We love reading!
Love learning, love life!
At Pownall Green we aim to teach children to become confident readers. Phonics is taught systematically across Foundation and Key Stage 1. We use Essential Letters and Sounds to teach and plan fun and interactive lessons to engage young children. Children take home books linked to their phonics knowledge. We ask children to reread texts so that they can decode the words then practice their fluency and expression.
Home reading books are from the Oxford Reading Tree scheme, which is carefully structured and offers a range of fiction and nonfiction books at every level. Children access this scheme until they are ready to independently read our directed reading books, typically within Year 3.
At Pownall Green we value the contribution parents make to the teaching of reading. Every child has a reading record which teachers and parents complete. The reading record charts a child’s reading progress. As well as the reading record and informal discussions about reading with parents, teachers report to parents about reading progress at parents evenings twice a year.
From Year 2 onwards, children have guided reading lessons in which they develop their reading skills across a range of genres. From October in Year 3, children will share a class directed reading text as part of ‘Book Club’ sessions. Books have been carefully selected so that children experience a rich range of texts while at Pownall Green. Book Club sessions focus on developing reading skills and fluency in reading.
Teachers assess children reading half-termly and note this in each child’s reading record. At times, children may need extra support and, across school, interventions are put in place and shared with parents when needed. These might include phonics interventions linked to our scheme Essential Letters and Sounds, or specialist interventions such as the SERI or Lexia programmes.
We warmly welcome parent volunteers to support regular reading within school. If you would like to volunteer to hear children read, please contact our school office.
Reading has a high profile at Pownall Green. We aim to introduce children to a wealth of good children’s literature and books are often used as a stimulus for work in other curriculum areas. Children experience enrichment activities, such as author visits or our celebrations of National Poetry Day and World Book Day every year.