I like reading the Alex Rider books because I enjoy adventure stories My favourite author is Jacqueline Wilson and my favourite genres are adventure and mystery I like the Goosebumps books because they are funny I like reading non-fiction books and my favourite author is Judy Blume
Intent
At St Francis Primary School we are passionate about teaching our children to understand what they are reading and to developing a life long love of reading. We believe reading enriches children's vocabulary, their writing and spelling skills, and also provides them with access to the wider curriculum. Our reading curriculum is carefully designed to develop the Cultural Capital of our children. We aspire to ensure that all children leave our school reading to the very best of their ability and ready for the challenge of the next stage in their education.
Implementation
Long Term Plan for reading for understanding
Progression of reading knowledge and skills
Our Reading Schemes
Early reading
A wide range of books from Oxford Reading Tree are used to support the development of early reading skills. These include: Word Sparks (fully decodable books that tackle the word gap), Story Sparks (phonically decodable stories to develop and deepen comprehension skills), Traditional Tales (timeless stories with clear phonic progression), inFact (aligned to Letters & Sounds Phases with a limited number of non-decodable topic words to develop vocabulary and comprehension).
Repeated reading of these texts supports our children's increased fluency in decoding. Follow up discussions of each text then help children both to understand what they are reading and build up their knowledge of how texts work. These texts are used from lilac to gold book band. This scheme is fully supported by the ORT eBooks, which our families access at home.
Our decodable Guided Reading scheme is Project X Origins. These texts include action-packed adventures and provide linked fiction and non-fiction opportunities to broaden reading choices. The follow up activities develop inference, critical thinking, vocabulary and other higher-order comprehension skills.
Key Stage 2
Throughout Key Stage 2 the Collins Big Cat home reading programme is used to support our children on their reading journey. These are ‘real books for real readers.’ This scheme helps our children to become fluent readers through a wide range of high-quality banded books by top authors and illustrators, including Julia Donaldson and Michael Rosen. The scheme provides a high level of challenge through a range of fiction and non-fiction books, which are suitable right through to our most confident readers at the end of KS2.
Collins Big Cat progression through the National Curriculum
Reading routine for 1: 1 reading
We have a very clearly structured reading routine for 1:1 reading across school. This clearly specifies how many times each week children read 1:1 with an adult and the structure of those sessions. The structure clearly states if a child's reading routine is focused on supporting their phonics development and fluency or their reading for understanding. This routine incorporates ELS interventions and 1:1 support.
Reading Fluency
Our whole school reading routines clearly define our structures for teaching fluency as children are encouraged to read 4 times: blending for decoding, reading for fluency and pace (this can be a word, a sentence, a few sentences), reading for expression and reading for understanding.
Reading for understanding
Whole Class Reading starts in Year 2 then this goes across Key Stage Two. Children carry out daily reading sessions, during which they explore, discuss and understand a range of texts together. Two sessions each week are spent studying a class text. The key vocabulary is discussed as children understand the class text and use their understanding to place the text into a wider context eg culture, country, period of history. This developed understanding of a class text is further supported as it is used as a basis for writing tasks. Three sessions each week are used to explore a range of non-fiction texts, which are carefully selected to develop children's knowledge of the wider curriculum. The understanding of key vocabulary and understanding of wider elements of the subject area is further developed through the associated non-core subject areas. Poems are also read, performed and discussed together. Responses are encouraged and developed in both spoken and written forms.
The teaching of reading for understanding is enhanced through the use of a range of reading skills (VIPERS). These skills are taught explicitly and throughout each text. Our aim is that by using these skills our children will be able to identify within a question, what skill is required in order to find the answer.
Year 2 VIPERS reading skills progression
Year 3 VIPERS reading skills progression
Year 4 VIPERS reading skills progression
Year 5 VIPERS reading skills progression
Year 6 VIPERS reading skills progression
Our Narrative Reading Spine to develop understanding
In order to allow our children to successfully navigate reading with confidence, build their cultural capital and develop their understanding of a wider range of complex texts there are five types of texts they have access to. These are complex beyond a lexical level and demand more from the reader than other types of books.
In each year, across Key Stages 1 and 2, our children will cover all five types of text so that, by the time they reach Year 6 and beyond, they have a good understanding of all of them and are able to access the more complex books expected of them in secondary school.
The five text types are:
Archaic Language: The vocabulary, usage, syntax and context for cultural reference of texts over 50 or 100 years old are vastly different and typically more complex than texts written today. Our children are exposed to and develop proficiency with antiquated forms of expression to be able to hope to read more complex texts as adults.
Non-Linear Time Sequences : In these books every aspect of the narration is nuanced to create an exact image as time moves in fits and starts and may even double back. The only way to master such books is to read them time and again.
