunities continue throughout the day and additional phonics teaching is given to identified children. Phonics remains the main strategy that we use to approach/decode unfamiliar words and spelling across the school.

Assessment: Individual phonics assessments are completed for all children working within Read Write Inc. every half term. Teachers then use this information to support pupils in moving forwards. Continuous formative assessment is carried out during lessons and this is used to inform any same day intervention or catch up.

Home Reading at Early Years and Key Stage 1 Expectations: Each child accessing Read Write Inc. Phonics takes home the same book they have been reading in groups that week. Each child reads with an adult in school at least once a week. Those children working within the Read Write Inc. scheme read the same colour band book in class and in group, to match the sounds that they are currently working on or need to practice. This way the books become a focused tool to support progress. Children will have their book changed once a week.

KS2 - Every child 'Reading like a reader.'

Teaching: Focus in KS2 is on reading fluency and speed as this aids comprehension and understanding of texts. Once children have moved through the Read Write Inc. Phonics scheme, in classes they are read with at least once a week on an appropriate text.

They also study comprehension by using the Literacy Shed VIPERS programme and appropriate texts often linked to the topics taught in that year group. The comprehension skills are gradually built up, focusing on more in-depth skills as they progress through school.

Assessment: Individual reading assessments are completed for all children who have moved through Phonics, every half term. Teachers use the PM Benchmarking to assess children’s fluency, accuracy and comprehension to find the book band offering the correct amount of challenge for each pupil.

Home Reading at Key Stage 2 Expectations: Children can choose a book from their book band which is sent home and is also used to read with the child in school at least once a week. These books are changed once a week.

Reading for Pleasure

We aim to foster a love of reading and enrich children’s learning through exposure to high quality texts. In class, pupils are exposed to high quality texts that they focus on each half term to study in depth, building on their knowledge and understanding of broader subjects and broadening their vocabulary.

We have an inviting, vibrant library that each child gets to visit each week, here they choose a library to take home each week which they can share with a family member. Some of the words in the book may not be easily read by the child depending on their reading level. We always encourage repeated reading of all books brought home as this develops fluency and comprehension. Allowing the child to choose their own book helps to promote a love of reading, ensuring what they have chosen is something they are wanting to read. Books in the library are updated and linked to children’s interests and topics studied in class.

Class teachers also devote time weekly for story time, choosing other quality texts from our school Reading Spine to read to the class as well as allowing children time to choose their own books from the class libraries.

Every year we celebrate World Book Day. This is always a highlight of the year, promoting reading for pleasure, children visiting different teachers to listen to them read, peer reading between year groups and having opportunities for them to discuss their favourite texts.

We also have the book fair who visit school. Previously, this has helped greatly with raising money to help buy different books for class teachers, topics in the curriculum and for our school library.

For our Gifted and Talented children, they are given the opportunity to take part in a competition across our Trust which is called Battle of the Books. This requires the children to read complex texts and have a solid understanding of them to be able to answer greater depth comprehension questions.

Read Write Inc Parents Guide