Reading Beyond Phonicss

Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension is taught four times each week in Year 2 (where appropriate) to Year 6. Across each year, children will focus on four key strands of reading comprehension: retrieval, vocabulary/word meaning, inference and deduction, and summarising. Within each strand, a different question type will be taught each week. The question types will include: tick box, written answer, match up answers, find and copy, true/false. Children will be taught how to answer these questions to gain 1 or 2 marks as appropriate. Three mark questions will be introduced in UKS2. To answer these questions, children will be taught to make two points each with supporting evidence from the text (PEPE). During the reading comprehension sessions, children in each year group will follow a reading cycle.

The reading comprehension teaching cycle is as follows:

Exploration of the text – The teacher introduces a short, age appropriate (and cross-curricular where possible) text to the children. This text is used for the reading tasks in the ‘modelled’ lessons. The teacher reads the text to the children, questioning their understanding of what is happening in the passage. Children identify and discuss any unknown vocabulary applying appropriate strategies to work out unfamiliar word meanings. Any objectives from the National Curriculum and the domains of reading within each year group not explicitly taught within the modelled reading comprehension are covered in this session (e.g. discussing the text, giving opinions on the text, making links between texts etc.

Modelled Reading Comprehension (x1) – Each week, the class teacher teaches the children one of the four strands of reading comprehension with a focus on one specific question type (tick box, written answer, match up etc.). The teacher models how to answer the question type with the children. Following the teacher model, children are given the opportunity to answer questions on the same strand and of the same question format. Questions are altered so the task is differentiated two ways (Yellow/Light Green, Dark Green/Blue).The teacher supports the children to achieve this as needed. As a class, children mark their answers and discuss how to answer each question, improving their answer as appropriate.

Independent Reading Comprehension – Children will independently read a cold text and complete a set of reading comprehension questions. The question set will follow the same strand and question type taught that week. Children will mark their answers and discuss any misunderstandings as a class.

Reading for Pleasure Lesson - the final session of the cycle allows flexibility for teachers and children to read for pleasure. This could include: the reading of a class novel or a cross-curricular text chosen from the ‘Stranton Reading Spine’; the opportunity for independent or reciprocal reading or a visit to our ‘Reading Room’ or school library.

Whole Class Reading

Whole class teaching of reading is covered within the writing cycle in the form of the Oracy lesson that allows children to apply their skills and explore the class text. Teachers recap the skills taught and children will have the opportunity to explore new vocabulary and discuss the content and themes from their reading.

Reading Stamina

Reading stamina is actively promoted across school. It is expected that all children will read 90 words per minute of an age appropriate text from Year 2 onwards. By the end of each academic year, it is expected that:

In Year 1 children will read 60 words of an age appropriate text in one minute.
In Year 2 children will read 270 words of an age appropriate text in three minutes.
In Year 3 children will read 270 words of an age appropriate text in three minutes.
In Year 4 children will read 360 words of an age appropriate text in four minutes.
In Year 5 children will read 450 words of an age appropriate text in five minutes.
In Year 6 children will read extended texts at 90 words per minute (in line with end of KS2 testing).

To support early identification of a reading issue with a child, all children not accessing phonics complete the ‘Salford Reading Age Test’ at the beginning of each year. This identifies which children require 1:1 targeted reading support as their sight reading age is significantly lower than that of their chronological age. They are then re-tested on this at the end of each term to chart progress and inform next steps. Reading Speed is then tracked through individualised data on Reading Plus.

Reading for Pleasure

Reading for pleasure is encouraged in a range of ways across school. All classes base their literacy work on a class text to engage all children and inspire a love of learning across the curriculum. Additionally, all classes share a class story with their teacher at the end of each day so that the children have the chance to listen to someone reading to them. Regular time in our school library or Reading Room during story time also helps to promote the importance of books to a child’s education. Library clubs are currently running on a break time to enable children to have access to a wide range of literary works. All children in Key Stage 2 choose an age-appropriate text from the school library (unless they access phonics or 1:1 reading) and they get to read this at the start of each day. The purpose of this is to not only promote engagement within reading but to develop individual reading confidence and fluency. We also receive four boxes of both fiction and non-fiction texts each month as part of our partnership with Hartlepool Library. These are chosen to link with our termly topics. Parents are invited into school to take part in reading workshops to develop good home-school links. Finally, a child from each class takes home a ‘Reading Basket’ each week which contains an appropriate book, some hot chocolate and a teddy bear.

The ‘Stranton ‘Reading Spine’ has been formulated by teaching staff for all year groups and encapsulates the range of literature our children access and engage with over the course of the year. The purpose is to promote reading for pleasure. Children access a set amount of specially selected, cross-curricular books over the course of the year. These include fiction, non-fiction and poetry texts.

Targeted 1:1 Reading

Vulnerable children and those with SEND (in KS2) read 1:1 with an adult at least three times each week. The books that children read are matched to their reading age/ability informed by the Salford Reading Age Test. Targeted reading sessions focus on building confidence and fluency alongside assessment of the domains of reading for children working towards the expectations for their age.

All other children in KS2 read with an adult at least once every two weeks. These books are chosen from the school library scheme, which include books that are engagement, reluctant reader and dyslexia friendly. Children read books in accordance with their chronological age in order to improve both reading fluency and confidence.

Intervention Programmes for Reading

Regular and rigorous assessments take place throughout lessons and at various points throughout the year to ensure the children are accessing the correct level of reading for them. If children are not working within the expected standard, they will receive extra support and targeted intervention from one or more of the following programmes:

Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised Keep-up
Nessy
Reading Plus

Progress made by children who participate in these intervention programmes is tracked by the TAs delivering them and then monitored by SLT to identify if it is successful or if a different intervention is needed to ensure that these children reach the expected level in reading.

Reading Curriculum

Our reading curriculum is broken down into year group specific objectives. Please click on the links below to view the curriculum for each year group.