Reading
Our aims:
Our ambition at Corfe Castle Primary School is that all pupils are enthusiastic, independent readers who can read fluently and for meaning by the time they enter secondary school. Teaching reading is central to our curriculum and discussion the most essential tool in developing understanding. We place rich and challenging fiction and non-fiction texts at the heart of our planning to develop pupils’ vocabulary and comprehension and we ensure they are sequenced to allow children to progress and to deepen and widen their reading experiences. We believe children need to learn to interrogate and question texts in order to become fully engaged and appreciative readers. This is also integral to their learning across the curriculum and for developing writing throughout all subjects. We teach our pupils to ‘read as writers’ and ‘write as readers’ so that they understand the interdependence of language acquisition skills. It is a well-known fact that Children who read regularly for pleasure have a much higher attainment and sense of wellbeing in later life and have an enhanced vocabulary which hugely increases their ability to access learning in other subjects. It has also been seen to improve happiness and wellbeing for children into adulthood.
What does this look like in Corfe Castle Primary School?
We strongly believe reading is paramount in our task as educators of primary age children and that the school should be a community of adults and children who model and share their passion for reading. Our focus is on teaching early reading through a daily, systematic phonics-based approach, Letters and Sounds. This is enhanced by a guided reading programme (small group and whole class) that supports children in decoding the text and understanding its meaning. As children move into KS2 the children continue to be taught to identify the skills and strategies they use to make sense of texts so they can become increasingly independent. This is achieved through teacher modelling, reading from challenging, quality texts daily, discussion, guided group reading and silent reading. Intervention for pupils of all abilities is integral to our teaching of reading. We have Words First, Rapid Readers and Talisman resources and programmes to help ensure all pupils make good progress and that the interest level for engagement ins high. Children are given small group reading support to interrogate texts. Some children who may not have the opportunity to read at home as often, are given extra 1:1 support with our reading volunteers. We provide a range of opportunities for pupils to read for pleasure (library; reading corners; displays; book shares; listening to stories; special events) and to recommend books to their peers to broaden and deepen their experiences and develop a reading habit.