Our reading School Development Plan aims:

1. To continue to raise standards in Reading through independent, 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 in each classroom 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 2 - Decoding
• Session 2 - Prosody (reading with meaning, stress and intonation)
• Session 3 - Comprehension (understanding the text)

The children keep the same book all week which helps to improve their fluency. Key graphemes and words from the book are repeated 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 books, including books that reflect the children at St Faith’s Church of England Infant and Nursery School and 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 Plan.
• In celebrations assembly each week, two classes are awarded with the class story chests. These are designed to excite and engage the children and to encourage them to respond with each other about the text inside.
• 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 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. Year 1 choose library monitors to ensure we are being respectful of the library and to keep it clean and tidy.
• Each class has regular access to the school library every half term.
• Every Friday morning we host ‘Family Friday’, where families are invited into the library or classrooms for twenty minutes 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 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.

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 are limited and changed when appropriate. Each ‘Reading Nook’ has recommended and celebrated books. 

Planned Story Time

Each year group have set texts that are shared and explored in story times. 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. 

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.

• 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!