Reading
Intent
At Broadfield Primary Academy (BPA), we strive to give our children the best start in establishing secure foundations in reading. Our primary intent is to create a thriving reading community, giving the children the foundations for greater depth learning and living.
We prioritise establishing a reading culture in which children are encouraged to read widely and for pleasure. It is our intention that by the end of their primary education, all of our pupils will be able to read fluently, with confidence, in any subject in their forthcoming secondary education, draw on their knowledge of quality literature to further drive their passion for reading and writing, and continue on their journeys as life-long readers.
Implementation
While synthetic phonics and fluency is emphasised in the early teaching of reading, immersive whole-class reading sessions later take precedence and we use challenging, engaging and diverse texts to ensure our reading curriculum offers ambition and challenge. These sessions help to embed fluency but also focus on the contextualisation of language and literary devices.
Our reading lessons are delivered through whole class reading, close text analysis, discrete phonics teaching, fluency practice, shared peer and 1:1 reading. All classes have a text read to them throughout the year. This helps to promote reading as a desirable pastime and something that should be valued and treasured.
All children receive directed reading instruction daily, led by class teachers and supported by teaching assistants. This ensures that all children are supported, challenged and developed as readers. This provision looks at a range of text types including novels, poetry, reports, diaries and letters. Diversity is at the core of our approach, with a huge range of challenging and enlightening texts that our young readers can identify with.
For children in Reception and Key Stage One (and for selected readers in Key Stage Two), class teachers undertake a benchmarking assessment which determines the colour book band that the children will take home and which colour book band they will read at school. These books are in a central location and the children are responsible for changing their book and knowing which colour book band they are reading within and working towards.
Some children in Year 1 and most in Year 2 will move on to using Accelerated Reader levelled books after they have completed book band books. Staff have an excellent understanding of what each child’s reading needs are and match them accordingly.
Some children in Years 3 and 4 are selected to take part in the Bookmark Reading Programme, which enables our young readers to read with a safeguarded, vetted and trained volunteer online for two 30-minute sessions each week under the guidance of a trained Teaching Assistant. This programme is designed to improve confidence when reading.
All classes contain a range of high-quality fiction books for children to enjoy at school and at home. They are kept up-to-date and new books are regularly discussed as a means of promoting reading as a pastime. Non-fiction books are readily available in classrooms. These help to develop children’s general knowledge and their interest in a range of subjects. Paper phonics books are also sent home in Key Stage One and these match the banded books the children are reading.
24 child school librarians have been selected across Key Stage 2 to maintain our libraries and reading areas. They wear metal pin badges to show they have been chosen because of their organisation skills and responsible natures, and most importantly, because of their love of books. These children follow a timetable so that the shared reading areas are kept in excellent order at all times for all children to use and enjoy.
Pupil voice is very important at BPA, with all children’s thoughts valued by staff. A Reading Pupil Voice Book is in circulation and is updated every term to showcase the children’s viewpoints about reading for pleasure and how reading is taught in school. This gives all staff valuable insight into what the children enjoy and what they want to see. The children’s thoughts are shared with staff so they may delight in what has been said and be made aware of what children like and would like to see.
With the Accelerated Reader programme, children are able to take quizzes on texts they have read and see how many words they have read in total. Children are aware of their reading levels and are able to select appropriate books to suit their needs. Children’s reading success is celebrated and they have an excellent grasp of what targets they are working towards and how they can be supported along their reading journey.
Reading Records are completed five times a week by children and parents with information about the book that is being read at home. These records are checked daily by staff and rewards are given to children who complete their weekly challenge. Children become more independent and leave Year 6 with a strong work ethic as they can see the importance that daily reading has on their overall development.
Reading for pleasure is a big focus across the school, with BPA having a Word Millionaire competition, where prizes are given out to those who have reached a million words during the year. ‘Caught Reading’ slips are handed out by every member of staff if they see a child reading for pleasure. Slips are collated and chosen at random, with the winner being able to select a book of their choice to take home and enjoy.
To further engage our readers, we arrange regular webinars and visits in person from a range of children’s authors and poets. These authors are selected to echo the cultural and ethnic diversity of pupils in our school and also to engage more reluctant readers. Our learners delight in these opportunities to meet and put questions to successful writers, performers and illustrators.
Impact
The impact of our reading curriculum can be clearly seen across the school through children talking about their love of reading, the quality of texts the children are reading, the quality of teaching across the school and the above national average end of Key Stage Two reading results that have been achieved. By the time children leave BPA, they are competent and passionate readers who can recommend books to their peers, have a thirst for reading a range of genres, and participate in discussions about books, including evaluating an author’s use of language and the impact this can have on the reader. They can also read books to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the world around them and communicate their research to a wider audience.