Hawes Down Junior School

Provision of Reading at Hawes Down Primary School

Overview:

At Hawes Down Primary School we believe that Reading is a

fundamental life skill and, therefore, the key to all learning. By

the end of their Hawes Down journey, we are proud that our

children enter the next step of their education as enthusiastic

and critical readers of stories, poetry and drama, as well as non-

fiction and media text. Reading is a valuable and rewarding

aspect of the children’s learning and consequently opens the

door to a world of knowledge, creativity and imagination.

Aims across the School:

Our aim is to inspire our children to become lifelong readers by teaching the skills they need

to achieve this. Our approach to the teaching of reading is to encourage our children to use a

variety of strategies in their pursuit of meaning. The importance of laying firm foundations

in this crucial area of the curriculum should not be underestimated and therefore we adopt a

consistent, whole school approach to the teaching of reading. For example, across the school

we have the following aims:

· To build on the child’s prior knowledge and literacy experience.

· To work collaboratively with parents/carers to develop each child’s reading skills

· To support parents/carers’ understanding of how to nurture a love of reading within their

home

· To inspire our pupils to become confident, independent, reflective readers who read from a

range of texts for a variety of purposes.

· To deliver a structured and progressive whole school approach to the teaching of reading

· To create a reading culture by providing a rich language environment within the classroom and

throughout the school.

· To select stimulating resources to motivate, challenge and extend pupils

effectively.

· To identify pupils who require additional support and intervene at an early stage.

· To monitor and assess progress in reading

Reading in Discovery

The expectation for children in EYFS and KS1 is to achieve the following:

· Read for pleasure.

· Learn strategies to approach unfamiliar words (phonics, relating new words to words they

already know, breaking words down into syllables, using pictures, using context clues)

· Be able to use pictures to tell a story

· Apply understanding of phonics in context

· Develop an understanding of the importance of punctuation when reading (stopping at full

stops, question marks, speech marks, exclamation marks)

· Start to develop expression when reading through recognising punctuation or when someone is

talking

· Be able read high frequency words confidently and fluently

· Self-correct based on meaning or sense

· Develop fluency when reading aloud through building their vocabulary of known words

· Build comprehension skills – developing an understanding of a story and being able to make

inferences and predictions using pictures and text. It is important that they are able to read

a book fluently enough that they can understand the meaning as well.

· Hear a story read aloud every day!

Children should build these skills through re-reading familiar texts as well as reading

new texts.

Reading in Explorers

The expectation for children in KS2 is to achieve the following:

· Read for pleasure

· Learn strategies for improving fluency

· Attend to punctuation, reading with phrasing and voice so that it sounds more like talking

· Be able read high frequency words confidently and fluently

· Is able to read silently, and discuss what they have read

· Can decode unfamiliar words using a range of strategies

· Self corrects without being prompted

· Can sustain silent reading with good understanding and can discuss what they have read

· Has developed strategies to choose and read a wider range of books including authors that

they may not have previously chosen.

· Can justify their views about books written at an age-appropriate interest level

· Accurately reads individual words, which might be key to the meaning of a sentence or

paragraph, to improve age appropriate comprehension.

· Can recognise themes in what they read and compare characters, settings, themes

· Understands the conventions of different types of texts including non-fiction texts

What does Reading look like at Hawes Down?

How Reading is Taught Home Reading Reading for Pleasure

EYFS Daily phonics (30 mins)

(Jolly Phonics and Letters and Sounds)

Individual reading every day

Bug Club (whole class shared reading on

computer)

During Literacy lessons (modelling pre-

reading skills)

Linked to handwriting practice

Teachers keep individual reading records

and running records for every child.

Progress is recorded against yr group

objectives.

Reading Records for parents to

complete and sign

One or two banded books sent

home once a week (dependent on

child’s colour band).

One a week ‘Interest’ books are

sent home (child’s own choice of

a non-banded book)

EYFS – The teacher will spread a selection of books out for the children

to look at (weekly)

There is a daily vote in the class between two books – the teacher either

selects them or the class bring in books from home. The children vote

using Duplo bricks to build the tallest tower for the book they want to

hear (each child gets one brick)

Library time every Friday (children are taken down to share stories)

Dedicated book corner is every classroom where children are encouraged

to browse and select books of interest

Mystery readers (parents/carer read a story to the class)

Early Bird readers (parent helpers)

Where possible, older children are given opportunities to ‘buddy up’ with

younger children to share and read stories to develop reading role

models

Opportunities for reading are provided across the curriculum: topic

books, news articles, blogs, class magazines etc.

