Why is reading important at Mapplewells?

Reading is a fundamental skill that all children should have the opportunity to learn, practice and consolidate as reading is the gateway to unlocking the curriculum. Reading has the highest profile within school and is a key part of our Curriculum Intent through developing the use of new vocabulary and raising aspiration for all. Reading is developed around the four curriculum principles – Memory (including knowledge), Opportunities, Vocabulary (including Reading) and Equality (and Equity).

Phonics and Early Reading

All children in Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 have a daily phonics session during which they learn about the sounds that letters make and how to blend and segment letters in order to read and write words and sentences. All children in Year 1 take part in the National Phonics Screening, and this is also undertaken again by some pupils in Year 2. In Key Stage 2, children have daily spelling and grammar lessons in line with the National Curriculum 2014 requirements. As part of their weekly homework, children have spellings linked to the spelling lists from the curriculum and the spelling rules taught during these daily lessons.

At Mapplewells, we use the Fischer Family Trust as our reading scheme, alongside the use of Bug Club Online. These enable children to read books matched to their ability as well as enabling comprehension skills to be taught and practised.

Children in EYFS and Key Stage 1 are all assessed on their phonics ability half termly, which then determines their reading level. Each child is then given a book weekly that reflects this. With the reading books, each child will only be given a reading book that has the sounds that they are familiar with within it, meaning that 95% of the book should be read independently. This then promotes a love of reading and a sense of achievement for every child. These assessments are created based on our phonics scheme of Letters and Sounds and are monitored by both the Early Reading and English leads