- 01908 610561
- office@cedars.milton-keynes.sch.uk
At Cedars Primary School and Nursery we prioritise reading. We are determined that every pupil will learn to read. We believe that reading is one of the most important life skills and that the ability to read is key to success in education and the wider world.
A Cedars’ pupil will:
Â
We have carefully planned a progressive set of core texts which are shared with the children across Early Years, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. These have been chosen to develop their vocabulary, language, comprehension and love of reading.
All classes have at least 10 minutes timetabled into their day for story time, where their teacher shares a high quality or core text with the children. Throughout the school, all children have access to high quality texts in the different reading areas.Â
Throughout the year we have key reading events which are celebrated as a whole school community e.g. world book day and story-telling week. We also have termly initiatives to encourage an enthusiasm for reading.
Parents/carers are invited to celebration events at the school where they have the opportunity to see how reading is taught, they are given advice about how to support their child with their reading outside of school.
Nursery
• There is a sharp focus on developing children’s vocabulary and communication
• The Read Write Inc approach is followed in nursery – stories and rhyme from Autumn until Spring, systematic teaching of sounds in the Summer
• There are opportunities for families to take part in a book sharing scheme
Reception
• The teaching of systematic, synthetic phonics is taught from the beginning of reception using the Read Write Inc approach. The content and sequence of our phonics programme supports children’s progress
• Phonics is taught daily
• All children take home a book matched to their phonics reading level as well as a book to read for pleasure or share with their family. Reading record books are used to share reading at home
• Each week the children will go to the school library where they will have a story read to them and they can choose a book to take home
All Early Years children will have:Â
• Opportunities available for reading inside and outside the classroom
• Book corners accessible in all classrooms containing high quality texts
• Daily story time including stories and rhyme are shared with passion by staff to introduce new ideas, concepts and vocabulary and develop a love of reading
• Story sacks, props, puppets, rhyme sacks and picture prompts used by children and staff
• 1:1 opportunities for reading as well as small group and whole class
• Core texts- planned for in provision and opportunities for story-telling, role play and activities related to the text
Children who fall behind age related expectations, will receive targeted intervention such as 1:1 phonics and daily reading with an adult.
The teaching of systematic, synthetic phonics continues to be taught in Years 1 and 2 the content and sequence of our phonics programme supports children’s progress. Phonics is taught daily for 30 minutes.
Children who have reached the end of the Read Write Inc programme move to daily reading sessions for 30 minutes. The sessions focus on reading for pleasure, comprehension, language development and fluency.
Where appropriate, children take home a reading book (Read Write Inc and Oxford University Press) linked to the sounds they are learning or have learnt in their phonics sessions.
All children have a reading book for pleasure.
Every child has a reading record which is used for home-school communication.
As part of our homework expectation, children are asked to read at least 5 times a week and record evidence in their reading record. This could be independent, shared or listening to someone read aloud to them.
For the first 2 weeks of every term a core text/s is shared as part the reading sessions.
Every class is timetabled to visit the school library once a week. The children use this time to choose a book of their interest to read, complete activities linked to reading and listen to stories read by their teacher.
Children who are significantly below age-related expectations take part in small group or 1:1 interventions with a specific focus to target their needs.
Reading is taught daily for 30 minutes. The children are taught to read for pleasure, develop their fluency, language and comprehension skills and discuss a range of texts.
For the first 2 weeks of every term a core text/s is shared as part of reading.
Some children, who are still working towards becoming a fluent, accurate and confident reader, will have a reading book (colour banded books from Oxford University Press) which is appropriate for their reading level. This is to help them develop fluency, expression and an understanding of what they have read.Â
All children have a book of interest which they can take home to read for pleasure.
As part of our homework expectation, children are asked to read at least 5 times a week and record evidence in their reading record. This could be independent, shared or listening to someone read to them.
All pupils in years 3, 4 and 5 have reading records which are used as home-school communication for reading. Year 6 have planner organisers to record their reading.
Every class is timetabled to visit the library once a week. The children use this time to choose a book of their interest to read, complete activities linked to reading and listen to stories read by their teacher.
Targeted interventions will be used for any child who falls behind age related expectations in reading.Â
Michael Morpurgo December 2014