Phonics
Children in our Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 are taught a daily phonics session in addition to the Literacy lesson. We deliver our phonics in line with DFE recommendations for approved schemes, using the resources from Read Write Inc. Children are assessed regularly and are taught in smaller groups at a level that is appropriate to them.
Parents can find out more about Read, Write Inc clicking here
Children are tested in Phonics at the end of Year 1 and any child who doesn’t pass will be given additional intervention in Year 2 to help them pass when they re-sit.
Phonics support continues into Key Stage 2 for those children who need additional help.
Reading
At North Park we value the importance of encouraging children to read widely and often, including at home. We promote a love of reading across the whole curriculum so that children learn to read for a range of purposes; we strive to encourage our children to develop a love of reading.
We use a variety of books from published reading schemes and we organise books into a banded system based on Accelerated Reader levels. Children work through the levels within the system and then progress into Accelerated reader levels, based on reading ages.
Children undertake daily reading lessons, as well as reading across the curriculum. Resources from CLPE – the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education – are used in these lessons.
They have the opportunity to read in guided sessions with adults, as well as to undertake comprehension tasks. The curriculum is based around a rich text-based approach and children regularly share whole class novels as well as a wide range of text related to the wider curriculum. Further details of the texts can be found in the curriculum section of the website, under ‘English’.
Children take books home and we encourage parents to hear their child read as regularly as possible – short sessions each day are ideal. Reading is a part of formal homework. School provides guidance to support with reading at home.
Children are rewarded each week for reading, as well as on termly basis for their proficiency in both word score and quizzing accuracy in the Accelerated Reader Scheme. A wide range of activities are also organised to promote and foster a love of reading.
Click on the following links for additional guidance on supporting reading at home: