Wykeham Primary School

Reading at Wykeham

At Wykeham, it is our aspiration that all children will learn to read with increasing fluency; for different purposes and develop reading stamina while gaining the knowledge and experiences required to deepen their enjoyment and understanding. We desire that every child is driven by a need to explore new worlds, new characters, new genres and that every child is filled with imagination.

In school, up to Key Stage 1, the emphasis is on children learning to read while in Key Stage 2, the emphasis is on children reading to learn.

It is our fervent passion that when our children leave us in Year 6 they are confident and able readers who have developed a love of reading that will last a life time!

Our Approach to Reading and Reading Comprehension

Progression is planned, so there is an increasing challenge for children as they move up through the school. The progression of skills across the school from EYFS to Year 6 include: Decoding, Range of Reading, Familiarity with Texts, Poetry and Performance, Understanding, Vocabulary (Word Meanings), Inference, Prediction, Explanation, Retrieval, Sequencing and Summarising, Authorial Intent and Discussing Reading.

Years 2 to 6 carry out Whole Class Reading, at least three times a week. Reading skills are taught within discrete English lessons and Whole Class reading lessons.

Reading V.I.P.E.R.S. is one of the approaches we use to teach reading skills. In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, V.I.P.E.R.S. stands for

Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explain and Retrieve. In KS1 S stands for Sequencing and in KS2 for Summarise.

We also teach children to:

read with confidence, stamina, progressively growing fluency and understanding using a range of independent strategies to self-monitor and self-correct;
have an interest in words, including technical vocabulary, their meanings and develop a growing vocabulary;
read for meaning; and
understand a range of text types.

Reading for Pleasure

At Wykeham, we are keen to nurture in our children a love of reading and books. Children are encouraged to read for pleasure in class using the class book corners and the class and school libraries. Children across the school, take home a book to read for pleasure. In Early Years Foundation Stage and KS1, this book is for parents/carers to read with their child.

Many exciting and rewarding activities are arranged in school to promote the pleasure and knowledge that can be gained from books; e.g. our World Book Day celebration, Big Read Challenges and visiting Book Fairs.

Our activities include visits by skilled story tellers, performances by professional theatre groups, making books and reading with other children in the school. Children are surrounded by a wide range of books which provide opportunities to make informed choices about the books they want to read and share with others, whether at school or outside of school.

Other opportunities for reading include:

Reading Practise sessions which are taught as part of the phonics programme three times a week;
Independent reading which takes place at various times across the school day;
Reading in curriculum subjects;
Story times at the end of the day; and
Home Reading.

Reading Schemes

At Wykeham Primary School, we use the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised Systematic Synthetic Phonics programme which is a validated phonics and early reading programme. From Year 2 to Year 6 we use the Collins Big Cat e books library banded books. Both of these are matched to the children reading ability and promote a love of reading.

Click here for a Collins Big Cat ebook library Parent Guide.

Reading Records

Reading Record books are used throughout the school to support children’s reading but the way in which they are used varies slightly depending on the age of your child. Read on for an explanation of how this works in each year group.

Year Group	In School	At Home
Early Years	Children’s reading books will be changed once a week. An adult will record one book in the Reading Record e.g. one library book.	Read with your child for a minimum of 5 to 10 minutes daily. Write a comment in their Reading Record to tell us about your child’s reading for that day.
Reception	Children’s reading books will be changed once a week. An adult will record two books in the Reading Record e.g. one library book & one Little Wandle book).	Read with your child for a minimum of 5 to 10 minutes daily. Write a comment in their Reading Record to tell us about your child’s reading for that day.
Years 1 and 2	Children will have their reading books changed once a week and an adult at school will make two entries in the Reading Record (one reading for pleasure book and one Little Wandle book).	Read with your child for a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes daily. Write a comment in their Reading Record to tell us about your child’s reading for that day.
Years 3 and 4	Children’s reading books will be changed at least once a week and sometimes every two weeks depending on the type of book being read. The child will record their book in the Reading Record.	Read with your child for a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes daily. Write a comment in their Reading Record to tell us about your child’s reading for that day.
Years 5 and 6	Children’s reading books will be changed at least once a week and sometimes every two weeks depending on the type of book being read. The child will record their book in the Reading Record.	Read with or support your child for a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes daily. Write a comment in their Reading Record to tell us about your child’s reading for that day.