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

Early Years and Key Stage 1

Pupils in Early Years and KS1 begin their learning to read journey with daily phonics. We 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. 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.

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

Key Stage 2

In key stage 2 reading lessons pupils progress to Complete Comprehension which combines a skills-based approach to building reading comprehension with explicit vocabulary instruction and stimulating enrichment activities. All pupils are supported to acquire a wide vocabulary and to be able to clearly explain their understanding and ideas.

Pupils 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.