Reading/Writing/Phonics/Spelling

Reading, phonics and spelling is bespoke to your child’s stage of learning and development. Children are assessed using STAR reader and Accelerated Reader.  For children still requiring phonic support, they are assessed at least every six weeks by Mrs Banks, our Reading Leader to establish the correct reading band and group. 

Pathways is a methodology designed to equip pupils with key skills to move them through the writing process towards their final outcome. It is built around units of work that follow a mastery approach to the teaching of writing.

Each unit covers a range of areas in the national curriculum:

• Mastery of vocabulary, grammar and punctuation skills
• Writing a range of genres across a year
• Vocabulary development
• Using a wider range of reading comprehension strategies as a whole class
• Spoken language activities including drama and presentations
• Opportunities for practising previously taught genres
• An extended, independent piece of writing

The daily RWI group lesson includes reading, spelling, handwriting, grammar and comprehension. In Years One, Two, Three and Four, there is an additional afternoon lesson to consolidate sound recognition and speed of reading.

For the bottom 20% of readers within each year group, catch-up is provided through one-to-one tutoring and a bespoke reading programme is drawn up and managed by Mrs Banks. These children are closely monitored in their progress, with the scheduling of fortnightly assessments. Families of these children are strongly encouraged to come into school to discuss their child's progress with Mrs Banks and seek advice about how to help at home.

Accelerated Reader encourages and motivates children to read books at school and home and earn points, certificates and prizes by taking computerised comprehension tests at school. Every book in our Key Stage 2 library has been given a level and quiz number. At the end of each term, certificates and prizes will be awarded for children’s progress with their reading.

To promote a love of reading, children will  learn through:

• Pathways to Write 
• Accelerated Reader / STAR Reader
• Read, Write, Inc. Spelling 
• Read, Write, Inc.  ( to ensure every child has a secure phonetic understanding and is a confident reader). Children are taught in small banded groups linked to their individual stage. 
• Voice 21
• Reading Fluency lessons
• We listen to children read at least twice a week and for those children requiring additional support this is increased to daily reading with their teacher. 
• Guided reading sessions
• Daily teacher reading to their class
• Reading across the Curriculum / Curriculum library
• Reading for Pleasure 

Accelerated Reader/RWI Book bag books are provided. These books are carefully selected to their specific stage of learning or linked to the sounds and words taught in each child's RWI lessons throughout that week in school.

RWI teachers send links on Class Dojo for the practising of sounds and reading of  E-books every week. Teachers can remind you of your child's unique user name and password to log in to the oxford owl website.