Reading
What are our aims?
At Oldway, we recognise that learning to read is essential for accessing learning across the curriculum, reading for information and reading for pleasure. Our aim is to ensure that all pupils read fluently, with good understanding and confidence. We aim to foster a love of reading and to encourage pupils to read widely, both for pleasure and to develop their understanding of the world.
What is our approach?
Oldway’s approach to reading is based on an understanding that there are two dimensions of reading which come together for successful comprehension: word recognition and language comprehension. For children to become fluent, confident and competent readers, their reading programme and experiences throughout their time at Oldway need to develop both. We aim to achieve this through a strong phonics curriculum (see Phonics), a rigorous consistent approach to teaching reading and promotion of reading for pleasure.
In Early Years Foundation Stage (nursery and Reception) and Key Stage 1 (Year 1 and Year 2) reading is taught following the Read Write Inc. Phonics Programme. In Key Stage 2 (Years 3-6), whole class reading lessons take place, using a balance of carefully-selected fiction, non-fiction and poetry texts.
Reading teaching is further enhanced through ‘Let’s Think in English’ lessons to develop reasoning; the library provision; books/ texts used within our Talk for Writing sequences in English; texts shared during ‘Read at 3’ and a wide range of literature in the wider curriculum.
Our reading spine outlines pupils’ core entitlement to quality texts for use in reading lessons and shared reading time (Read at 3). The spine reflects a range of carefully selected texts which develop pupils’ breadth and depth of vocabulary; support their understanding in other areas of the curriculum; and foster their love of reading. The reading spine ensures that all pupils on their journey through Oldway encounter texts which reflect diversity and inclusion, eg books with BAME main characters or with neurodiverse main characters or books which reflect different sorts of families. The inclusion of these texts aims to help children to develop empathy and inclusion, as well as to build a more realistic view of the world around them. The spine also ensures that pupils, each year, encounter books which explore environmental sustainability.
BOOKOPOLY Reading Challenge
The children in Key Stage 2 take part in Oldway’s Bookopoly. Children are challenged to complete their Bookopoly board by reading widely. ‘Squares’ on the Bookopoly board can be completed by reading:
- Recommended reads for their year group (RR)
- Learning links: non-fiction texts which support/ consolidate their work across the curriculum (LL)
- Book breadth: texts to encourage pupils to read widely across a range of genres (BB)
- Mystery reads: texts which demonstrate that reading comes in many forms, eg newspapers, e-books, audio books, magazines, graphic novels etc.
Pupils discuss each book/ text with their class teacher upon completion and progress is celebrated and rewarded with certificates during our Friday celebration assembly.
