Reading
READING READING READING - We are a reading school!
Reading is vitally important. It is closely linked to academic success and future learning and earning potential. It is also really important to children’s self-esteem, confidence and motivation. Being able to read is the key to independent learning and living and so it's given a very high priority by all staff at Seahouses primary school. Learning to read is a joy and a gift but it is also a complex, multi-faceted process.
In essence children need to decode the words that they see before them and also understand what they are reading in order to answer a range of questions successfully. We first set out to make sure all of our children are confident readers by providing them with a word and book rich learning environment and by providing them with a wide range of positive and engaging reading experience from inspirational shared texts; author and illustrator visits to parent drop-ins and shared read-alongs (bedtime stories in the school hall, cosy blankets and hot chocolate for all of the family – to name just one).
At Seahouses primary school we use a systematic approach to teaching phonics as part of our Read, Write Inc. programme. At the end of Year 1 all children currently take the National Phonics Screening Test. Alongside phonics teaching, an emphasis is placed on learning to read, interpret, enjoy and comment upon a wide variety of books, magazines, newspapers and information texts – all readily available in our awe-inspiring library and accessible to the children in each classroom.
We also use the Literacy Shed reading VIPERS programme to support the acquisition of a diverse range of reading skills. This programme develops children’s comprehension, vocabulary, writing, critical thinking and discussion skills.
Each year group is provided with a list of stories for whole class shared reading time, tailored to the interests and curriculum of the children and adapted each year to ensure we remain current and up to date with fabulous new authors and illustrators who are recently published and thus most relevant. We read such high quality texts to children as a class every single day, which encourages their listening skills and often allows them to access a book they may not read themselves. All classes have a well-stocked book area. Children are supported by members of staff to select appropriate books to be sent home on a daily basis. Children all have a reading scheme book and a book to read for pleasure in school and at home and we ask you to make sure they record this in their home/school diary.
Reading at home is really important and reading to your child is a good way to share stories and other books. We work together as a team to support parents when reading with their child and run parent teacher sessions to discuss reading support techniques. Our English leader updates parents half termly on ways in which they can make reading at home fun, pleasurable and conducive to lasting learning.
