Our reading School Development Plan aims:

1. To continue to raise standards in reading through independent reading, reading practice sessions and planned shared story times.
2. To review and further develop the reading culture across the school.
3. To further develop reading nooks around the school and maximise the use of the school library.

Reading Practice Sessions

Reading practice sessions take place three times a week in small groups. The reading practice sessions have been designed to focus on three key reading skills:

• Session 1 – Decoding
• Session 2 - Prosody (reading with meaning, expression and intonation)
• Session 3 - Comprehension (understanding the text)

The children keep the same book all week, which helps to improve their fluency and confidence. Key graphemes and words from the book are repeated and practised each session on flashcards. 

Reading for Pleasure 

We value reading for pleasure highly and work hard as a school to grow our Reading for Pleasure pedagogy.

• We read to children every day. We choose these books carefully as we want children to experience a wide range of high quality books, including books that reflect the children at our school and in our local community, as well as books that open windows into other worlds and cultures. These books are planned for in each year group and are on our Long Term Plans.
• We share class story chests around the school. These are designed to excite and engage the children and to encourage them to respond with each other about the text inside. Different classes share their favourite books with other classes and share recommendations.
• As we are extremely fortunate with our outstanding library space, we utilise it the best we can. Each class has a weekly timetabled slot in the library. The space is used daily for reading practice sessions, quiet reading and intervention. Staff recommended reads are on display, and we have a celebrated author each term with a selection of books for the children to explore. We also celebrate and share new arrivals. Year 1 choose library monitors to ensure we are respectful of the library and to keep it clean and tidy.
• Every half-term we host ‘Family Reading’, where families are invited into the library and classrooms to share a book with their child.
• Children across the school have regular opportunities to engage with a wide range of Reading for Pleasure events, including live authors, World Book Day and National Poetry Day. We involve and encourage parents as much as possible during these events.
• We are working as part of the Lincolnshire Reading Pledge group and develop teachers as readers.
• We have a Little Library at the top of the school drive for our children and other children in the community to borrow and share books. Year 1 children are involved in monitoring this to restock it and keep it tidy.
• Our Reading for Pleasure does not end with our child! We have a dedicated staff book area in our Library and many members of the team regularly share and swap books. We also have a reading bookcase for parents and carers to choose a book from.

Reading Nooks

Every classroom has a ‘Reading Nook’ that encourages a love for reading. They are inviting and cosy spaces for the children to share a book. The selection of books available is limited and changed when appropriate. Each ‘Reading Nook’ has recommended and celebrated books. 

Planned Story Time

In each year group, we have set high-quality texts that are shared and explored in story time. These were chosen to include a range of genres, authors and cultures. Focus story time texts have been chosen to suit the curriculum and the children in our school. In many classes, the children vote for the story they would like to enjoy each day.

How to Support Your Child at Home

• Encourage children to point to words with their finger.

• Reread each sentence from the beginning, after each word.

• Hear your child read their school book as often as you can. Three times a week if possible.

• Share stories you have at home together and read these to your children. It is ok to read the same few stories over and over. Children having favourite stories will not only develop their language and storytelling skills as they remember it but also become a loved memory as they get older. 

• Attend our Phonics and Early Reading Meetings throughout the Year. 

• Join us for 'Family Fridays'.

• Play games with magnetic letters, wooden letters or even foam letters in the bath.

• Play word games such as ‘I Spy’.

• Point out and talk about words in the environment.

• Model reading at home.

• Join the school or Central Library.

• Be enthusiastic about reading!