English- Reading

Reading - Statement of Curriculum Intent

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free” - Frederick Douglass

At All Cannings School, our ambition is that ALL pupils are readers. Our learning makes a difference because pupils are equipped with the necessary skills to enable them to achieve their aspirations and have the confidence to use and apply them in all aspects of everyday life.

Committed to our MAT vision of ‘Every child, every chance’, our aim is that all children will learn to read, regardless of their background, needs or abilities.

With these aspirations, our INTENT for the reading curriculum is:

To ensure all children are able to read easily, fluently, confidently and with good understanding
To ensure that all children make sufficient progress to meet or exceed age-related expectations.
To enrich children’s reading experiences through immersing them in quality literature, developing an appreciation of our rich and varied literary heritage through the celebration of quality texts across a range of genres, including a balance of old and new classic texts, poetry, nonfiction across the curriculum, stories, rhymes and new and popular authors

To promote reading for both pleasure and information
To enrich children’s vocabulary
To develop understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions which they can transfer to their writing

To provide consistent and progressive phonics teaching in the early teaching of reading

We achieve this by providing a rich, diverse curriculum underpinned by our school’s Christian values of Wisdom, Generosity, Koinonia, Compassion, Peace and Joy and linked by our Golden Threads.

This enables every member of our school community to recognise and show that learning makes a difference.

Implementation

At All Cannings, reading has a very high profile and is embedded across the curriculum and permeates throughout every area of school life.

Adults are ambassadors for reading, sharing their enthusiasm and modelling reading for pleasure by reading a class text daily and sharing their personal reading diary via a poster which is regularly updated as they move onto another book.

Each class has its own attractive reading area, including a library which covers a wide range of genres and ability levels and includes teachers’ personal collections that they are happy for pupils to share. Resources are supplemented with new and recommended texts as required, with pupils having input into their selection.

Phonics

We follow the synthetic, systematic phonics programme Little Wandle Letters & Sounds (LWLS) in Early Years and Key Stage One which ensures that all pupils, including the weakest readers, make sufficient progress to meet or exceed age-related expectations.

Phonics books are closely matched to the children’s increasing knowledge of phonics and ‘tricky’words. Further opportunities are given across the curriculum to reinforce and apply phonic knowledge through contextualised work with quality texts. Phonics sessions take place daily between 10.35 and 11am for years R and 1 with a spelling session running at the same time for Year 2.

Teaching and support staff receive both ‘in house’ and Ramsbury English Hub training in the teaching of systematic, synthetic phonics.

All classes display speed sounds charts to aid children’s spelling.

Assessment

Rigorous assessment takes place every 6-8 weeks (as per LWLS guidance) and the English lead & EYFS/Key Stage 1 track all children’s progress carefully across year groups. Y1/2 also undertake mock Phonics Screening tests in terms 1,2 and 4 to identify gaps, in addition to the statutory testing in Term 6.

Rapid one to one and small group interventions with trained staff ensure quick catch up for children identified as not making expected progress. Additionally, children who have not met the expected standard in the Phonics Screening are carefully tracked to ensure success at the end of Key Stage One.

Reading

Early Years

The All Cannings reading journey begins in Early Years, with priority given to the development of early reading skills. Daily phonics sessions take place every morning, following the Little Wandle Letters & Sounds scheme, which incorporates regular assessments and ‘Keep Up’ sessions for pupils requiring additional practise and intervention.

Children take home decodable texts closely matched to their phonic ability from our wide range of banded books. Additionally, children choose books from the book corner to take home and share alongside the decodable texts sent home to support their phonic knowledge. Information sheets on new sounds and words taught are sent home weekly so parents can support learning at home.

Throughout the day there are regular opportunities for the children to share, listen to, act out, re-tell and read books, including joining in with some texts that they know by heart. There is a stimulating and accessible book corner indoors, with a wide range of quality texts and similar provision – along with quiet reading ‘dens’ – outside. Children are encouraged to apply the reading skills they have learnt to read for pleasure and extend their understanding across the curriculum.

Children have the opportunity to read regularly to an adult on a one to one basis and as a group at least three times a week.

Home school diaries communicate reading progress between home and school and include teacher and parent feedback. Parents are informed of their child’s progress at Parents’ Evenings and annual reports, with additional communication at other times as required.

