Teaching Reading
At Spittal First School our reading curriculum is one of our greatest strengths.
Phonics:
Reading is a vitally important part of education and is given a very high priority. We teach phonics through a programme called Read, Write, Inc in Reception and KS1; in KS2 Read, Write, Inc is used as an intervention strategy. We use the same phonics program across the school providing continuity and a vehicle for guaranteed progression. RWI sessions take place daily. Pupils are split into ability groups enabling them to be taught according to their phonic knowledge. Teaching is very precise and tailored to the needs of each child. The children are given a fully decodable, accurately matched RWI book that allows them to apply their phonic knowledge and practise reading at home with their parents.
We use a range of multisensory strategies to enthuse and engage the children, including the use of interactive whiteboards, magnetic letters, speaking and listening, songs, rhymes and practical games and activities. Children work with pace and are encouraged to apply their knowledge across the curriculum with any reading or writing activities. The children also learn a variety of other key words by sight.
Children read individually, in small groups and as a whole class. A variety of different genres are chosen at an appropriate level of ability for each group of children. As well as being able to read the text, children are encouraged to discuss the content of the book and their opinions about people, places and events are sought.
Reading:
At Spittal First School, we believe in developing a reading culture throughout the school by creating welcoming book areas in all classrooms, by providing a school library which hosts a variety of books, and by raising the profile of reading through a print rich environment, attractive book displays and promoting the written word at all times. We also recognise that reading is a core tool for life and we aim to foster a love for reading in all of our pupils through inviting authors and story-tellers into school to work with pupils as well as by hosting creative reading competitions such as ’52 Sleeps to Christmas’, ‘The Easter Reading Challenge’ and 'The Summer Reading Challenge'.
Reading skills are taught through phonics, guided reading, reciprocal reading, peer reading, comprehension and shared reading across our whole curriculum.
Fostering a Love of Reading:
In order to encourage the children to read widely, we have a wide range of reading schemes in school. Sharing these books allows children to develop their wider skills for reading. The children are encouraged to predict what might happen, ask questions about the story, link to their own experiences and discuss the adventures of the characters.
We foster our love of reading through providing a rich environment which stimulates and encourages children’s reading. We believe in engaging all pupils and have a variety of resources in each class including puppets, story sacks, role play resources and books to develop different interests of the children.
Nursery children visit our local library on a weekly basis to participate in a Rhyme and Story Time session. Each month, we gift our Nursery children a book to share at home with their parents.
In 2019, Ofsted reported that "Pupils love to read" "From the moment children step foot in Nursery to the point at which they leave the school in Year 4, pupils are immersed in books and stories. Leaders place high importance on developing pupils’ love of reading. Pupils enjoy weekly visits to the local library and storytime at the end of each day."