Reading

Including phonics and early reading

Intent

Reading is an essential skill for lifelong learners and has a direct effect upon progress in many curriculum areas. Hever pupils are encouraged to develop an enthusiastic, independent and reflective approach to reading.

Implementation

Pupils in Early Years and KS1 begin their learning to read journey with daily phonics. We currently follow the new validated phonics scheme 'Little Wandle: Letters and Sounds Revised'. Pupils are assessed regularly, throughout the year to ensure that they are making progress. Pupils learn to read through daily phonics until the end of Year 1. Further phonics will continue in Year 2, when deemed necessary.

Please find more information about Little Wandle using the links below.

In KS1 the Little Wandle Collins Big Cat Phonics books are used to support the pupils with their home learning. Each pupil is provided with a stage appropriate, decodable, book which directly links to the sounds they are learning in school.

In KS2 pupils are provided with a book in line with their reading age.

Guided reading is used to teach decoding and comprehension on a daily basis throughout the school. The use of the VIPERS questions further assists the pupils in their mastery of these skills (you can find these below for use when reading with your pupils at home). In addition to guided reading, pupils further develop their reading through comprehension activities. pupils are assessed regularly, throughout the year to ensure that they are making progress.

Pupils are encouraged to read from a wide range of texts: fiction, non-fiction and poetry. They can select books from our school library and high quality attractive books in classrooms.

Pupils are encouraged to read for pleasure using quiet reading time, being read to by, or reading to an adult, and by taking part in special reading events such as: World Book Day, author visits and National Storytelling Week.

Impact

By the time pupils leave Hever, they are competent readers who can recommend books to their peers, have a thirst for reading a range of genres including poetry, and participate in discussions about books, including evaluating an author’s use of language and the impact this can have on the reader.  They can also read books to enhance their knowledge and understanding of all subjects on the curriculum, and communicate their research to a wider audience.