Phonics
Our role is to ensure that children develop a love of reading. We place a huge importance on children having the opportunity to become avid readers and promote a love of reading for pleasure. Reading opens the door to learning, the more a child reads the more they will learn.
Early reading skills are taught through daily high quality focused phonic sessions. In St Helen Auckland Primary Little Wandles is used to teach synthetic phonics as this is closely aligned to Letters and Sounds (DfE approved).
You can help your child at home by following the parents guides and videos on The Little Wandles site below or using the website: https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/
This approach is used and children begin phonics as soon as they enter Nursery class. Within Early Years and KS1 classes, phonics is taught discreetly in a daily session that lasts between 30 to 40 minutes. Children then apply their new skills when reading books which match the letters and sounds that they have previously learnt.
Teachers regularly assess children’s progress to check where they are and what they need to learn next.
Children are taught within their class and any additional support required is delivered in small groups.
This teaches children new phonemes (sounds) which helps them blend and segment for reading and spelling. Using a systematic phonics approach, almost all children quickly become confident and independent readers. They soon move away from the mechanics of identifying and blending letter sounds (or ‘decoding’ words) and start reading fluently, even when they come across words they have never heard or seen before. Once the process of reading becomes automatic and easy, they can devote all their attention to understanding the meaning of what they have read.
To encourage the love of reading we use several well known reading materials- Big Cat, Rigby Star and Rising Stars as well as non scheme books from the library areas in school.
Guided reading sessions are planned in to each week giving staff the opportunity to hear every child read regularly.
Accelerated Reader
The Accelerated Reader approach moves away from the traditional reading scheme to include real books by a range of popular, modern and classic authors and poets. There are also non-fiction texts, graphic novels and play scripts to name a few additional text types.
The system determines the level of readability for this vast range of texts. After assessment, children are allocated a numerical range from which they can choose books. This is closely monitored by teachers.
There is an expectation that children will read for at least 20 minutes each day in class or undertaken at home.
Independent reading and level of understanding is confirmed through an online retrieval quiz taken on the completion of a book. Children are expected to achieve a minimum of 85% success rate over the term.
We provide books that broaden horizons and helps learners connect with the world around them with a focus on positive moral values, developing empathy and showing diversity.
Teachers and pupils also have access to Oxford Owl. This has a wide range of materials which can be used for whole class, group or individual reading.
Children are encouraged to read at home on a daily basis. The book children read at home will help to improve fluency. Staff ensure they are changed when required. A reading record book is used as a communication tool between parents and teachers. Children are rewarded for their commitment to regular reading.
Teachers’ reading to pupils
There is an expectation that all teachers will read to their class on a regular basis. A wide variety of books are chosen to offer children the broadest reading experience possible. Books are chosen carefully and for a number of reasons. We look for books that broaden children’s horizons; deal with sensitive or difficult issues; offer a diversity that our context does not offer and books that are fun and exciting.
How to help your child with reading.
Reading – daily catch up support
