Reading

Reading at Ladybridge Primary School

The needs and backgrounds of our children, and the school’s core values underpin all areas of our curriculum.

Intent
At Ladybridge, all pupils have the opportunity to be fluent, confident readers who are able to successfully comprehend and understand a wide range of texts. Pupils develop a love of reading, a good knowledge of a range of authors, and understand more about the world in which they live through the knowledge they gain from texts. By the end of their time at primary school, all children read fluently, and with confidence, in any subject; well prepared for secondary education. We understand the importance of parents and carers in supporting their children to develop both word reading and comprehension skills, home-school partnership which enables parents and carers to understand how to enhance the skills being taught in school through good quality texts is encouraged.

Implementation
Classroom organisation: 
In EYFS and Year 1, 5 times a week, we use the principles as set out in the Read, Write, Inc programme that is an approach to teaching literacy through synthetic phonics. We have an agreed progression for the teaching of new sounds in streamed groups. Once a week, children access a lesson which focuses on a specific reading skill linked to the National Curriculum.  During the Summer Term in Year 1, pupils undertake a Phonics Screening Test which assesses their ability to apply what they have learnt. Pupils who do not pass their Phonics Screening Test continue to have interventions to support the acquisition of these key skills. For children who acquire phonics knowledge and understanding in Year 1, they quickly move to work in developing their reading skills throughout Year 2 and KS2, where they access 4 whole class 30 minute reading skills lessons a week. If children need additional support, they have tailored intervention with their phonetic development through the use of 1:1 sessions that take place in addition to the lesson. Within lessons, teachers target support for the children who aren’t making the expected progress to enable them to achieve at an age-related level wherever possible. Children who are making more than the expected progress are also given opportunities to demonstrate a greater depth of understanding through extended answers, targeted questioning requiring more reasoned answers and making greater links across and between texts. Within lessons or as part of a planned intervention, teachers target support for the children who aren’t making the expected progress to enable them to achieve at an age-related level wherever possible.
Whole school Reading: Children in EYFS, Year 1 and 2 (if necessary), have books carefully selected for them which include sounds they have been previously taught while they are learning to read. Children also take home a book which they have chosen from the library for their parents/carers to read with them at home. There is a variety of good quality reading materials for children to select for home school reading. The books are structured to ensure that children have access to a wide range of texts, and allows for pupils to develop their skills and preferences within a level before moving to the next level. All pupils have a home-reading record which they are encouraged to take home daily. Parents and carers are asked to add comments to the home-reading records to indicate how much pupils have read. 
Throughout school, children develop an understanding from a range of genres that are covered and, where possible, links are made with other areas of the curriculum.
At Ladybridge, the children develop a love for reading by taking part in library sessions with our librarian. The children visit the library to listen to a story; as well as choosing a story of their choice to take home and share with their parents/carers.  Each class have a new class novel each half term which the class teacher reads to them. Each classroom has a book corner with a range of books where the children have the opportunity to read a book of their choice throughout the day.
Marking and Feedback: Feedback and marking should be completed, where possible, within the lesson. All marking and feedback is given in line with our marking and feedback policy. During reading skills lessons, children are encouraged to work in pairs to self and peer-assess from EYFS onwards.
Summative Assessment:  Summative assessments will be entered onto the tracker each half term. Teachers will use their professional judgement to determine whether a child is working within age-related expectations, above or below. They will base their judgements for the most part on the quality of the written outcomes pupils given after structured teaching within the agreed reading skills. Teachers also complete reading assessments (e.g. past SATS papers and PIRA assessments) each term, to provide another piece of evidence to support their assessment judgement. When tests are used, care is taken to ensure that pupils are prepared appropriately for the test, and any barriers to accessing these are removed.

Impact

Pupils will enjoy reading across a range of genres. Pupils of all abilities will be able to succeed in all reading lessons. Pupils will use a range of strategies for decoding words, not solely relying on phonics. Pupils will have a good knowledge of a range of authors and pupils will be ready to read in any subject in their forthcoming secondary education. Parents and carers will have a good understanding of how they can support reading at home, and contribute regularly to home-school records. We want pupils to develop a love for reading and will express preferences for authors and genres. The percentage of pupils working at ARE within each year group will be at least in line with national averages. The percentage of pupils working at Greater Depth within each year group will be at least in line with national averages. There will be no significant gaps in the progress of different groups of pupils (e.g. disadvantaged, SEND, EAL.)

For information on how to help you child read at home, click here.

Why not have a look at the recommended reading books for your child's year group in the links below?

Files to Download