At Pyrcroft Grange Primary School reading is given a high priority in our curriculum as the ability to read and understand opens up learning for children.

Intent:

• Reading is prioritised to allow pupils to access the full curriculum offer.
• To build a curriculum which develops a love of reading to help pupils know more and remember more.
• To develop learning environments which engage children and encourage them to read both independently and with their peers.
• To build a language rich school by exposing the children to high quality texts and explicitly teaching them vocabulary.
• To identify, understand and remove barriers to learning for all children, regardless of their backgrounds or starting points, so they become confident and successful members of the wider community.

Implementation:

Early Readers

We strive to develop the full potential of all our children, so they become confident, literate readers. It is essential that they have secure phonetic knowledge to decode unfamiliar words. Phonics skills are necessary to developing competent and assertive readers. The school follows the systematic approach through Little Wandle.

• Children take part in weekly guided reading sessions reading a book matched to the children’s phonic development.

• Session 1: Decoding: The children will focus on decoding unfamiliar words with the support of the adult. Children will be taught explicitly any unknown vocabulary to support understanding of the words and text.
• Session 2: Prosody: The adult will model reading the text introducing punctuation, rhythm, and intonation. The children will use strategies including echo reading to practise reading with fluency and expression.
• Session 3: Comprehension: The children will have the opportunity to read the text and answer a range of questions to demonstrate their understanding of the text.

• Children will be encouraged to re-read texts at home enabling them to read familiar words immediately and therefore develop fluency in their reading.
• Children become aware of print in their environment and match pictures and words.
• Through the sharing of high-quality texts with adults’ children will develop the comprehension skills needed to understand language, story structure, vocabulary, and themes.
• The integration of decoding and comprehension skills is not confined to specific reading sessions but extends throughout the school day, offering ample opportunities for application.
• Children are assessed each half term on the GPC’s taught. Following data analysis and catch-up sessions children are reassessed on a 3-week cycle to monitor impact and progress.
• Once children have reached phase 5 phonics reading level they complete a fluency test each half term.

Whole School

• Children follow a personalised reading scheme that is varied to meet each individual child’s reading needs. Using a wide range of books and the online reading tool Bug Club allows the children to read books that engage them and foster a love of reading.
• Through whole class guided reading lessons we teach explicitly comprehension skills (VIPERS) using a range of texts and genres.
• Children are given the opportunity to read material linked closely with other areas of the curriculum.
• The teaching of high quality vocabulary is prioritised in the school reading curriculum.
• Within the school there are a range of stimulating reading environments, including a reading bus that promote reading for pleasure. Close links are established with local libraries.
• Children are encouraged to discuss the books they have read and a “Book Swap Phone Box” develops children’s curiosity in genres and authors.
• Each classroom has a selection of books which are directly linked to the class topic. This offers opportunities for the children to apply their reading skills across the curriculum.
• Children are read high quality texts each day by the class teacher to promote pleasure for reading.
• There are a range of reading initiatives/awards in place for regular reading.
• Close relationships with parents are essential and parents are invited into school to read with children and explore how they can support their child’s reading development at home.
• Assessment for learning drives the teaching of reading.
• There is an established three week cycle of assessment (bug Club assessment, stand-alone comprehension and NFER) to ensure  robust monitoring and understanding of both attainment and progression for each child.
• Monitor children’s reading progress termly through the summative assessment tool NFER.
• Reading spines are in place to ensure all children have access to books of a wide genre, new authors, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, and topic related books.
• Each half term children complete a fluency assessment through TEAMS. This is to ensure children are reading accurately, fluently and with comprehension.

Impact:

• Children develop into confident, fluent readers.

• Children can fully access the whole broad and balanced curriculum.
• Excellent reading standards are achieved through a progressive, engaging reading scheme
• Children have the comprehensive skills to discuss the texts they have read and debate key issues.
• Children have developed a thirst for reading and use this essential skill to step into their next phase of education and have a curiosity about the world around them.