Reading is essential to attainment and success across all subjects. At Nether Stowey Primary School, we understand that reading successfully and with enjoyment is critical to children’s long term life chances. It IS our aim in school to find the inner reader in every child, regardless of their ability, background and opportunities outside of school. The aim of our school is to teach every pupil to read well, for meaning and for pleasure. We know that the ability to read is fundamental to pupils’ development as independent learners, during their time at school and beyond. It is central to our ability to understand, interpret and communicate with each other and the world around us. Therefore, reading is given high priority at our school, enabling children to become enthusiastic, independent and reflective readers across a wide range and types of literature. 

To ensure progression and a cohesive approach, the following guidance must be followed:

Phonics

We use the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised to plan and provide daily engaging phonics lessons. In phonics, we teach children that the letters of the alphabet represent a different sound, that these can be used in a variety of combinations and are put together to make words. The children learn to recognise all of the different sounds and combinations that they might see when they are reading or writing.

- Children in Reception and Year 1 are taught phonics daily.

- In Y2-Y3, phonic lessons are taught daily to children where appropriate – following the model of Little Wandle but plugging specific gaps identified through assessment. 

- In Y2-Y6 there are planned phonic ‘catch-up’ sessions following a set model to address specific reading/writing gaps. These are short, sharp sessions lasting approximately 10 minutes in length and taking place at least three times a week.

Individual Reading Books

In school, all children will be heard read regularly according to their needs. Children will read to and with a variety of adults in school, as well as by their teacher. Children of all abilities will read to adults in school until the end of Year 6. Adults in school will also comment in their reading record to inform parents of the discussion which takes place and to prompt further intervention at home.

All children take home their own individual reading book to read at home to an adult. 

We have a coloured book banded system that runs from the beginning of Reception to Year 6. In the EY and KS1, children take home books that are phonically decodable. We currently have a range of books that they can choose from and we are working to ensure that these are fully decodable. In KS2 the children continue to choose book from a coloured system that include age appropriate, levelled books. In KS2 the focus is ensuring the children have a wide range of books to choose from to ensure that they are reading a breadth of genre. 

Shared Reading

This takes place during English lessons and is included on weekly planning. As part of our enriched curriculum, high quality class texts are used in the main part of the English lesson. During this time specific reading skills or features of genre will be taught and modelled. This is an opportunity to discuss the use of language and widen the children’s vocabulary. 

Read Alouds

Reading aloud to children is a vital part of our reading curriculum. At Nether Stowey School we encourage classes to enjoy at least one story time a day!

Guided Reading

Guided Reading is planned for weekly.

In KS1 the main focus is word reading/decoding and is linked to the phonics teaching and learning in class. In KS2 the main focus is on comprehension, inferences, explanations, justifications, summarising, comparing, prediction and retrieval.