All class teachers read a class novel at the end of every day. Much

thought goes into the selection of texts to ensure exposure to high level

vocabulary and exciting plotlines.

Year One Daily phonics (30 mins) (Letters and

Sounds)

Preparation and assessments for phonics

screening check



computer)

During Literacy lessons (modelling reading

skills)

Comprehension skills (e.g discussing word

meanings, linking new meanings to those

already known)





objectives.

Year Two Consolidating phonics through Literacy

lessons and 1:1 reading



computer)

During Literacy lessons (modelling reading

skills)

Weekly comprehension lesson teaching

specific skills (e.g making inferences on

the basis of what is being said and done)





objectives.

Quiet reading time

There is of talk and discussion about reading in a variety of contexts,

both formal and informal.

World Book Day celebrated with visits from authors and story-tellers

Teachers also promote reading competitions and challenges e.g. The

Summer Library Reading Challenge

Moon Class

(ARPS)

Teaching of reading is done a variety of

ways: phonics is taught from phase 1 to

phase 5 as well as single word recognition

as well to cater for those that are unable

to access phonics.

Children that are able to read simple texts

are taught comprehensions completed on a

1:1 basis.

Readers are heard at least 3 times a week

- formally and informally. Individual

reading records are completed for each

child.

Watch interactive stories on IWB

Home reading is monitored

through the yellow reading

record books.

Dedicated and well-maintained book corner is every classroom where

children are encouraged to browse and select books of interest

Weekly (or bi-weekly) visits to school library where children are

encouraged to share, discuss and choose books for pleasure.

Where possible, older children are given opportunities to ‘buddy up’ with

younger children to share and read stories to develop reading role

models

Opportunities for reading are provided across the curriculum: topic

books, news articles, blogs, class magazines etc.

All class teachers read a class novel at the end of every day. Much

thought goes into the selection of texts to ensure exposure to high level

vocabulary and exciting plotlines.

Year Three

Reading aloud to the class (shared texts,

information sheets).

Shared reading e.g. Pupils read


complete and sign

Vulnerable readers (lowest

Year Four dialogue/narrative from shared text aloud

to class (focus on reading fluency,

intonation/pace to create atmosphere,

expression and recognition of punctuation

marks)

Comprehension based on shared high

quality texts

Comprehension based on topics within

Science/Topic




objectives.

20%) are given a banded book +

own choice (interest book) to be

read at home on a weekly basis

Quiet reading time

There is of talk and discussion about reading in a variety of contexts,

both formal and informal.

World Book Day celebrated with visits from authors and story-tellers

Teachers also promote reading competitions and challenges e.g. The

Summer Library Reading Challenge

Oberon

Class

(ARPS)

Print and pictures are used to encourage

children to read. The skills are mainly

taught on an individual basis.

Symbol support is used to scaffold the

emergent reader.

Reading is used as a tool to develop the

children's individual speech and language

targets provided by the therapist e.g.

summarise the last 3 pages of text.



record books.

Year Five Reading aloud to the class (shared texts,

information sheets).

Shared reading e.g. Pupils read

dialogue/narrative from shared text aloud

to class (focus on reading fluency,

intonation/pace to create atmosphere,

expression and recognition of punctuation

marks)

Comprehension based on shared high

quality texts

Comprehension based on topics within

Science/Topic




objectives.

Chn choose their own reading

material from school or home.

They are encouraged to read a

wide variety of genres.

Vulnerable readers (lowest 20%)

are given a banded book + own

choice (interest book) to be read

at home on a weekly basis


complete and sign. Children are

encouraged to write their own

comments.

Year Six Keep a record of the books

children are reading so that we

can recommend books to children

later and also to monitor if they

can sustain reading and finish a

whole book before changing it.

Discuss books with individual

children


complete and sign. Children are

encouraged to write their own

comments.

Vulnerable readers (lowest 20%)

are given a banded book + own

choice (interest book) to be read

at home on a weekly basis

Prospero

(ARPS)

Children read on a daily basis, 1:1 with an

adult. In intervention time, Nessy Online is

used for reading and spelling

Children are helped to blend words when

reading together with adults

Symwriter is used to symbolise all learning

to make it accessible to every child.

Many of the children use symbols in their

writing, or construct their sentences

entirely from symbols. The majority of

children progress from using symbols to

being independent writers. Some continue

to use symbols on a topic board if they

struggle with their memory, or require

vocabulary to use in their writing.

