Michael Morpurgo
We therefore:
• Promote a love of reading and books at every opportunity. Our displays reflect this and are evident in classrooms and corridors. Our children regularly access the school library and are encouraged to join their local library. Our staff read to children every day – they are advocates for reading.
• Have a rigorous and a consistent approach to phonics. All our staff receive phonics training. We aim to ensure pupils master the phonic code as soon as possible using the Read Write Inc programme.
• Have a consistent approach for children who fall behind. We assess against the Babcock objectives for Years 1-6 and we ensure children only move up bookbands when they are ready.
• Have a ‘read it and understand it’ approach in Early Years and KS1. We plan comprehension activities as much as phonics because we understand that children need both skills to be an effective reader.
• Use VIPERS to promote children’s articulation of the key reading skills apart from phonics.
• Use a rotation timetable between guided sessions with differentiated texts and whole class shared reads with differentiated activities.
• Use a variety of high quality texts and resources.
• Keep detailed records which have comments linked to the skills. We have a consistent approach to reading records/guided reading books. Reading records are used to promote regular reading at home.
• Have a structured approach for ‘free readers’.
• Link our reading explicitly to writing skills (this may be through displays, learning journeys and follow up activities which promote writing based on reading.
Reading in KS1
At Blisland School we use Read Write Inc. Phonics, a DfE-validated systematic synthetic phonics programme, to support early reading.
It teaches children to read accurately, fluently and with understanding.
In KS1 children will progress through their set
1, set 2 and set 3 sounds in phonics and read the following RWI book
sets. This table shows the progress children may make as they progress through the RWI phonics programme.
When considering whether your child is ready to move up to the next RWI book colour (and set of taught sounds), we consider their word reading (recent phonics score, decoding) and their comprehension skills. This includes their ability to answer questions within their RWI book and their ability to answer VIPERS questions within whole class and small group guided reading sessions. Reciprocal reading roles are introduced in Year 2 when the children are ready, in preparation for their continuing reading journey in KS2.
You can find out more about how we use RWI to teach phonics at Blisland in the document below - Read Write Inc School - Blisland.
RWI games, resources and VIPERs reading comprehension documents can also be found at the bottom of this page.
Reading in KS2
When considering whether a child is
ready to move up to the next book band we consider their decoding skills and their comprehension skills. In Key Stage 2 (once your child has reached the end of the RWI phonics programme), they will progress through the following book bands - white, lime, brown, grey, dark blue, dark red and black.
In KS2 we also take on Reciprocal reading roles to further our understanding of the texts we are reading and to help each other as our reading comprehension skills flourish and grow. We do this during whole class and group guided reading sessions, with the following roles: Predictor, Clarifier, Summariser, Questioner, and Big Boss. A document explaining these roles can be found at the bottom of the page.
In both key stages children can earn raffle tickets for reading more at home, resulting in a chance to win a termly book voucher!
Research shows that it is the combination of Guided
Reading sessions, together with Shared Text or Whole Class Reading lessons that
has the highest impact in terms of a child’s progress in reading.
It is crucial that children develop a life-long love of reading and this starts in the early years. An enticing well-stocked book corner, plenty of shared stories, nursery rhymes and songs, and the early introduction of phonics in a fun and interactive way are some of the ways we support early reading and encourage a passion for stories. Our children also have the opportunity to tell their own stories and listen to each others ideas using the helicopter storytelling approach. The reading adventure begins!
Relevant documents:
- RWI Rhymes
Daily phonics and taught reading, weekly guided reading sessions and high quality engaging texts for English lessons enable our children to develop their reading skills. A well stocked library with books to share at home gives our children access to an even wider range of fiction and non-fiction books. Daily shared stories and poems read by class teachers, Teaching Assistants (and our friends in KS2), help kindle a love of stories and inspire budding storytellers.
Relevant documents:
- Read Write Inc School - Blisland
- Ruth Miskin Parent Information
- Fred Talk Games
- KS1 Reading VIPERS
Daily reading activities during our reading carousel, good quality whole class shared texts, the application of VIPERS skills across the wider curriculum, and a well stocked library ensure our children make good progress in reading and are given opportunities to wallow in a good book. We hope their passion for reading will stay with them through their secondary school education and for the rest of their lives!
Relevant documents:
- Reciprocal VIPERS cards
- KS2 Reading VIPERS
Links: https://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/reciprocal_teaching
View the following documents within your web browser or download to read later
Curious
We are inspired by the awe and wonder of the world.
Creative
We are bold and innovative in our approach to find new solutions to the challenges we face.
Excellent
We are the best we can be.
Responsible
We take responsibility for our actions in an environment of mutual respect.
Determined
We overcome all barriers to reach our potential, developing a capacity to improve further.
Enthusiastic
We are passionate about learning.
Nursery and Reception Trip to Newquay Zoo
Friday 24th June 2022
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