How do we promote a love of reading?

• We have a well stocked library (and individual class libraries), with a range of modern and classic fiction, non-fiction and poetry.

• Teachers regularly read books aloud to children (see ‘Our Reading Spine’ for our book study books).

• Year 6 Librarians sharing their love of reading and are buddy readers for younger children.

• We constantly recommend new books through our reading lists, author of the week posters and by referring children to a book matching website.

• We welcome authors, like Cressida Cowell and Frank Cottrell Boyce, into school and take part in the Stockport Children’s Book Awards every year.

How do we develop fluent, accurate readers?

• We build opportunities for children to practise independent reading into our school routine (e.g. Drop Everything And Read).

• Children are expected to read for at least an hour a week at home (Reading Records for home – school communication).

• Children are guided to read books (either from our reading scheme / Barrington Stoke, Rapid or Code programmes / library) at an appropriate level of challenge based on teacher assessment.

• Developing readers are challenged to broaden their reading diet and select more challenging texts.

• Teachers identify children who still need to develop accurate word reading / fluency and provide support for children to keep up (e.g. via No-Nonsense Phonics (validated SSP programme) intervention / decodable readers (e.g. Talisman series) / Rapid and Code schemes). An adult will listen to target children read at least 1-1 once a week and provide feedback on word attack and fluency skills.

How do we develop reading comprehension skills?

• Once a week, in whole class reading comprehension lessons, teachers will model and children will practise a range of VIPERS comprehension skills using a range of texts.

• Weekly discussions about book study books support the development of key skills e.g. inference / prediction / summarising.

• Teachers identify children who need additional support to develop reading comprehension skills and help them to keep up via targeted weekly interventions.

How do we introduce children to different worlds?

• We have a range of diverse titles in our main and class libraries.

• We want books to be mirrors, containing storylines, characters, and experiences children can see themselves in so they feel seen and heard after reading a book. We also want books to act as windows, that help children see into the life or experience of someone else.

• Across school, our book study texts cover a range of modern classics, friendship issues, ‘I See Me’ titles and books from across the world.