Reading At Newsome

Reading is one of the most important skills your child will learn during their time at school. Reading, listening to and talking about stories and non-fiction develops children’s vocabulary, because they meet words they would rarely hear or use in everyday speech. Understanding vocabulary is vital for comprehension and also for wider learning and progress across the entire curriculum.

We recognise that being able to read is a key skill for life for all children and we believe that every child can learn to read with the right teaching and support.

Our aim is that every child moves on from Newsome Junior School a confident, fluent reader who loves reading and has a reading age that at least matches their chronological age.

We use a range of strategies, in addition to phonics, such as a variety of decoding methods, teaching high frequency words through sight recognition, discussion through picture books and appropriate interventions.

Children are taught through whole class reading. Children have focussed guided reading sessions each week and are expected to complete one written comprehension in that time.

One to one reading occurs in all year groups for vulnerable readers who are identified in each class to ensure reading progression and a love of reading. During the reading sessions, there is an emphasis on vocabulary, the retrieval of facts and inference. Lessons are planned and delivered using the VIPERS strands. Novels are used to teach reading as well as a range of non-fiction texts. These texts are carefully chosen to ensure that there is progression and challenge across the school.

At Newsome, we aim to develop a love of reading, so children are encouraged to read for pleasure at home and school. Teachers read a variety of high-quality texts to the children on a regular basis.

We currently use a range of different reading schemes to meet the interests and individual need of each and every child.

Newsome Reading Strategy.

Our aim is that every child moves on from Newsome Junior School a confident, fluent reader who loves reading and has a reading age that at least matches their chronological age.

1. Daily Reading Lesson
   * Daily Reading Lessons with a focus on VIPERS Reading Skills
   * Opportunities to discuss, talk and debate

1. Children Read to regularly
   * Children are grouped and listened to read on a weekly, 3x weekly or daily basis.

1. Reading For Pleasure
   * Mini Libraries in each class of quality books to engage emotions; be diverse; show different perspectives; include favourites from previous years so all children can access.
2. Independent Reading Time
   * Class sets of high-quality reading books used for reading sessions and story time.
   * Well resourced library and classroom reading corners.

1. Promote a Love of Reading
   * Teachers model a love of reading and are excited about books
   * A wide range of authors and genres are discussed
   * Opportunities to share books, opinions and authors

* Dedicated story session at the end of each day.

1. Reading At Home
   * Reading Books are sent home at least twice a week and if the books need changing more often, then they will be changed
   * Additional support will be given to children who require it

1. Reading Every Lesson
   * Teaching sequences linked to quality texts and novels
   * Reading and integration of texts incorporated where possible into all lessons
   * Quality modelling and engaging with texts as a Historian, a Geographer, a Scientists etc

*** Catch Up

Some children may require additional support in Reading. This is achieved by:

KS2 interventions in addition to normal Reading Strategies for the lowest 20%
* Additional Phonics
* Small Group Work
* Small Group Book sharing to develop retrieval, inference and comprehension

• Vulnerable Groups
  * SEND and PP children are heard reading by an adult at least 3 times a week (in addition to the normal Reading Strategies)
  * Diversity and Equality in all books
• Storytelling
  * Opportunities for children to listen to, act out and discuss stories
  * Opportunities for children to tell stories
  * Stories read by teachers, adults, authors, visitors (including audio books and Author Zooms)

Phonics and Early Reading

In school:

Any child that does not complete the phonics programme at the end of KS1 will continue learning phonics throughout Year 3/4 during interventions. At Newsome we use the ELS phonics scheme which allows for rapid progress, consolidation and application of skills.

Reading in Key Stage 2

In school:

In school, we have developed a reading offer to ensure that every child becomes a fluent, confident and enthusiastic reader with opportunities to read, discuss and listen to stories.

*Your child will receive a Daily reading lesson at least 4 days a week, where they will be taught specific reading skills.

*There will be opportunities to read in EVERY lesson (including Maths, Geography, History, Science etc)

*Your child will have independent reading time every day to read and discuss their books.

At home

To support your child’s development of reading skills and enjoyment of reading, we have developed these opportunities to engage with reading as a family:

*Your child will bring home a Book Band Book matched to their reading age.

*Research shows that the quality of reading, reading together and sharing and discussing stories all have the most impact on successfully developing reading.

*Please ensure your child’s Book Band Book is brought into school every day because they will be used in lessons throughout the week.