Reading Intent

At Herne CE Junior School, we are determined that every pupil will learn to read, regardless of their background, needs or abilities. All pupils make sufficient progress to meet or exceed age-related expectation. We believe that English is at the heart of all pupil’s learning. The reading curriculum promotes curiosity, independence and discussion as well as helping to build a community of readers who choose to read for pleasure.

We intend to equip our pupils with not only the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum but to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. We use our distinctive Christian school values (Compassion, Community, Forgiveness, Generosity and Hope) to promote positive attitudes to learning and ensure our pupils become respectful, resilient and responsible citizens.

It is essential that we develop pupils’ word reading (decoding and sight words), comprehension skills and love of reading. We think of our reading teaching as broken down into 6 skills strands – Decoding, Retrieve, Interpret, Choice, Fluency and Reading for Pleasure. These strands reflect our strong phonics programme (RWI) as well as our reading comprehension programme (RIC). These aspects of reading have been firmly embedded into the units of work across all year groups in school.

As a school, we have identified that the ability to read fluently and with comprehension and enjoyment depends on the development of reading skills (such as decoding, skimming, scanning, predicting, questioning, summarising), regular and varied practice, discussion about different texts and the development of a vibrant community of readers, excited about sharing and talking about the books they read.

Reading is also the key to accessing many other subjects, and we actively promote reading as a vehicle to support vocabulary development, writing and accessing a broad and balanced curriculum.

Intent summary:

• All pupils to meet or exceed age-related expectation
• Prepare pupils for later life
• Develop pupil’s word reading, reading skills, comprehension, fluency and love of reading
• Develop a vibrant community of readers who choose to read for pleasure.

Reading Implementation

Teaching and Learning

Reading is at the heart of everything we do.

To support the teaching and learning of reading we ensure the following:

• On entry, all pupils are assessed for their phonic ability and grouped on the RWI scheme as appropriate.
• Pupils remain on the RWI scheme until they have demonstrated a secure knowledge of phonics, graduating to Fresh Start if necessary.
• Early home reading books are linked to RWI to ensure pupils are taking home an appropriate book for their stage.
• Reading comprehension skills are explicitly taught every day.
• The whole school follows a consistent approach (RWI and RIC)
• All pupils benefit from 5 minutes of ‘daily sounds’ each day to maintain their phonic knowledge.
• Language related to reading skills is explicitly taught and is consistent through the school.
• High quality texts are chosen for reading instruction.
• Sequence and progression is ensured by breaking reading down into 6 skills strands (Decoding, Retrieve, Interpret, Choice, Fluency and Reading for Pleasure). Each skill is mapped through a progression map.
• Reading is taught and practised through all subjects.
• Pupils have access to high quality books in the library and book corners.
• Class books are carefully chosen and read each day.
• Home reading is tracked and pupils are regularly heard read to check they are on the correct level.
• Reading for pleasure is encouraged through times for relaxed reading in the classroom and the availability of a wide variety of different texts in book corners and in the library.

Curriculum Planning and Progression

We teach the skills of reading using the requirements set out for each year group in the National Curriculum 2014, as set out in our progression maps. Greater detail appears in the Herne Steps.

Reading Impact

Assessment, Recording and Reporting

Formative assessment methods inform summative assessment judgements. Summative assessments of reading are completed in terms 2, 4 and 6. Teachers will use their professional judgement based on formative assessment during reading lessons and other subjects, as well as summative reading comprehension papers to determine whether a child is working within age-related expectations, above or below. Teachers will refer to the Herne Assessment Steps that have been developed for year groups as a support for making judgements and to inform future planning.

Assessments are discussed during termly Pupil Progress meetings held with class teachers and members of the Senior Leadership Team. Action plans and provision maps are produced to address the needs of specific pupils from the class. Attainment and progress is reported to parents through mid-year reports during the Spring term and end of year reports in the Summer term.

Monitoring and Review

A comprehensive monitoring cycle is developed at the beginning of each academic year. This identifies when monitoring is undertaken. Monitoring in reading includes data analysis, book looks, lesson observations and/or learning walks, lesson visits and pupil/parent and/or staff voice.

All of this information is gathered and reviewed. This process provides an accurate and comprehensive understanding of the quality of education in reading and is used to inform further curriculum developments (for the subject action plan or SIP) and identifies where further support is needed. The subject leader continues to monitor continuity and progression across the school and will also provide reports to the governors in which s/he evaluates the strengths and weaknesses in reading and indicates areas for further improvement. The subject leader will lead staff CPD in the teaching of reading in staff meetings (both teacher and TA) and support with planning and assessment.