Reading & Phonics
Phonics
Teachers at Kirklington Primary School follow the Twinkl scheme of work for the teaching of Phonics. Guided reading and comprehension activities are all linked to the phonics scheme in KS1 and EYFS.
Reading
In the EYFS and infant classes, reading books are grouped into levels from schemes such as Rhino Readers (linked to the Twinkl Phonics scheme). Children read books that match their phonic stage to enable them to be confident. All levels contain a variety of fiction and non-fiction books and children are also encouraged to select their own library books to share at home from an early age. We encourage a breadth and depth of reading and understanding at each level, as well as reading for enjoyment. Books are also available from each class and the school library to read for pleasure and share with parents.
By the time children reach the junior classes, the great majority of pupils are reading independently and have choice from the class library within allocated book bands.
Our Reading Journey...Information for Parents
How does my child learn to read?
Children begin their reading journey by listening to the sounds in the environment! This then builds to more formal phonics learning; hearing the sounds within words and recognising the different graphemes (the letter symbols on the page) and matching them to the phonemes (the sounds that the letters make). At Kirklington Primary School we teach Phonics daily and children have lots of opportunities throughout the day to practice their skills. Pupils in our nursery begin level 1 phonics which builds the foundation for levels 2-6.
Our reading books are grouped together to be approximately the same level of challenge. They should match your child’s phonics knowledge and contain very few (if any) sounds that your child has not yet learnt in their phonics sessions.
How do I record my child’s reading?
You will have received log in information for our online recording system, BoomReader. This stores your child’s reading journey information; all the way from Reception to Year 6. Your child’s class teacher can help you to access the system if you are unsure. Anyone who supports your child with their reading journey will be able to record onto BoomReader.
Why does my child need to read their reading book more than once?
There are many reasons why we won’t change your child’s reading book after the first read! When children are learning to read they first use ‘Phonics’ (the sounds that letters make in words) to decode (sound out). When they first read a new book, they will probably need to use their decoding skills a lot, and sound out most words. They will be concentrating so much on the ‘sounding out’ aspect that it is unlikely they will pick up on the actual meaning of the words, sentences, and book itself. So they read it again! As they read the book a few more times, they will start to become more fluent, as they have practised decoding the words previously. They will start to notice other things, like punctuation, and may even start adding some expression. Your child will then be able to start discussing the story with you and make connections with other stories they’ve read, or things that have happened in their own lives.
Someone in school will hear your child read their book and make a judgement before changing it for a new book, and we will make a note on BoomReader as to how we feel they’re doing, and what they need to work on.
What happens when my child has learnt all their phonics?
When your child has completed KS1, they might be ready for longer books.
They will work on building their stamina and reading comprehension skills. This can take a long time, but once children are able to read fluently and can answer a range of questions about what they have read, then they will really be adding to their cultural capital each time they read something new! They will be guided and encouraged to read a range of authors and text types.