Reading

At Seaview, we aim for children to develop an appreciation and love of reading at every stage of their learning journey. We are committed to sharing high quality and vocabulary rich texts across the curriculum so that children develop knowledge of themselves and the world in which they live. Reading is a priority at Seaview because we firmly believe it is fundamental for both academic success and lifelong learning. Our goal is for every child to read fluently and confidently by the end of primary education, ready for secondary school and beyond.

 We will support all children to learn to read through consistent teaching and learning approaches; regular monitoring and assessment along with a joint commitment between school and home. Teachers draw upon careful observations and continuous assessment to ensure children are challenged and to identify children who may need additional support.

How Do We Teach Early Reading?

 At Seaview, we use a synthetic phonics teaching programme called  Read Write Inc.(RWI)  to teach our children the early skills of reading. Read, Write Inc. provides a structured and systematic approach  to teaching reading and matches the expectations of the National Curriculum and the Early Learning Goals. Through the use of  Read, Write Inc,  our children learn to read fluently so that they can put all their energy into comprehending what they read.

The Read, Write Inc. journey starts in Nursery and continues through Reception and Key Stage 1, guiding children in developing their reading skills until they complete the programme and reach a level of fluency that allows them to read with ease and comprehension. The teaching of Read Write Inc. phonics continues for the children who need further support in KS2. Those children who have not reached the expected level by the time they leave KS1 will continue to access the RWI programme and receive additional targeted intervention to ensure they catch up with their peers.

Early Phonics & Read, Write Inc In Nursery

Early phonics in Nursery concentrates on developing children’s speaking and listening skills and lays the foundations for the later phonics work in Read, Write Inc. The emphasis is to get children attuned to the sounds around them in their environment and prepare them for the development of oral blending and segmenting skills through activities such as Fred’s Games. As children progress, typically in the Summer term or when considered ready, they are introduced to initial sounds. These sessions usually last for about 5-10 minutes each.

 Read, Write Inc In Reception

Read, Write Inc. is taught right from the beginning of Reception. In the first four weeks, the initial sounds (Set 1 Speed Sounds and words) are taught as a whole class. After this period, children are individually assessed and put into smaller groups according to their ability.  Children receive daily phonics lessons in these groups lasting about 20-30 minutes. Lessons involve the teaching of a new sound, decoding, blending and writing words and eventually moving on to reading short story books.

 Children In Early Years are exposed to a range of stories, poems, non-fiction texts and nursery rhymes to inspire a love of reading from a young age. In Early Years, you will find children looking at books, listening to audio stories, re-telling stories and asking grown-ups to read to them. We sing songs and nursery rhymes daily and sit together for a shared book every day.

 Read, Write Inc In KS1

Children in KS1 continue to be taught phonics in small groups, depending on their individual reading stage rather than their age. They have daily RWI lessons lasting 40 minutes. This lesson starts with a 10-minute speed sounds lesson which teaches oral blending, new speed sounds and revision of previous speed sounds, oral blending, decoding words, reading common exception words, decoding ‘alien’ (pseudo) words, and spelling. Children then read and comprehend a book which is carefully matched to their phonics knowledge.  As they reach the end of the Phonics programme, children begin to move into Guided Reading Groups.

Assessment

At Seaview, we assess children’s progress in Read, Write Inc every 6 weeks to ensure they are placed in the appropriate reading group based on their abilities where they can make most progress. Assessing children regularly allows us to identify any children who may require additional support to keep up with the group's learning pace. In such cases, we offer interventions tailored to their needs. Children work in small groups with a Teacher or Teaching Assistant. All staff delivering RWI have been trained in the effective teaching of Read Write Inc.

Whole Class Reading

 At Seaview, children who have completed the RWI programme participate in carefully planned Whole Class Reading sessions each day. These lessons are built around reading high-quality, age-appropriate texts, which are dissected by the class through high-level questioning and discussion. They include a range of activities aimed to develop their vocabulary and comprehension skills.

 Comprehension Skills

During Whole Class Reading sessions, children are taught the skills of reading comprehension through the use of VIPERS. VIPERS stands for Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explanation, Retrieval, and Summarization. Teachers use VIPERS symbols when planning, teaching and questioning in reading lessons. These VIPERS strands ensures that all children become proficient across all of the National Curriculum reading domains. They also show that there is consistency to the Whole Class Reading approach across school.

 Reading Strategies

During Whole Class Reading sessions, children engage in various reading strategies:

• Teacher Led Reading (Expert models)
• Choral Reading (Together)
• Echo Reading (My Turn/ Your Turn)
• Paired Reading
• Independent Reading
• Repeated Reading

We believe these strategies are important in the reading process and help build confidence and improve fluency.

Reading Plus

Children also have access to an online programme called Reading Plus to enhance their reading skills. This programme allows children to focus on improving their fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, stamina, and motivation for reading. The children complete their sessions using an electronic device that tracks their reading speed and understanding.

 Promoting A Love of Reading at Seaview

Reading is promoted through displays, reading books in classes, and books around the school to provide children with as many opportunities as possible to be immersed in reading.

All classes are named after famous authors, and they explore key facts about their authors while enjoying reading a variety of their books available in the classroom reading areas.

Curriculum leaders display books linked to their subjects around the school to promote reading across the wider curriculum.

Teachers read engaging texts to children every day with intonation and expression, selecting texts from our recommended year group book lists. These texts and stories aim to promote discussion, reflection, and enjoyment. Children participate in reading events and occasions, such as World Book Day, visits to our local library, and our hosting of book fairs.

SEND & Inclusion

At Seaview, our goal is that all children, regardless of disabilities, learning challenges, or special educational needs (SEN), have the opportunity to actively participate in the curriculum and advance their language and literacy skills.