A range of texts are covered in Literacy,

such as ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’

and ‘George’s Secret Key to the Universe’

by Stephen and Lucy Hawkin.



record books.

Across the school:

We choose texts that are rich in vocabulary, and enable children to comprehend beyond their own reading fluency level.

We include texts that allow children to absorb the rhythms and patterns of language, reflecting their cultural, social and

linguistic diversity, as well as introducing a world beyond the familiar.

Teachers regularly read aloud and share high quality texts across a range of genres, reflecting a range of writing

styles.

Teachers plan and allow for regular times and routines for children to access and enjoy the texts

available to them

We share high quality texts with depth and interest in story, character, illustration, vocabulary, structure and subject

matter

Children are given frequent, regular and sustained opportunities to talk together about the books that they are reading as a

whole class.

Drama and role-play are used regularly to help children understand and access texts

When choosing a text, teachers look at where look at where authentic cross-curricular links can be incorporated.

We choose books and plan experiences that enable children to meet vocabulary in different contexts, introduce new

knowledge and to develop, explore and extend their thinking around key topics and themes.

Writing:

At Hawes Down, we strive to create an environment that will promote both reading and writing. In order to ensure that all pupils learn to

be confident writers we encourage children to write creatively whilst teaching key writing skills explicitly and systematically.

Teachers plan sequences of lessons to build towards a longer writing outcome that is linked to reading, drama and other shorter writing

tasks, broadly following the structure below that covers a two-week cycle (the following is a suggested outline only. Teachers can, and

should, be flexible with the structure and adapt it to fit the year group or key stage being taught. The outcomes in terms of coverage

and marking should remain the same):

WEEK ONE WEEK TWO

MONDAY Whole Class: Shared Text (chapter or a couple of pages). Follow up activity: Drama or Reading Journal is used to

consolidate understanding of text/ideas/themes/characters)

GPS practice (10 MINS) The teacher introduces the focus writing style for the week by looking at examples of the writing style. Chn will then annotate these examples to build up a word bank of vocabulary to ‘steal’ for their own writing.

TUESDAY Whole Class: ERIC/DERIC starter (direct reading skills are taught)

Split teach: Gp 1: T Focus group with Reading Comp (2 – 5 questions) based on text read. Deeper reading skills are taught in this session. Gp 2: Ind group using unknown text to retrieve information (linked to text where possible e.g poems/non-fiction/newspaper article/text by the same author etc…)

GPS practice (10 MINS) PLANNING: Teachers will deliver an in-depth planning session for children. This can be flexible (individual/paired/group/class) but will begin with the Teacher modelling the writing style. Children may begin writing in this session.

WEDNESDAY As yesterday: Gp 2: Focused Reading Comp

Gp 1: Unknown text

GPS practice (10 MINS) SUSTAINED WRITE (30 to 40 mins) Children are encouraged to peer evaluate half-way through/read

to the ‘wall’. They are encouraged to keep a green pen by them so that teachers can ‘over the shoulder’ mark and then children are able to make corrections/edit at the same time, providing them with instant feedback. Teachers aim to focus mark one group during the session where possible.

THURSDAY Grammar/Punctuation focus Real examples of how grammar/punctuation is used in

context is used to teach children.

Teachers will look at examples of the writing type that they are focusing on in Writing week, including examples

of the children’s own writing.

30 mins EDIT: A taught session where children are taught how to edit and what they are looking for to correct. Teachers’ may model this using the child’s own writing and show how to ‘uplevel’/improve against a writing criteria.

FRIDAY GPS (10 mins practice) SCIENCE/TOPIC/RE

Sustained writing done in these subjects should replace writing done in Literacy for that week.

What does writing look like at Hawes Down?

Across the school:

We provide children with a broad diet of quality texts and enriching experiences so that they are able to find their own reasons to

write and develop a style that fits the purpose, audience and form intended.

Writing is displayed and celebrated all over the school.

Writing is taught as a carefully sequenced activity (see above).

Teachers provide regular helpful feedback through marking – see Marking Policy

Time is planned into lessons for children to respond to literacy marking and feedback.

Writing is, in the main, linked to class topics to promote engagement.

We create a language rich environment, focusing on enriching vocabulary, understanding what words mean and how and why they

are used.

We provide quality language models and structures from which children can learn how writing works and the effect it can have on a

reader.

