Here at Buxworth Primary School, we believe that reading is a passport to the world and the benefits of reading go beyond the opportunities offered by being well-read with a good command of English.  Reading great literature opens children up to ideas, experiences, places and times they might never otherwise experience in real life and reading for pleasure gives opportunities to learn about a multitude of things that cannot be covered by a school curriculum. Therefore, as a school we prioritise reading in all areas of the curriculum to ensure rich and varied opportunities for the children to develop their reading skills.

Teaching of reading

We aim to ensure that children develop both good word recognition and good comprehension to ensure they become confident and fluent readers, ready to tackle new and challenging texts with growing independence. Therefore, we teach reading in a variety of ways and provide numerous opportunities for all children to read independently, read aloud and be read to throughout the school day.

Reading Books

Reading at home plays an essential role in developing enjoyment and self-esteem and from the very beginning of their time at Buxworth, children are regularly given reading books to take home and share with their grown-ups. In EYFS, children are given 3 books at a time to enjoy at home: a Big Cat phonics book matched to the sound they have been focusing on in class; a book from our reading scheme to help develop reading fluency, story understanding and comprehension; and a story book they choose themselves from our book box, purely to read for pleasure. Moving through school, Key Stage 1 children are assigned a colour to match their current reading ability and they are able to choose appropriate books to take home. In Key Stage 2, we introduce Accelerated Reader to support independent reading and each child is assigned a Book Level to match current ability and needs. These are reviewed regularly throughout the school year. See below for more information on Accelerated Reader.

Phonics

High quality phonics teaching is an essential part of teaching reading. Our teaching of reading is therefore supported by our Bug Club phonics scheme which is taught daily.

Class Novels

In Key Stage 2, every class has a class novel linked to their current topic which is read to the class each day. This is a chance for children to be exposed to a range of literature, purely for enjoyment, and therefore, promotes reading for pleasure. It is a chance to relax, listen and get lost in a story.

Book Wars

A love of reading can be taught and encouraged at school – just like any other area of the curriculum and we are constantly looking for new ways to engage our children with reading and encourage reading for pleasure. This year we have introduced the concept of Book Wars to further engage our children and provide opportunities to practise speaking and listening skills and develop confidence when talking in front of others. In addition, it provides children with the opportunity to find out about different books and take recommendations from their peers. Each week, two children from each class are chosen to present a book of their choice to their peers. After each presentation, the class are able to ask questions about the book and we then hold a vote to determine the winning book recommendation! The children enjoy this opportunity to talk about a book they have loved and we have already seen the impact of children using these recommendations to inform their own reading.

KS2 - Accelerated Reader

What is Accelerated Reader?

AR is a popular reading programme used in thousands of schools to motivate children in Key Stage 2 to read independently and to increase their reading & vocabulary comprehension, as well as to help teachers monitor reading practice and progress. This is important as there is a proven link between strong reading skills and academic success – great readers make great learners!

How does AR work?

Your child will read books at their Zone of Proximal Development level (ZPD or Bool Level) – this level can be found in their reading diaries and will be updated every half term. The ZPD Level (Book Level) comes from a STAR Reading Assessment that we complete with the children at the end of every half term. Star Assessments are computer-based reading assessments. The questions continually adjust to your child’s responses, making the difficulty easier or harder where appropriate.

Your child will then pick a reading book in their own book level and read it at their own pace. When finished, they will take a short quiz on the IPad and by passing the quiz, the children show their understanding of the text they have read. These quizzes will be completed during school time. The children gain points by reading books and taking quizzes and these achievements will be celebrated at school. ZPD or Book Levels can be found on the orange stickers on the outside of your child’s reading book.

How can I help my child?

1. Promote reading at home: encourage them to read regularly, either independently or to you.
2. Ask your child about the current book they are reading and how they are doing in their quizzes. Talking about a book will help improve your child’s understanding.

For more information, please click on the link below.