Reading
Our Reading Philosophy
As a school, our main aim is to expose our children to a wide range of authors and genres with a focus on high quality texts and rich vocabulary. Shared Reading: Teachers are expected to model reading in all genres whilst sharing success criteria in a format accessible to all. Key features should be identified in all texts.
Guided Reading
Teachers plan guided reading to match the genres planned and taught within each term. All staff have access to resources to ensure a whole school consistent approach to Guided Reading. These are Reading Explorers, The Classics and Top Class Resources (starting in from Year 2). KS1 have access to the Reading Rocketeer resources to use in addition to Phonic phase books to promote fluency in reading. A Teacher will carry out a workshop approach each week and ensure that each child has at least one guided session with the teacher.
Individual Reading 1:1
Every class teacher will produce a plan of times during the week children will be heard read on a 1:1 basis. SEN and underachieving children will be heard read more often. This should be updated at least termly. TA’s will be used to support this.
Independent reading
Children should be encouraged to select from a wide range of ‘free readers’ (fiction and non-fiction) to foster an enjoyment of reading. Emergent readers should be given more support in their selections and teachers are expected to monitor books to ensure a wide range of genre, authors, and styles of writing are explored. Independent reading sessions are built into the Guided reading session. Children should record their daily reading –in school and at home in their Home reading diary. This should note the time spent reading and any comments about the book a parent or child wishes to enter. This enables for monitoring and self reflection of reading habits which can be discussed when books are reviewed by the class teacher or TA (weekly). Higher ability readers they should develop the habit of including descriptive words and phrases within their diary.
Phonics
See Phonics page for more details.
Links to Parents/Home Reading
Books are to be taken home daily, from Nursery and Foundation stage. Children are to take home a book chosen either by the teacher or TA or by themselves dependent upon ability. Confident readers within a phase can select their own home reader to enjoy independently.
KS1: Children will take home a book of their choice from the appropriate phonics phase and unit to explore and re-read with their parents. Parents are expected to read daily with their child and make comments in the child’s reading record. Children change their books at least twice a week.
KS2: Children will select from book bands or free choice according to ability. They should complete the reading diary as laid out in the Independent reading section above. Children change their books when read.
The diary provides a two way communication between staff and parents. The diary should be used by staff to encourage children to reflect on their reading habits and make decisions/targets of how to improve. This becomes especially important as children become more independent readers and parents no longer hear their children read daily. With independent readers, parents are expected to encourage good reading habits by ensuring their child reads daily. Children will be expected to add vocabulary and noun phrases from novels to impact on their writing. A wide range of authors and genre will be encouraged.
Recommended Nursery books
Recommended Reception books
Recommended KS1 books
Recommended LKS2 books
Recommended UKS2 books
Class Librarians
St. Stephen’s chose to develop a love of reading through the election of Class Librarians, who acted like school councillors only promoting books instead. These pupils (from years 1 to 6) volunteered to inspire their class mates into reading through various means.
Our class librarians are busy helping to promote reading in our classes, they are spending time being creative with their reading areas. Take a look at the great things that they have been up to on the Librarian section under the Children tab.
St Stephen's Wish List
As soon as a donation is taken it is posted directly to our school so we can enjoy the books immediately. ‘A New a Chapter’ will also provide the name of the donor (unless they wish to remain anonymous) so that they can be thanked and have their name put in the book. Our Wish List is viewable under the ‘School Wish Lists’ filter.
You can donate at any point in the school year and, as always, we are grateful for any donation.
https://www.anewchapterbooks.com/shop?Wishlists=St+Stephen%27s+CE+Primary+School
Book Swap
At St. Stephen's in the school entrance, we have a 'Book Swap' station that is open before and after school for all to access. Once you have read them, bring them back to the station and swap them with another book. There are so many books for you to choose from, some are brand new!
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World Book Day 2023
Library
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