Reading at Gorefield

Our aims:                                                                                                

To support the teaching of reading in school by practising taught skills.

To promote a lifelong love of reading.

To involve parents and carers in their child’s reading journey.

PLEASE READ DAILY AT HOME WITH YOUR CHILDREN.

How is reading taught in the school day?                                          

Throughout their time at Gorefield Primary Academy, we want all pupils to develop a real interest in books. During the school day, pupils are exposed to a wide range of different types of age-appropriate books.

Our pupils are encouraged to develop their reading skills in different ways, such as reading with an adult and group reading sessions, as well as in lessons across the curriculum, where they are encouraged to use their reading skills.

Children have access to their class mini-library throughout the day, as well as the whole school Reading Room, where they can choose from a selection of fiction and non-fiction books.  Each class records the books they are reading on their wall of reading, which includes the high quality texts they are studying as part of the wider curriculum and those that are being read to them in class; Teachers recommend books too.

All children also visit the mobile library once a month to choose a book.

Reception and Key Stage 1                                                                                                              

Children learn to read words through our phonics scheme - Twinkl Phonics.  Through this systematic teaching of phonics, the children rapidly learn the corresponding letter-sounds and are supported to use this knowledge to blend the sounds to read words and then sentences.  The children take home books, chosen by the class teacher, appropriate to their phonic level. Once the children have become proficient, confident readers, they are supported to choose a book for themselves from an appropriate selection.

Key Stage 2                                                                                                                                   

As children move into Year 3 and beyond, reading continues to be a focus.  Children spend time during the day reading and also work in guided groups. 

Once they enter KS2, children are moved to the Accelerated Reader (AR) Program where they can choose books to read from a wide selection at a level appropriate to their reading age and skill proficiency. (See below for a Parents' Guide to AR) Teachers track reading book levels via Star Tests, which the children take once they have finished reading a book. Those who are not yet fluent readers continue to be supported to with the skills of segmenting and blending the sounds to read the words. 

Children also have access to the online library MYON where they can access level appropriate books at home on a device.  

What you can do at home                                                                     

Please spend time each day listening to your child read. This will help them practise the skills they are learning in class. 

For our older pupils, please encourage them to read the book they bring home from school, as well as accessing the MYON book library online.

Children of all ages benefit from being listened to, as well as listening to others reading. As well as the books brought home, we would ask that you read other texts and genres to them; newspapers, letters, comics, recipes, menus, fiction etc.  We want our children to love reading but also understand the purpose behind it.