Our Reading Leads: Justina Lee-Wright and Steph Greenwood 

Reading Intention

Early Reading

At Northfield Primary School, we strive to develop the full potential of all our pupils so they become confident, literate readers. If children are to develop as competent, fluent readers it is essential that they have secure understanding of letters and sounds. Phonic skills are essential to developing competent and assertive readers. At Northfield, we follow the systematic approach of Read Write Inc. During their nursery education, our children are provided with numerous and varied opportunities to hear and say sounds. Staff support this experience by ensuring the modelling of pure sounds at all times. As children progress through school, they will learn all the 44 sounds and the corresponding letter groups. Pupils will learn the initial letter sounds and their matching graphemes as they progress from Nursery to Reception. They will be explicitly taught the skill of oral blending, which is vital for the initial stages of early reading. Children will rapidly progress to blending sounds together to help them read CVC words. Children will learn digraph and trigraph sounds throughout Early Years and Key Stage 1. As children become confident at blending sounds, they are taught the skill of blending sounds mentally and at speed by the use of the RWI system of ‘Fred in your head’. Children will be exposed to ‘alien’ words throughout Reception and Year 1. This consistent and rigorous approach will provide our children with the foundations to become enthused readers with a passion for storytelling, literature and vocabulary.

Transition to Later Reading

As children complete the RWI program they then follow the Ruth Miskin comprehension program and then transition to reading skills lessons. A small number of children are still supported with their early reading skills in KS2. These children continue to access high quality RWI lessons before accessing the comprehension program and reading skills lessons. These children access RWI to strengthen their decoding skills before transitioning into more targeted fluency and reading comprehension. Children in Rainbow Room follow the same reading curriculum as all children and use specific novel study texts each half term linked directly to topic areas to support motivation and immersion in cross-curricular learning. Children in the Communication Resource follow the RWI program and use key texts to support learning in reading and writing. These texts are chosen specifically to match the needs and interests of the children and match mainstream school texts when appropriate. 

Later Reading

There is nothing more important than making sure that children at Northfield can read. We want all children to develop a love of reading and a joy for the inspiration and wonder of text. We want all children to read widely and often and develop the ability to discuss novels and authors in depth. Our curriculum plan includes great books for children to enjoy every term. Links are made across subjects and areas of interest through amazing literature; fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Children use Accelerated Reader and MYON from Year 2 upwards to ensure that they are reading texts at the appropriate level and enjoy quizzing at the end of each book and completing a Star Reader Assessment each term. All children from Year 1 upwards receive a dedicated one hour reading skills lesson every day. This may be Read, Write, Inc or the Ruth Miskin comprehension program or a reading skills lesson in their classroom or within a specific group. Additional support outside of this lesson is provided for those children who need it and an additional one hour writing or novel study lesson each day provides the opportunity to enjoy a key text in depth.  All children have 30 minutes dedicated reading time each day; a chance to ‘lose themselves’ in a fantastic text and practise their reading targets. An adult reads to the class for 15 minutes each day; an opportunity to introduce new authors and new themes. We want children to leave Northfield ready for the challenges of reading at KS3 and inspired to enjoy reading for the rest of their lives.

 SUMMER READING COMPETITION 2021

SUMMER REEEEEEEEEDING CHALLENGE AT NORTHFIELD

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN LOTS OF STAMPS AND PRIZES

Every time a child finishes reading a book over the summer holidays, take a photo of him/her holding the book so that the front cover is clear and send the photo to Mrs Vaughan as a private message on Dojo. The child will receive 5 stamps for every photo received with a different book PLUS an extra 2 stamps for every 'e' that is included in the title of the book (only the title, not the author or illustrator). Mrs Vaughan will keep a record of all the stamps to be shared and this will be done when the children return to school.

THE THREE CHILDREN WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF STAMPS BY THE END OF THE SUMMER HOLIDAY WILL WIN £10.00 TO SPEND ON BOOKS OF THEIR CHOICE.

HAPPY READING