Reading

Reading for Pleasure

Advice for Parents/Carers

Reading at Christ Church Federation

We want our children to be ‘readers’, not just children who can read.

Within the Christ Church Federation, Reading plays a key part in the curriculum we offer. We aim to develop confident, independent readers who establish a love of reading and an appreciation of literature for both enjoyment and information. We believe that the ability to read is fundamental to pupils’ development as independent learners. Success in reading has a direct effect on progress in all areas of the curriculum. Therefore, reading is given high priority, enabling the children to become enthusiastic, independent and reflective readers. We are dedicated to laying firm foundations in reading, enabling all our pupils to become lifelong readers.

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EYFS

We give Reading high priority right from the very start. Children are exposed to a language rich environment and a wide range of rhymes, poems and stories. Daily high quality story times are enjoyed by all. Children are encouraged to join in with the patterned language within familiar stories and act them out in role play and with props becoming confident, young story tellers. A communication, language and literacy rich environment in Foundation Stage, where children are given the opportunities to speak and listen, alongside daily RWInc phonics, ensures children are equipped with the relevant skills needed to continue their learning journey into KS1.

KS1

Regular story times continue into KS1. Teachers model reading with fluency and expression, developing listening skills, vocabulary and story discussion. Children in KS1 continue with daily, grouped RWInc phonic lessons, moving into a whole class reading group once they have completed the scheme. These lessons encourage children to predict, infer, retrieve, sequence and discuss new vocabulary. Children are encouraged to read widely, across a range of genres and authors. They are given the opportunity to read often to an adult through 1-1 or guided reading sessions ensuring they are challenged and supported to become confident, fluent readers and able to use their skills for reading for pleasure and to access the wider curriculum.

KS2

As children progress into KS2, the teaching and learning of ‘reading’ takes place within whole class and group settings which will be planned by the class teacher and led by skilled practitioners as well as 1:1 focused teaching to build on the needs of individual children. Whole class reading happens three times a week where teachers use modelling and class discussions to develop comprehension on the reading domains. Guided Reading and 1;1 reading takes place in a small group, at least once every fortnight, and focuses on developing children’s ability to become independent readers, thinkers, and learners. Opportunities for the children to listen to a book being read to them by an adult forms part of the school timetable. Phonics continues to be taught to any children who have missed or misunderstood a crucial phase of learning. Reading continues to branch out across the curriculum with teachers using books as inspiration for wider curriculum lessons.

For more information on what each school offers please see the following documents: