Reading is a vital skill for all children to learn. It allows them to access information needed in all areas of the curriculum at school, helping them to achieve in all subjects. Reading is also a lifelong skill which the children will use in their everyday lives, opening up the doorway to learning and exploring the world in which we live. It increases confidence and is enjoyable. At Mereworth Community Primary School we believe that helping children to make progress in their reading is most successful when done in partnership between home and school.

How do we teach children to read?

Children read texts which are at a suitable level for their ability. They should be challenged in their reading but the book should not be too difficult. Each book is carefully selected from the range of books in our scheme. Oxford Reading Tree is our core scheme but is supplemented by a range of other schemes to ensure variety. Your child’s class teacher will determine when your child is able to access the different levels.

In order for children to become independent readers they need to develop the following skills:

• Accuracy – children can ‘decode’ words they are reading without interrupting the flow. This is why we use phonics to teach children to read.
• Understanding – children who can draw meaning from the content of what they read.
• Fluency – children who can read at a comfortable speed with appropriate expression and punctuation.

Once they are on their way to reading, children are taught individually, in small groups (supported reading and guided reading) and as a class to develop their reading further.

How can you help at home?

Your child will bring home reading books from school which is are at an appropriate level for their reading ability. It is vital that you read regularly with your child to help them to progress with their reading. Please write in your child’s reading record book when you read with them. This allows teachers to work more closely with you to help to improve your child’s reading. Below are some hints to help you when reading with your child:

• If possible find a quiet place away from other interruptions.
• Be a role model and handle books carefully
• Spend a few minutes discussing the blurb and front cover of the book – what do you think this book is about?
• Help and support your child to decode an unknown word (sound it out) rather than telling them the word straight away. Give them time to do this.
• If your child is still struggling then take over the reading yourself but let the class teacher know.
• Ask your child questions to check their understanding of the text. For example, why do you think that the character said that? Which words show you that the character was feeling angry? What do you think will happen next? What was the character thinking when this happened?
• Discuss whether you both liked the book and why.
• Remain positive and encouraging, giving lots of praise.

Feel free to read other books with your child as well. Joining the local library will allow you access to a wide range of books for free.

Reading to and with your child is an enjoyable and positive experience. Talking about the things you read such as books, newspapers, recipes, instructions and shopping lists demonstrates that reading is a meaningful, useful activity. Ensure that your child knows you value reading – let them see you reading too!

Children need to expand and develop their understanding of a range of vocabulary in order to make sustained progress in their speaking and listening skills. The understanding of technical vocabulary, as well as continually up levelling the range of vocabulary used across the curriculum, enables children to produce improved oral and written work across a range of subjects. We strongly believe that speaking and listening skills are the building blocks of English. In order to succeed as writers, children need to cultivate a love of words and language. They need to build a bank of stories, which they can draw on for ideas and language patterns, and develop oral story telling skills that help them internalise the language they need. Therefore, developing talk in the classroom is a priority.

I CAN Talk Boost: EYFS and KS1 – Talk Boost KS1 is a targeted and evidence-based intervention programme, which supports children with delayed language in EYFS and Key Stage One to make progress with their language and communication skills.  The programme is delivered by classroom teachers and assistants and provides a structured programme that accelerates children’s progress in language and communication by an average of 18 months after a ten week intervention.

Here at Mereworth Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS) is our chosen phonics programme. It teaches children to read by identify the phonemes (smallest unit of sound) and graphemes (written version of the sound) within words and using these to read words. Children experience the joy of books and language whilst rapidly acquiring the skills they need to become fluent independent readers and writers.

We use a simple, consistent approach to teaching phonics.

• Your child will experience the same classroom routines within each lesson which reduces cognitive load and maximises the chances of success.
• All children are supported within the lesson to use their new phonic knowledge independently.
• In every single ELS lesson, your child will make the direct application to reading.

To view some videos about how ELS works, click the links below:

• Phase 2 Sounds
• Phase 3 Sounds

For more information, please visit the ELS website.

Essential Letters and Sounds

Writing develops pupils’ skills in two key areas – transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and organising them into speech and writing). In Reception pupils are taught how to form lower case and capital letters correctly, so that in Year 1 they can begin to learn the pre-cursive strokes required for cursive handwriting. When pupils are ready, they will learn to write in a continuous cursive style.

At Mereworth we understand the link between good talking and skilful writing. We also know that children will be motivated to write if the purpose of writing is clear. Writing is, wherever possible, linked to the class Power of Reading book, giving the children a secure context and purpose for their writing. Pupils are taught key skills to help them plan, draft and edit their work, learning to proof-read and improve their own writing, as well as having opportunities to discuss their writing with peers. Pupils’ stamina for writing is developed through extended writing tasks which are linked to other areas of the curriculum, whilst building upon the writing skills taught during English lessons.

Grammar and punctuation are taught explicitly through focused activities within the context of reading and writing. Once familiar with a grammatical concept, pupils are encouraged to explore and apply concepts to their own writing and speech.