Reading is a fundamental skill for children to access all learning – in school and throughout life.
Whether it is reading for enjoyment, research, accessing questions or following instructions so you can understand why we as a school highlight its importance regularly in all year groups.
It is vital to stress the difference between reading (decoding) and understanding (comprehension); we might be able to work out what anfractuous said but not have a clue what it means. This is why even when your children can read independently, true understanding can only be developed by discussing the text, looking up new words and being asked questions. Throughout the school, staff read with pupils independently and in groups, depending on the context, and the more this can be done at home, the more your child will be able to access in school and beyond.
Early reading is specifically developed through phonics in EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2. It is a way of teaching children to read quickly and skilfully. Research shows that teaching phonics in a structured and systematic way is the most effective. At Wingrave, we use the resource ‘Essential Letters & Sounds’ and the children are assessed and selected into ability groups taught by teaching staff and support staff every day for 20 minutes. Therefore the groups are smaller, which allows for a more focused approach to teaching, where all children’s needs can be easily met. Once the children have met the assessment criteria, they move onto the next ‘phase’, allowing the groups to be more fluid and the learning to promote challenge for all.
If you have any specific questions regarding phonics, please speak to Miss Weeks, our Assistant Headteacher and Phonics Lead.