We ensure the teaching of phonics, grammar and spelling is embedded in context

We ensure progression in complexity of tasks and expectations year on year.

We build stamina for writing by providing opportunities to write independently and for extended periods.

Teachers model the planning, drafting, responding, revising and editing process in shared and collaborative writing to demonstrate

how to strengthen all parts of the writing

Editing and reviewing form a large part of lesson time – with age-appropriate strategies for green-pen response marking used

across the school.

Peer marking is encouraged as an additional way for children to respond to writing.

Teachers plan opportunities for bookmaking, publishing or final performance that brings the children’s writing to a wider audience

and creates pride in finished pieces.

Spelling:

Understanding how to spell correctly is important in supporting children to organise their thinking around language. Knowing how to apply

spelling rules and recognising key words is empowering for children. Spelling plays a significant part of standardised assessment and is

taught throughout the school. We use the 2014 National Curriculum as a guideline as to which spellings should be taught in which year

group.

What does spelling look like at Hawes Down?

The teaching of spelling in EYFS and KS1:

From Reception children are introduced to the concept that words are broken down into sounds and begin their phonics learning based

on ‘Letters and Sounds’.

Children in EYFS and KS1 have daily short, focused phonics sessions which build slowly from learning single letter sounds to reading

whole words containing all 44 phonemes and alternate spellings of the same sound.

This knowledge is applied in children’s reading and writing.

Children learn sounds, actions and letters through games and activities that support segmenting and blending.

From Year 1, children are actively encouraged and taught to proof read their writing for spelling errors.

In Year 2, children continue to build on their phonic knowledge. They learn grammar and spelling rules which they apply in their writing.

The teaching of spelling in KS2:

Our spelling lessons are based on following clear patterns to aid understanding.

Throughout KS2, a spelling rule or new letter sounds are introduced weekly and relevant spellings are taught, e.g. through mnemonics,

word sorting and spelling games.

Key word banks, high frequency words, dictionaries and word pattern visuals scaffold children as necessary.

When writing, children are encouraged to underline words in green they are not sure of to check in a word bank or dictionary to avoid

interrupting the flow of their writing.

Spellings are highlighted by adults following the Marking Policy and children practise spelling corrections, or self-correct if able, in

their literacy books as part of their response to marked work.

Where additional spelling support is needed, children work in small groups with an adult to re-enforce spelling patterns, alongside their

whole-class word lists.

Grammar

An understanding of how to use grammar correctly, use relevant meta-language and identify word classes and sentence types is taught

both in the context of a piece of writing and explicitly in whole class work. Linked to the National Curriculum guidelines for year groups,

grammar is taught and planned to fit in with relevant genres of writing.

What does grammar teaching look like at Hawes Down?

Across the school:

We start with the basics of sentence construction including full stops and capital letters.

Children begin to identify word classes early on (noun, verb, adjective and adverb) and use this understanding in their writing.

‘Gaps’ in learning are addressed through GPS 10 min catch up/consolidation sessions at the start of English lessons (bi-weekly).

We follow the 2014 National Curriculum as guidance as to what is taught in each year group and, from this, have devised a specific

structure for our school detailing expectations year by year. This is embedded across the school and develops in complexity

(outlined on long term planning for each year group).

Assessment

We firmly believe in the power of immediate, personalised feedback, so much marking is done ‘over the shoulder’ by

teachers during lessons. Being next to a child and having a conversation in the moment about their work has far

more impact than lengthy written feedback in many instances, so adults create classrooms where this dialogue is

possible and powerful. Regular written feedback is still given, following the Marking Policy, after extended

pieces of writing.

Informal Assessment takes places daily, throughout each lesson as an ongoing, diagnostic tool. Weekly plans allow space for

recording specific notes of assessment. Teachers are expected to make regular assessment of each child’s progress and to record

these systematically on Pupil Asset. Pupil Progress Meetings at the end of term focus on test information and Teacher

Assessments and target children in need of extra support or intervention. Pupil Asset contains the end of year objectives in line

with the New Curriculum 2014 and, with completing these, teachers have a clear vision as to which stage of learning each individual

is at. Formative assessments provided by Pixl clearly show where there are any ‘gaps’ in learning. Parents are informed of their

children’s progress during Parents evening and end of year reports.

Reading

Formative Assessment Summative Assessment

In EYFS, children are assessed in their early literacy

development against the ‘Development Matters’ goals.

