Our reading curriculum allows pupils to explore reading through the breadth and depth of the National Curriculum enabling our pupils the right to be literate and foster a lifelong love of reading.
Our principles for reading have been developed, taking into account what we know of our pupils and community as well as the latest research.
We believe that a love of books is crucial to a child’s development. It is for this reason that we have developed a reading ‘cannon’ for our youngest learners. In the EYFS, reading is taught systematically through synthetic phonics, using Read Write Inc., which ensures children have access to reading books they are able to independently decode.
Early comprehension is developed through twice daily story-time, role-play, story sacks and small world (a style of imaginative play which uses toys and props). We develop language comprehension by both reading aloud and thinking aloud, which encourages early metacognition (thinking about thinking). Our ‘Book of the Week’ enables our young learners to become fully immersed in high quality and diverse picture books, to which they respond through a multitude of activities.
When children leave the Early Years, it is our aim that they have begun to close any existing vocabulary deficits and have developed the confidence and skills required for early reading and writing.
In Key Stage One, English is taught during daily lessons. Initially, these follow the Read Write Inc. scheme of work before the children transition to separate reading and writing lessons. Additionally, story time is timetabled to foster a love of books and we continue reading aloud and thinking aloud to develop comprehension.
Once the majority of the children have ‘graduated’ from the Read Write Inc programme, sequences of daily reading lessons are planned; these lessons develop vocabulary, comprehension and fluency, whilst covering objectives from the National Curriculum for reading. These lessons follow a book-based approach to develop children’s access to and love of literature, ensuring a breadth of text types are covered.
As their fluency continues to develop, children are introduced to and practise a range of in-reading thinking skills: making predictions, asking questions, making visualisations, using background knowledge, making inferences by thinking like a detective, noticing and fixing meaning breakdown and spotting V.I.P. words.
At Yorkmead, we believe access to quality reading material is a right, not a privilege. To ensure all of our children have access to quality books at home, whatever their background, each class have a weekly timetabled session in the recently refurbished school library, where they are able to borrow two books to take home. Furthermore, to further support reading at home, classrooms from Year Two to Year Six have an additional book borrowing system that children can access daily.
Our library is at the heart of our school. Designed by Peters Library Design Services, it is a welcoming, inviting space for reading, class visits, intervention groups, Book Clubs, Lunch Clubs and storytelling. Centrally located, it is easily accessed and is utilised by both staff and pupils. The school aims to promote a life-long love of reading for both pleasure and education by providing a large selection of up-to-date, fiction, non-fiction, phonics, graphic novels and dual language picture books.
Mrs Smith is our full-times librarian who is supported by sixteen pupil librarians that assist in the general up-keep of the library as well as checking out and returning library books. They learn valuable life skills such as respecting books, working as a team, helping others, alphabetising and how to keep the library tidy.
Every year, our librarians are rewarded with a trip out of school. These have included shopping for new books at a local supplier’s warehouse and meeting Lenny Henry at his latest book launch.
Year One children are allowed to borrow one book, whilst Years Two through Year Six are allowed to borrow two books. Children in Year One through Year Four should bring a school book bag in in order to borrow books.
Years One through Four visit the library once a week and Years 5 and 6 visit once a fortnight with their class but can also visit the library at lunchtimes three times per week.
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