Reading
Reading at Timbercroft
At Timbercroft, we believe that learning to read enables children to read to learn, therefore we prioritise reading across the school. Developing strong reading skills is key for all children to be able to access the full curriculum and to give them the best possible outcomes at all stages of their education into their adult lives.
In Reception and Key Stage One, children learn to read through Read, Write Inc. phonics where speed sounds are taught and then a range of story and non-fiction books are used to practise the phonics they have learnt. The aim is for children to develop speed and fluency and to realise that from early on that they are readers. They have daily adult-led reading sessions with each book being read three times to build up word recognition, fluency and comprehension skills. At school the children have paper versions of the book and at the end of the three sessions, the same book is allocated on the Oxford Owl e-book library for the children to share at home. We ask all families to support their child's reading development by listening to them read every day at home and supporting them to complete the activities set by their reading teacher.
As the children move beyond the need for explicit phonics teaching, they begin using Read, Write Inc. Comprehension. The modules are worked through at the pace of the individual, focussing on developing children’s fluency in reading, alongside developing their vocabulary and comprehension. These are coupled with high-quality texts for reading for pleasure as well as ensuring a range of texts that allow the children to read to learn across the curriculum.
We have a timetabled daily story time session across the whole school for a minimum of 10 minutes every day, which allows the children to be modelled a love of reading and engage in texts at a range of levels.
For those children who need additional phonics teaching in Key Stage 2, we use the Read, Write Inc Fresh Start intervention programme.
Across the whole Read, Write Inc programme, progress is meticulously tracked through half-termly assessments carried out by the team of reading leaders.
Home-School Reading
Research shows that children’s reading skills significantly improve when they are supported with reading at home. We support home school reading through using both reading for pleasure books from our class book areas and reading hub, as well as using online platforms with books matched to the appropriate level for the children.
All children at Timbercroft have access to a Bug Club account. Please follow this link to log in: ActiveLearn: Login (activelearnprimary.co.uk)
All children working on the Read, Write Inc Phonics programme in school have access to the e-book library which can be found here: Oxford Owl for School and Home
Their reading teacher will allocate the book from their sessions after the third read, as well as quizzes to consolidate their speed sounds learning. Please click here Parent and carer support – Oxford Owl Support for advice about how to support your child with their reading at home as well as some technical hints and tips to ensure your child gets the most from the programme.
To promote reading at Timbercroft:
- We read regularly with your child at school and add additional sessions for those who need them.
- We expect children to bring a book bag to school in which they can take home a book of their choosing from their class reading area.
- We expect all children to read daily using Bug Club or the Read Write Inc. Phonics e-book library.
- We celebrate reading through displays across the school.
- We invite authors into school to work with every child and share tips and stories with them.
- We have book sales to encourage children to read new books and to raise money to be able to buy more books for school.
- We have 'book character dress up days to help us celebrate World Book Day.
- We have reading based assemblies.
- We invite parents in for parent reading mornings.
- We have author focuses to encourage children to read different types of books.
- We have a reading shed which is used by all children at break times and lunch times.
- We have a reading hub which every child has an opportunity to visit across the week.
- We have links with the local library, with classes visiting to browse books, chat with the staff and bring some of their selected books back to school.
- We regularly update our book selection to ensure diversity is promoted, allowing all children to feel they are reflected in the books that they choose.
- We celebrate a ‘reader of the week’ from each year group in our achievement assemblies, this is linked to our 100 book Challenge - see below:
100 Book Challenge
Each phase has a selection of books which specifically promote diversity and inclusion – values which we hold dear.
We have set the challenge for our children to read a set list of 100 books during their time at Timbercroft.
The book titles have been chosen to make the children think about inclusion and diversity in our school and the wider community.
The 100 books include :
- a diversity of authors
- challenging themes for some children
- stories about disability
- stories about equality
- characters from a range of races
- stories that reflect different religions
- themes of bullying
- stories which include different ways families are made up
- themes based on environmental issues