Reading is a top priority at Teversham Primary School. Our goal is for all children to acquire a lifelong love of reading and to take enjoyment from books. To achieve this, we expose our children to a range of texts, authors and genres throughout their time with us, to help them develop the skills necessary for reading for life.

In order to get children excited about reading, we have developed a successful system called 'Battle of the Books'. This encourages children to read a minimum of 4 times a week and to help their class achieve the highest percentage of readers across the school. In Celebration Assemblies on Friday, the percentages are shared and the classes who have the highest number of children reading regularly, will earn marbles towards their class treat. Children record their reading in a Reading Diary, which is monitored by teachers and teaching assistants. 

Early Reading and Phonics

We are just starting our exciting journey to transition over to use the systematic phonics programme Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised to teach phonics in our school. This includes learning Tricky Words alongside GPCs. In Pre- School we focus on pre phonics skills. In Reception, children learn Phases 2, 3 and 4 of phonics throughout the year. In Year 1, children  review Phases 3 and 4 before learning Phase 5 of phonics ready to undertake the Statutory Phonics Screening check in the Summer Term. Our phonics programme is delivered in a consistent and systematic way to support all children in their early stages of spelling and reading.

Please view the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised website for more parent information and videos to support phonics at home. 

Reading in KS1

Reading continues to be a priority as children transition into Key Stage 1. Our Early Years teacher liaises closely with our Year 1 teacher to ensure continuity and consistency across the phases.

Teachers in Year 1 and Year 2 use a book band system to track children's reading to ensure that they are making progress. Reading books are matched closely to children's phonic ability. All children are read with by their class teacher at least once a week.

Children who are reading at a level below what is expected for their age are read with more frequently. We have volunteers in school who read with children throughout the week to give them additional practise where possible. 

Opportunities for cross-curricular reading are taken where appropriate, especially in history and geography where children are supported to conduct research about their topics. 

Reading in KS2

Reading in Lower Key Stage 2 is still tracked using the book banded system. Teachers decide when children are ready to become 'free readers'. When they are free readers, children are permitted to bring books from home into the classroom to enjoy as well as borrowing books from the classroom shelves and library.

Teachers try to read with as many children as possible throughout the week and this is tracked in a class file. Children who are reading below the level that is expected for their age are prioritised to close the gap between them and their peers. 

Cross-curricular reading is encouraged and children are supported to conduct their own research using books about their topic. Children are also taught to use internet sources to find out about different topics.

Reading in Upper Key Stage 2 is tracked in a file system similar to in Lower Key Stage 2. Many children choose to bring their own books from home by this age and teachers will make recommendations to help broaden children's reading experiences. Children who are reading below the level that is expected for their age will be prioritised to read with Teaching Assistants or their Class Teacher as much as possible. These children will remain on the book banded system until they are fluent enough to be 'free readers'. 

For children who experience processing difficulties (such as dyslexia), a range of books from Barrington Stoke are available which are constructed in a dyslexia-friendly manner.