Opportunities for independent writing and role play linked to familiar texts and personal experiences are provided in all areas of the learning environment, both inside and outside.

Parent workshops are provided to encourage and support early reading and highlight the importance of reading regularly at home.

Key Stage 1

Children in Reception and Year 1 take part in daily 25 minute phonics lessons, with Year 2 taking part in a spelling lesson at the same time.

Reading practice sessions take place 3 to 4 times a week in each class within year groups. Each session is carefully planned to ensure all pupils are making progress and specific children have targeted support throughout the session and additional pre/over learning intervention sessions. The texts are linked to the phonics the children are learning that week and promote the independent application of decoding skills and fluency. There is also a focus on reading comprehension through asking questions, making predictions and summarising information.

Regular opportunities to read to an adult on a one to one basis are also provided, with extra sessions for pupils working just within or below ARE; these may be with class teachers, TAs, Reading Champions or parent helpers.

We value the importance of talk and discussion as part of the reading process. All adult helpers receive an induction booklet and have regular discussions with staff to ensure that pupils are receiving the best support.

Reading takes place throughout the curriculum. Children are encouraged to apply the skills they have been taught in focused reading lessons to reading texts that support their understanding across the curriculum.

Key Stage 2

Whole class reading sessions take place 3 times a week, with additional 1:1 or small group sessions for pupils working just within or below ARE. These sessions develop pupils’ contextual understanding through exposure to a range of genres. Each year, three texts are selected from our reading ‘spine’ and three are teachers’ own choice, with a balance between fiction, non-fiction and poetry.

Children are supported to analyse texts and focus on author craft & language features and how they can use it to improve their own writing. We follow a reading ‘VIPERS’ progression, which ensures continuity and progress.

Whole class texts may be linked to class topics and are chosen to support vocabulary and subject knowledge in other areas of the curriculum.

Reading 2022-23

Assessment

Assessment for learning is ongoing. Staff assess attainment in reading four times a year to update SPTO using evaluations made on their 1:1, group and whole class reading sessions.

In Terms 2 and 4, PiRA reading tests are used to support these judgements across Years 1-6 and in Term 6 for EYFS and Year 1. In Term 6, TestBase assessments are used for Years 3,4 and 5 and statutory end of Key Stage assessments provide information for Years 2 and 6.

SEND, EAL, Interventions and fast catch up

Quality first teaching supports all children to achieve.

The English lead, class teachers, SENCO and the SEND Manager work in close partnership to ensure that SEND pupils with difficulties in learning to read have their needs identified promptly and interventions provided that will accelerate their progress. Progress is measured and tracked to ensure they are catching up with their peers.

In KS1, additional teaching and support is provided through 1:1 reading with an adult, extra guided reading in small groups and timetabled “Keep Up” phonics sessions.

In KS2, additional teaching is provided through regular 1:1 or small group reading with an adult, pre-teaching of key vocabulary to support children’s understanding and ‘over learning’ to reinforce. Targeted comprehension and fluency sessions use resources such as Literacy Shed VIPERS and Ashley Booth materials.

Identified children are carefully tracked through pupil progress meetings and using SPTO data and formative test results are analysed to confirm/identify areas of weakness. Colured overlays are provided if deemed appropriate by the SEND Manager.

Pupil Premium

Pupil Premium children, in addition to classroom interventions, access 1:1 sessions with Reading Champions, dedicated support from our SEND Manager as required, the Catch Up programme and activities aimed at developing a passion for reading eg. author talks with copis of books.

Impact

Our reading curriculum ensures that our pupils have a positive attitude to reading and have acquired all the skills necessary to become fluent, confident and competent readers. From the very start, reading for pleasure becomes an integral part of their lives that we believe they will carry forward throughout their education and beyond. Through meticulous planning, regular assessment and rapid intervention where necessary, our pupils acquire the skills required to decode fluently; to fully comprehend what they read and to see the impact of vocabulary and grammar choices on a reader, enabling them to apply this to their own writing.

Progression of Skills in Reading Y1

Progression of Skills in Reading Y2

Progression of Skills in Reading Y3

Progression of Skills in Reading Y4

Progression of Skills in Reading Y5

Progression of Skills in Reading Y6