Narratively Complex Books: These are sometimes narrated by an unreliable narrator with a biased viewpoint, have multiple narrators or have non-human narrators to provide a contrasting viewpoint. Some of these books have multiple intertwined and apparently (for a time) unrelated plot lines. These are far harder to read than books with a single plot line and our children need to experience these as well.
Figurative/Symbolic Texts (complexity of the plot): Theses texts provide a critical form of text complexity to allow children to experience and develop a deeper understanding beyond the obvious.
Resistant Texts: These are deliberately written to resist easy meaning-making by readers. The reader needs to assemble meaning around nuances, hints, uncertainties and clues. Many poems fall into this category.
An overview of each class text taught in key Stage 2 is also produced which details the key themes, SMSC, British Values and Virtues covered. This overview also provides information about additional resources which are used to further explore the text and the extended writing and blended learning opportunities created by the text.
The use of Non-Fiction texts to develop understanding
A wide range of Non-fiction texts are used across all subject areas. These texts introduce our children to a range of tier 3 vocabulary and the specific reading strategies needed to analyse non-fiction texts. Through them we explicitly teach the background knowledge that underpins the text. Also, we are explicit about teaching and modelling “reduce/repair” reading strategies, such as:
- Skimming (reading rapidly for a general overview of the text).
- Scanning (reading rapidly to find specific information).
- Slowing down.
- Rereading.
- Reading back through the text.
- Checking the index, glossary or scaffolds.
- Asking questions.
- Summarising.
- Noticing patterns and text structures.
- Reading related texts.
When planning for the text complexity we consider the 'Arduous Eight’ – the different features of academic texts that increase the complexity of what is read (Alex Quigley).
- Background knowledge – the sheer range of necessary knowledge and related ideas in each passage or whole text
- Range and complexity of vocabulary (including word length)
- Use of abstract imagery and metaphorical language
- Sentence length and syntax
- Narrative or whole-text structures
- The generic elements of the text, (eg a biographical account in history)
- The scaffolds present or absent in each text (eg keyword glossary)
- Text length
Assessment of reading
Assessment of grapheme knowledge, blending and word reading is key to ensuring that all children make rapid progress though the programme, and that children keep up, rather than ‘catch up’. Using the ELS assessment cycle alongside daily in-class assessments will ensure that you know where every child is within their early reading journey.
A wide range of evidence is gathered across school in order to identify next steps and allow us to personalise our teaching of reading. These include: Salford reading and comprehension ages, Words per Minute, reading fluency rubrics, phonics skills and knowledge and reading comprehension assessments.
Reading for Pleasure
It is our greatest wish that all children would pick up a book and simply read for pleasure and we encourage this at every opportunity. We are extremely lucky that our children have access to a range of different books in our library and class book corners from Nursery to Year 6.
In school we also have and celebrate:
- A free and accessible library which is supplemented by regular donations from the PTA and parents via our carefully curated wishlist
- Reading challenges – in classes, year groups and sometimes for the whole school
- Reading buddies
- Access to a wide range of texts from the school library service
- Recommended reading lists for fiction, non-fiction and poetry books and magazines and newspapers
- World Book Day
- The Leeds Book Awards
- The Summer Library Challenge
- Author events
- Reading ambassadors and librarians
- Little Library
- Reading areas in each classroom
- Visits to Morley library
- reading volunteers
Top 100 Recommended Reads
Reading at home
It is an expectation at St Francis Primary School that learning is a shared responsibility between home and school, therefore all of our children and families are asked to read regularly at home. The expectation is the same from Foundation to Year 6.
In the Foundation Stage the staff work with our families to demonstrate what ‘good reading’ looks like. They discuss posture, how to hold a book and how to interpret pictures and how children should hold their book. The aim is that good habits, formed early on, will benefit the children as they progress through school.
It is vital that our children not only read but that they are read to. Children love listening to stories, no matter how old they are. Parents are encouraged to share books and talk about books to make it a special time to sit and read together. There are many audio books available at the local library to share too. Listening to the change in tone, and different voices, can make these very exciting and appealing. It is also lovely and relaxing way to end the day.
SMSC and British Values
Access a virtual library here to read a range of books to develop spiritual, moral, social, cultural understanding.
Resources
Foundation Stage recommended reading list
Year 1 recommended reading list
Year 2 recommended reading list
Year 3 recommended reading list
Year 4 recommended reading list
Year 5 recommended reading list
Year 6 recommended reading list
Poetry recommended reading list
100 Brilliant Non-Fiction books
Julia Donaldson's Top Reading Tips video
Use these resources to help keep focused as you are reading:
Use this resource to help you generate your own questions:
Useful websites to access at home:
