Reading

Reading is a fundamental part of the curriculum at Cheslyn Hay Primary and pupils are given a variety of reading opportunities including time set aside for daily independent reading, one-to-one reading with an adult, whole-class reading comprehension lessons, home/school reading, listening to whole-class stories and access to Accelerated Reader software.

Reading is a skill which underpins a child’s ability to access the wider curriculum and allows them to broaden their vocabulary and develop vivid imaginations. We believe that active encouragement of reading for pleasure is a core part of every child's educational entitlement, whatever their background or attainment, because we know that extensive reading and exposure to a wide range of texts make a huge contribution to students' educational achievement. All classrooms have book areas that are stocked with a range of fiction and non-fiction texts.

Reading EYFS

In Foundation Stage, the reading scheme used is Oxford Reading Tree and Bug Club Phonics.

VIPERS is taught at least once per week.

One-to-one reading with an adult takes place twice per week.

Reading KS1

In KS1 the reading scheme used is Oxford Reading Tree and Bug Club Phonics.

VIPERS is taught at least twice per week in Year 1 and at least three times per week in Year 2.

One-to-one reading with an adult takes place twice per week.

Reading KS2

In KS2 children read books within the reading range suggested by their Accelerated Reading test scores. An allocated time of at least 10 minutes of independent reading is scheduled into the daily timetable.

VIPERS is taught at least four times per week in KS2.

One-to-one reading with an adult takes place at least once a fortnight.

What is VIPERS?

VIPERS is a whole-class reading approach that equips pupils with the necessary skills to be successful readers. It focuses on building fluency and embedding comprehension skills with direct, taught sessions. VIPERS stands for; Vocabulary, Infer, Predict, Explain, Retrieve and Sequence. These are all closely linked to the assessed strands in the end of key stage assessments. When teaching, the activities or level of support is adapted for different abilities so that all children can access the learning objective and be challenged. The whole-class reading approach supports rapid progress of lower ability readers. Research suggests this is due to exposure to higher-level questions and answers. Pictorial stimulus or activities which are designed to have a comprehension focus but reduce the amount of decoding can also be used to support SEND/EAL pupils.

What is Accelerated Reading?

Accelerated Reader (AR) is a reading management and monitoring programme that aims to foster independent reading. The internet-based software assesses reading age, and suggests books that match pupils’ needs and interests. Pupils take computerised quizzes on the books and earn AR points as they progress.

Parent/Carers

We engage with parents through meetings that demonstrate how we teach reading, including how to read with a child to foster enjoyment. Foundation Stage and KS1 parents are invited to annual phonics meetings, where the pedagogy behind phonics is explained and they are informed of ways in which they can help their child at home with their reading. Every child has a home/school reading diary; it is the school’s expectation that these are used as a dialogue between teachers and parents. Parents may comment on their child’s reading and teachers keep parents updated on reading

progress. In order to encourage reading at home, children may be rewarded with small prizes in their classes. This will be done at the class teacher’s discretion. Children who do not read regularly at home have support put in place to ensure that this happens in school.

Equality of Opportunity

All of our children have equal access to reading provision and to the resources available. We recognise that some children take longer to develop the necessary skills and we cater for those children by providing additional opportunities for skills development. Children who need additional support are identified early and the impact of interventions is carefully monitored. SEND pupils are catered for, and progress is monitored according to their individual action plans.