Reading

At Tolleshunt D’Arcy Primary Academy, we provide a stimulating reading environment which enables every child to become enthusiastic, independent and confident readers. The children develop their love for reading through individual, group and whole class reading. The knowledge and the progression of knowledge children need to acquire reading skills is planned into our reading curriculum.

Children start their journey by sharing books and learning phonics skills. The school uses the government accredited program Bug Club to structure the phonics learning. Throughout the day, children learn to decode and blend words using their phonics skills whilst learning to read with fluency and expression. During Phonics learning, pupils revisit prior learning, are taught new sounds before having the opportunity to practice and apply the learning in reading and writing. They apply their learning across the curriculum and complete comprehension challenges too in order to ensure that they understand what they are reading (e.g. Accelerated Reader).

Children are frequently assessed in reading to ensure progress through assessments and the SAT’s measure their progress at each keystage. In Year 1, children sit a phonics screening check in June whereby. they will read 40 words out loud to a teacher. You’ll find out how your child did, and their teacher will advise you if they have met the required standard. The children will have the opportunity to resit the test in Year 2 and extra support will be put in place if they do not meet the required standard in Year 1.

Learning to read is a fundamental part of a child’s education and this is reinforced in school throughout the day and during OTTER time. Reading not only enables them to access different areas of the curriculum, it also prepares them for the next stage of their life. Pupils are encouraged to select and recommend books from an early age and staff model this by sharing their favourite books too! Children become life-long readers through positive experiences of sharing books at home and in school; this includes fiction, non-fiction and poetry too.

To support you with this, we recommend the following websites Barrington Stokes Books and The School Reading List to help you select books for your child.

Join your local library today for more exciting reading adventures!

Thank you for supporting our latest Book Fair which was held in school from 7th-14th December. Click here to view the books for sale.