Reading
Phonics
When children join us in Reception they immmediately begin on a programme of phonic learning. We use Bug Club Phonics. As children in Reception learn sounds and blending skills they read individual decodable phonics books from the Bug Club Scheme which are closely matched to their developing knowledge. This approach continues in Years 1 and 2. As children become more secure readers, applying their phonic knowledge to decode, they move through the phonic banded books and on to early chapter books in preparation for Accelerated Reader. Click here to see the children's pathway through the phonics banded books.
In addition to the books that children may take home for daily reading, we also provide access to high quality online books through our school subscription to Pearson ‘Bug Club’.
How to help with phonics and reading at home
Phonics is a method of teaching children how to read and write. It helps children hear, identify and use different sounds that distinguish one word from another in the English language.
We teach children to use the pure sounds and here is a useful demonstration to help you. Click here for pure sounds.
As the children learn the pure sounds they will be blending them to decode words. Click here for a helpful video about blending.
To read the DfE's top ten tips for hearing children read visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-top-tips-to-encourage-children-to-read/10-top-tips-to-encourage-children-to-read
World Book Day
The children and staff thoroughly enjoyed World Book Day this year. Children took part in a range of poetry themed activities and enjoyed watching the staff performance of 'Sleeping Beauty'.
Intent
At St Peter and St Paul CE VA Primary School, reading is at the heart of school life, central to our curriculum, distinct in our environment and in the opportunities and experiences we provide. We deeply believe in the effectiveness and transformative power of our curriculum and constantly strive to provide a personal, fulfilling reading journey for all our children. We recognise that being able to read well is a critical key life skill and we have high expectations for every child, irrespective of their background, home life or any other barrier that they may be challenged with. We nurture our children to become fluent, confident readers, who read purposefully and who all share a genuine love of reading.
Click here to see an overview of reading in our school.
Click here to find out about this year's Summer Reading Challenge.
Recommended Reading Lists
Click the links below to find recommended reading books for each year group.
Tips for reading aloud to your child at home
(From the Department for Education, Reading Framework)
If you can, read the book to yourself first, so you can think about how you’re going to read it to your child.
On the first reading:
- Make reading aloud feel like a special quiet time.
- Show curiosity about what you’re going to read: ‘This book looks interesting. It’s about an angry child. I wonder how angry he gets…’
- Read through the whole story the first time without stopping too much. Let the story weave its own magic.
- Read favourite stories over and over again.
On later readings:
- Let your child pause, think about and comment on the pictures.
- If you think your child did not understand something, try to explain: ‘I think what’s happening here is…’
- Chat about the story and pictures: ‘I wonder why she did that?’
- Link the stories to your own family experiences: ‘This reminds me of when …’
- Link stories to others that your child knows.
- Encourage your child to join in with the bits they know.
Accelerated Reader
When children are ready to move onto chapter books, they are enrolled in the accelerated reader scheme (AR). Children are periodically assessed through an online reading quiz that provides them with their personal reading range. This supports children to steadily build on their reading fluency, comprehension and vocabulary. Children take short quizzes upon completion of books they read to assess and support their understanding along the way.
Click the Accelerated Reader button below to find out more about this programme.
Reading Breakfasts...
Our Reading Breakfasts are a great way for children and parents to enjoy a book together - feeding imaginations as well as tummies! Juice, pastries and a chance to explore new books and understand how we teach reading and phonics is on offer. Thank you parents for your fantastic support of these events.