From EYFS onwards, teachers hear children read individually on a

regular basis. Through this, they assess children’s fluency and

comprehension and support children with next steps in their reading.

Starting in the Reception year, teachers carry out ‘Running Records’

to assess children’s reading levels. The school uses the PM Benchmark

books to carry out these assessments.

The teacher at Key Stage 2 continues to carry out running records

using the PM Benchmark system on children if their progress as a

reader gives cause for concern. Appropriately levelled

books are then provided until a child can make appropriate

independent choices.

At the end of Reception, children are assessed against the EYFS

profile and results are shared with parents.

Year 1 children will take the Phonics Screening Check in June.

Children who do not pass the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check will

retake this in Year 2.

Children in Year 2 and Year 6 take end of Key Stage national tests

that examine a range of reading comprehension skills. Year 2

judgements are given by teacher assessment using a range of

evidence, including the SATs papers.

Pixl Reading tests are carried out across the whole school. Children

are tested at the beginning of school year.

Pupils giving cause for concern are tracked and given specific

intervention support in small groups with a TA.

All pupils are retested in the Summer Term.

Writing

Formative Assessment Summative Assessment

First and foremost, pen-in-hand immediate marking takes place

throughout lessons to move children’s learning on.

Children also decide or are given specific success criteria that they

can use to help them reflect on the structure and language features

of their own writing.

At the end of a piece of extended writing, the teacher marks each

child’s work according to the learning objective. The teacher

highlights sentences in green where the child has been successful.

The teacher then highlights sentences in yellow. This may identify

where the child needs direction towards improvement using a known

technique. Children are given structured time to respond to their

feedback using their own green pen and reflect on their learning.

Teachers compile examples of unscaffolded, independent writing at

regular intervals across the school year.

Assessment of these writing samples may be used to provide over-

arching targets for each child.

Writing at the end of KS1 and KS2 is teacher assessed. There is no

external assessment of composition, however we routinely ask our

Local Authority consultant to moderate our levels and teachers

attend moderation with other schools in the Trust and Local

Authority.

As we do termly assessments, these, along with the children’s literacy

books, help to form a profile for final teacher assessments at the end

of Year 6.

Pixl spelling tests are carried out in Key Stage 2. The assessment

format gives diagnostic evidence of each pupil’s spelling age.

Externally set and assessed Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar

(‘SPAG’) tests takes place in Year 2 and 6.

See Assessment Policy for more information on whole school monitoring and evaluation, tracking and work sampling.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

Parents are invited into school twice yearly to look at their children’s work. An open evening is held once a year. When significant

changes have been/are made to the English curriculum parents are invited to a meeting. Parent sessions are presented by teachers

in each year group annually, informing parents of the curriculum coverage for this subject as well as making them aware of the

importance regular reading at home with their child.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

The English leaders take part in monitoring standards and quality in English through lesson observations/drop-ins, book scrutiny

and monitoring of plans and data. This is to ensure adherence to the agreed English policy as well as monitoring quality of teaching.

As appropriate, the English leaders are released regularly from their classroom in order to work alongside other teachers. This

time is used to monitor and evaluate the quality and standards of English throughout the school and enables the leaders to support

teachers in their own classrooms. Opportunities for teachers to review planning, policy and published materials are given on a

regular basis during staff meetings. Opportunities are made to review planning, policy and the published materials used for English.

STAFFING AND RESOURCES

Regular provision is made for the English development of staff including CPD and INSET within school from the English Leaders.

This includes both teachers and teaching assistants. The leaders have a job description which is reviewed annually at performance

management interviews. An action plan for Literacy is developed annually and is agreed with by the head teacher. The English

Leaders meets with the Governors 3 x yearly to report on the progress of English within the school.

Resources

All teachers organise a dedicated book area within their classroom. This area is easily accessible to all children and allows them

browse, choose and change books for pleasure on a regular basis. This is additional to banded books which are kept in a central

location and the school library which is accessible to all. All classes have an English working wall which supports the learning in

class.

HOME LEARNING

It is our school policy to provide parents and carers with opportunities to work with their children at home. These activities may

only be brief, but are valuable in promoting children’s learning in English. Activities are sent home on a regular basis (see the

separate school Homework Policy) and take the form of activities and tasks with some formal exercises for older children. This is

also backed up with access to Applications that the children can use on mobile devices at home. Homework reinforces and

consolidates learning which has taken place in the classroom. Parents and carers are encouraged to establish a routine of reading

aloud at home.

Documents

Hawes Down Junior School