St Benedict's Catholic Primary School

Reading @ St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School.

Reading is the foundation of learning and as such, we value it highly in our school.

At St Benedict’s, children learn to read through a phonics scheme called Sounds Write.  This starts in the Early Years into Key Stage 1 and as they move through the school years, they continue their reading skills development through our Reading For Mastery programme.

Children also use other schemes that support the development of reading and these are listed below.

Reading For Mastery (R4M)

At St Benedict’s, we use this mastery approach to reading for all our children from Nursery to Year 6.

Children read a range of poetry, non-fiction and fiction on a 3 week cycle to develop their reading comprehension skills. This precise and comprehensive system helps children to master the art of reading.  The texts chosen are used to stimulate a love of reading. Children who may have difficulty with reading receive extra support as this system of reading is designed to help readers of all abilities.

Children with special educational needs also use the Reading For Mastery scheme as it is designed to support pupils who need additional support.

If you would like further information about our reading scheme, please contact the R4M lead practitioners, Mr Forde and Mrs Elwin.

rforde@stbenedicts.warrington.sch.uk

selwin@stbenedicts.warrington.sch.uk

RE Curriculum - We follow the Come and See programme of Religious Education as recommended by the Archdioceses of Liverpool.  Click HERE to find more details about our RE Curriculum.

Whole School Curriculum - click HERE to access it.

Year Group Termly Information - click HERE to access it.

 Phonics - Sounds-Write is the phonics scheme that we follow throughout school. This is a DfE approved scheme.  Children are grouped for phonics according to their phoncs ability. Most of our Nursery children start the Sounds Write programme in the Spring Term.  Children who start in January will start the programme in the Summer Term.  All children are reassessed each half term to check on their progress.  Groups are taught by teachers and teaching assistants. The children have phonics sessions five times a week for 30 minutes. More information can be found about this scheme by clicking HERE. 

Reading - Reading Journals are used daily from EYFS to Year 6.  Older children also are able to record their reading in these Journals independently. We ask that all parents listen to their child read regularly and record a comment about their progress and understanding in the reading journal.  We use a number of different reading scheme to support children's reading and they include...

• Bug Club (Pearson)
• Oxford Reading 
• Ladybird
• Heinemann
• Dandelion Reading 
• Ginn Reading Programme (limited use)

In KS1/EYFS the children take home three books per week 

1. Phonics Phased book - This book is matched to the pupil’s individual phonics level. The child's teacher makes continuous phonics assessments based on their reading throughout the year, these assessments will inform the child’s phase level. All words in this book should be decodable for your child.

2. Reading Skills book – This book will contain mostly decodable words for your child however there will be key words from higher phases . This book will expose children to a wider range of vocabulary and spelling patterns. As the children learn to read they will move through a series of book bands which will develop a variety of skills. Within each band are a variety of books (fiction and nonfiction) taken from different reading schemes so that children get a wider reading experience. Children can move through bands at their own pace. The teachers will continually assess and move them along when they are ready.

3. Reading for Pleasure Book – This book is chosen by the child from their class library. It is a book for children and parents to share together. The aim of the book is to continue to help promote a love of reading. 

Bug Club - Bug Club is a digital learning platform designed to enhance reading skills with phonically decodable books. The children use this scheme to supplement their reading books. They can access it from any device at home too.

In KS2 - Your child will have 2 reading books plus Reading Plus (online reading programme) in Year 5 and 6.

1. Reading Skills Book - This book will contain language at your child’s level, it may be challenging, but not impossible for them to read or decode. This book will expose your child to a wider range of vocabulary, spelling patterns, text structure and literary devices. 
2. Reading for Pleasure Book - This book can be chosen by your child from home or school. The aim of this book is to continue to help promote a love of reading. 

Reading Plus – This is an adaptive literacy intervention programme specifically targeted to each individual child that develops fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Children will access this programme at least once a week during school, and then at home.  Each Class Teacher will set the amount of Reading Plus comprehensions for their class and the amount the children are expected to read over a week.  At St Benedict's Catholic Primary School we have chosen to use Reading Plus to:

• Compliment reading that is already taking place in school
• Encourage reluctant readers to have ownership of their own reading and progression
• Further develop fluency and sight-reading skills, as well as vocabulary

Reading Skills Book - These are grouped in bands and each band has a different colour.  The chart linked below explains the colour band process further.  If you need any clarification on colour banding then please speak to your child's class teacher.