We are very proud of the rapid progress that our children make in reading. There are many ways that we teach reading such as:

• Guided reading (this is a small group working together with an adult all reading a copy of the same book)

• Shared reading (this is either a small or large group sharing the same book such as a big book)

• Phonics sessions – this is usually a daily group where children learn the way our phonic (or sound) system works to sound out words

• Reading to children – being read to is a really important part of learning to read and all our children are read to in class AT LEAST once a day

• Having a good library, book areas in all classes and lots of signs and other print around us in school.

In KS1 guided reading happens every day for around 30 minutes. This session includes children reading 1:1 with an adult, small group reading and discussing the book alongside follow up tasks, changing books to take home and phonics activities. This gives the children an opportunity to read daily with an adult or independently. The KS1 classrooms also have engaging book corners with variety of texts and language enriched environments.

In Early Years the classrooms have engaging book corners that the children can visit throughout the day. The children like the soft furnishings in the book corners as it is a quiet and calm area for them to share a book. The children are also immersed in daily stories and songs, they have a book of the week and the children have the opportunity to read with an adult 1:1 and in small groups every week.

Every child has a Reading Record which lives in their book bag. Staff at school write down notes about your child’s reading and we ask you to read with them at home at least five times a week and make a quick comment in the record too.