Reading at Birstwith CE School
Phonics
At Birstwith CE School, we beileve that all our children can become fluent readers and writers, and using the Little Wandle programme, we deliver a systematic, synthetic phonics programme, starting in children's Reception year. This ensures that all children build strong foundations on which their growing knowledge of the alphabetic code and phonics, and it supports them to read and spell, as they move through school and beyond.
Our skilled teachers aim to develop a love of literature through exposure to a wide range of quality texts. We encourage the children to talk about books they have read and to recommend books they have enjoyed. Our curriulum is well planned and delivered by our experienced teaching staff. Fidelity to the Little Wandle systematic synthetic phonics programme provides a consistency to the teaching and learning of phonics.
Please use the link below to explore some incredibly useful resources at home to support your child's learning in phonics.
https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/resources/for-parents/
Independent Reading
We value the importance of reading to an adult. In the Foundation stage and KS1 this is a frequent activity, with the children reading to teachers, teaching assistants and adult helpers. We use Little Wandle decodable texts along with a class library to encourage reading for pleasure and expose children to a wide variety of text types.
In KS2 children continue to read their reading books to adults. They read a range of other texts, through their work in other subjects. They also develop the concentration skills to read quietly to themselves.
The teachers' knowledge of each individual child’s needs and interests ensure that children are reading books which will allow plenty of opportunity to consolidate reading skills with the use of both phonically decodable books and other appropriate books of interest to the individual. We aim to enthuse and excite the children about the books they read.
Red House Books
We are involved in the ‘Red House Book Award’, where the children (and teachers – through reading to their class) read books and rate them. They then join all the other national scores and a short list of books for different ages is draw up. All children at Birstwith help to score the picture books and more confident readers help to score the junior shortlist. This gives real meaning and purpose to their reading and allows children to be critics of the books they read too.
Reading at Home
All children at Birstwith CE School have a school reading book matched to their current reading level. They are encouraged to take these books home to read to an adult and record their reading in their reading records. These records provide a valuable communication between school, home and child.
We welcome parental help in school and many members of the community regularly support the children in their reading within school.Children in KS1 often take home a picture book to share with their parents, who read the story to them. This develops the children’s ability to read picture clues and develops their speaking and listening skills in an enjoyable way, with an adult.