Reading and literacy are at the heart of our curriculum; we understand that reading is the greatest gift we can give our children. We ensure all our pupils are given the skills and knowledge to help them to become effective communicators and to understand the world around them, developing not only skills of fluency but also of empathy and inference so that they can question, challenge and appreciate texts in a broader sense.
Children learn to read through encountering challenging texts. Our reading lessons focus on developing vocabulary; teaching high-quality active sessions to ensure the three strands of reading fluency (accuracy, automaticity and prosody) are mastered. The focus on reading fluency acts as a bridge to achieving text comprehension and independence in reading. In Key Stage 2, skills of interpreting meaning and considering authorial choices are taught to broaden and deepen our pupils’ ability to read in a wide range of contexts across the curriculum, accessing the challenging texts which form our reading and writing spines.
At RTS, we are passionate about developing a reading culture. Each classroom has a dedicated class library from which children can select from a range of fiction and poetry. Teachers model reading habits and take time to share and talk about books with the children who, in turn, recommend books to their peers. We understand that children have a range of different interests which is why our dedicated school library is a haven of high interest non-fiction titles which can be borrowed to stimulate a love of reading in a wider context, developing reading habits for life.
We also:
We aim to develop a love of reading in all our children and as such, we have a range of texts to support those who may find reading particularly challenging. Through regular and targeted assessment, we are able to ensure that those who need additional support are given 1:1 or small group intervention to enable them to develop skills of fluency and comprehension. Children take part in additional small group practice sessions using a book of an appropriate level if needed where gaps in learning are filled and learning is consolidated. We have access to a range of Barrington Stoke books, Reading Revival and use online programmes such as IDL to give more exposure and practice where needed.
At Richard Taylor Primary School we have high expectations of all children, and the aim of our phonics teaching is to make sure they have a firm foundation on which to develop the skills to become confident and fluent readers.
We follow a systematic approach to the teaching of phonics using Rocket Phonics.
Phonics is taught every day in the Early Years and Key Stage 1 classes where existing knowledge is revisited and built on. In Key Stage 2, the approach is carried on in spelling sessions and in intervention programmes for children who need extra support.
Beginner readers are taught:
The teaching of phonics is systematic, this means that it follows a carefully structured programme, building on previous learning to secure children´s progress. It is taught discretely and daily, with opportunities to apply phonic knowledge and skills across the curriculum and in activities such as whole class and guided reading, as well as reading independently.
The children´s progress in developing and applying their phonic knowledge is carefully assessed and monitored throughout EYFS and KS1. Teachers use this information to inform teaching and provide additional support where it is needed. At the end of Year 1, all children take a National phonics screening assessment and any child who does not achieve the pass mark will receive additional support and re-take the screening at the end of Year 2.
Children take home phonetically decodable reading books that are linked to their phonics learning at school. This will allow them to practise and embed their phonics learning whilst developing their fluency and comprehension skills. Alongside the phonetically decodable reading books, there are a wide range of reading books in classrooms and the school library that help to foster a love of reading and reading for pleasure.
Each year we hold a range of valuable information sessions for all parents which, explains how we teach early reading and how you can help at home.
In Key Stage 1, children are given sound mats and a bookmark with a list of common exception words that they are learning to read in their reading diaries. Please use these alongside reading your child’s reading books with them at home.
The link below takes you to the Phonics Play site which, contains games and activities which, are free for your children to enjoy and will support their phonics development.
Please click here for the Parent guide full of useful information about ‘Rocket Phonics’ across each stage of learning.
Please see below for a video showing the correct pronunciation of ‘pure phonics sounds’.
Below are the sound mats that show the Grapheme Phoneme Correspondences linked to each stage of learning.
