Reading

We expect every child to become a fluent reader by the time they leave Collingwood. We strive to develop a passion for reading here at Collingwood Primary School through the use of: exciting and varied reading material; engaging reading areas; taking pleasure from hearing stories; and enhancing this love through special events such as World Book Days and author visits. Each child has a Reading Record Book which parents sign to show that their child has read at home as we strongly believe in the value of regular home reading and its lasting impact.

Early reading and phonics is consistently taught through the Read Write Inc (RWInc) scheme, which begins in Nursery and progresses throughout KS1 and into KS2 where appropriate. See our RWInc website page for further detail.

To ensure our children make speedy and sustained progress with their reading, we support those who need additional help by delivering Fast Track Tutoring interventions with children requiring further phonics support. In addition to this, we run BR@P and Inference interventions to support targeted readers to develop their fluency and comprehension skills, ensuring we give all pupils the opportunity to make good progress no matter their starting point.

What will my child be reading?

Pupils progress through our reading schemes, reading both at home and at school. RWInc 'Book Bag Books' are provided for home reading, closely linked to current phonics teaching and learning, alongside a child chosen 'Share me with an adult' library book for supplementary reading material. Once our children progress from the RWInc scheme, they move onto Oxford Reading Tree, Project X and Reader Ladder scheme books, whilst continuing to choose a 'Share me with an adult' library book. Finally, when children are ready to read without targeted support, they move onto our 'bridging texts' and onto 'Free Readers books'. For children that require additional phonics and fluency support in UKS2, we offer RWInc FreshStart Readers which enable children to continue to develop their reading skills whilst enjoying suitable texts appropriate for their age.

Our Reading Ethos

Reading forms the cornerstone of the entire curriculum and whole class and small group reading sessions are very popular with our children where we link learning in English to other subjects, deepening that understanding, through carefully chosen texts. Our aim is to expose children to a variety of rich texts, broadening their understanding and vocabulary. Once children have the skills to decode words competently, we move to a focus on word reading with expression, fluency and comprehension. Teachers carefully plan their texts across the year following our Collingwood Reading Spine, linking texts, where appropriate, to the children's wider curriculum learning.

Alongside this, we promote Reading For Pleasure all across the school, ensuring that children have the opportunity to listen to and enjoy a range of stories and genres which interest them daily, voting democratically on which book will become their next whole class reader.

We utilise the Schools Library Service, ensuring that children are exposed to texts which relate to their current foundation subjects and interests. Our children have access to our school library bookcases where fiction and non fiction books are available for children to use as a home reading book or support for class work. Stories are also shared in assembly times that cover a range of themes such as friendship, changes and moving on. We also enjoy World Book Day each year when classes spend time reading a special class book within a given theme e.g. diversity, literary heritage etc, culminating in a Show and Tell Assembly to share what has been happening across the school. We also invite Scholastic Book Fair in so parents, carers and children have the opportunity to buy books to enjoy at home.

How do we assess reading?

Salford Reading Assessments are also administered annually (or more often if deemed appropriate) which gives staff a reading age outcome. The YARC Reading Assessment provides more diagnostic assessment if required to ensure staff can identify and plan for any gaps in reading development. In earlier years, and where appropriate, we also use Launchpad for Literacy to identify gaps in early learning which may be preventing our children from making the appropriate progress with early reading skills. This information all feeds into our assessment of reading and allows staff to provide reading interventions in a targeted manner.

Promoting a love of reading!

To help inspire our pupils to read at home regularly, we offer an incentive scheme for the number of home reads pupils complete, whereby pupils can receive prizes for hitting multiples of ten, with a reward certificate in assembly and a trip to the school's fantastic book vending machine for achieving forty reads! This is very popular and a fantastic way to ensure that we are increasing the number of books our children own themselves.

If you would like ideas on how to have fun with reading at home with your children, please visit this website: www.wordsforlife.org.uk which has lots of activities and recommendations for reading with babies up to children age eleven.

Celebrated authors at Collingwood!