English: Reading
Reading at Kenyngton Manor
Teaching children to read is a Kenyngton Manor priority.
- Reading enables children to stretch and reach up – they move from learning to read, to reading to learn. Reading gives them access to knowledge and information, and tap into the thinking of others. The evidence indicates a direct link between reading for enjoyment and academic attainment.
- Reading enables children to stretch and reach in and out – as they read they are more able to make sense of their own feelings and experiences, and the feelings and experiences of others.
- Reading enables children to stretch and reach forwards – it gives them access to knowledge that sparks further curiosity. Reading also takes them to places they have not yet visited and worlds that might not exist at all – reading is an adventure!
Our aim is that every child should read with confidence and enjoyment, widely and often.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage (Nursery, Preschool and Reception)
- children frequently and regularly share stories, rhymes and poems.
- a range of books are freely available in the environment.
- books are linked to play and continuous provision across the areas of learning.
In the early stages of reading (mostly Reception/Year 1/Year 2), it is taught
- in daily phonics lesson – (systematic teaching of synthetic phonics – Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised Phonics).
- through small group reading sessions with an adult – for decoding, comprehension, and prosody (fluency and expression).
- through practise using home reading books: a practise book (fully decodable and matched to the phonic phase your child is working at) and a sharing book (a book parents can read to their child for enjoyment).
- in daily, prioritised ‘class reader’ (story time) sessions.
In Years 2 to 6, reading is taught:
- in daily whole-class reading lessons (built around the ‘Close Reading’ approach).
- through 2 books taken home to develop independent reading:
- Children ‘READING WITH LETTER SOUNDS’: a Practise Book (matched to your child’s phonics phase – this will be entirely phonically decodable, a Sharing Book (a book of interest to your child) for you to read and enjoy with your child. This will not be at their reading level. Please read this to them.
- Children ‘READING FOR FLUENCY’: a Practise Book (matched to your child’s benchmarked level) – children will be reading books with a high level of accuracy and an appropriate level of comprehension, a Sharing Book (a book of interest to your child) for you to read and enjoy with your child. This may not be at their reading level. Please read this to them.
- Children who are ‘FREE READERS’: chosen freely by your child. We will encourage them to choose from a wide range of authors. They should continue to read daily, and at times to you so you can enjoy talking about what they remember and understand.
- in daily, prioritised, ‘class reader’ (story time) sessions.
Please note – children are never too old for a bed time story!
