Reading
We place huge emphasis on the teaching of reading, as we know it holds the key to success throughout our children's school years and their future life prospects. Essential components of learning to read fluently are the acquisition of a rich vocabulary and the ability to understand the meaning of a text, and at Broadmayne we give prominence to the development of speaking, listening and comprehension skills across the whole curriculum.
Synthetic Phonics
This is the principal method used for teaching the decoding skills required for reading. In synthetic phonics the individual sounds of a word are broken down or segmented, then blended to decode or spell the word. For example, the word cat would be broken down into 3 sounds: “c-a-t.”
Phonics
Phonics is taught daily in Reception and Yrs 1-2, whilst in Yr 3 and Yr 4 a programme of phonics, spelling and grammar is timetabled at least 3 times weekly, depending on the needs of the child. At Broadmayne we follow the Supersonic Phonic Friends phonics scheme. This has 6 phases and children work through these phases at their own pace during their time with us. Phase 1 begins in pre-school and Phase 6 generally continues throughout the primary years. The scheme uses repetition and rhyme to help embed the children's learning.
Reading in class
Guided Reading, in the form of whole class or small group guided sessions, take place every day across the school. Children also have opportunities to read in whole class and individual contexts on a daily basis. Individual reading takes place with teachers, teaching assistants or volunteers.
Assessment and Interventions
Children’s progress in reading and writing is monitored closely with ongoing assessment, so that no child “slips through the net”. The school utilises a range of literacy interventions for those children who require additional support. These include Catch Up, Acceleread/Write, and PASS. Our staff possess a wealth of qualifications and experience in delivering interventions, whether one- to- one or in small groups.
Reading Scheme
The school uses a wide range of reading books to support children's developing skills in independent reading. These books are carefully matched to the different phases of phonics the children are learning in order to ensure the texts support the children. We encourage the 'three times' reading approach - reading the text the first time to decode, the second time for comprehension, and a third time to encourage fluency and confidence.
Children are also welcome to choose an 'own choice' book to take home to share with their family as well.
Using and Applying
The school ensures that children have as many opportunities as possible to use and apply their literacy skills across the curriculum in a variety of contexts. This is an important aspect of preparing for next steps in education as well as life in the real world. We believe that high quality texts in all subjects support learning, and encourage all children to access high level reading within a safe and supportive classroom environment.
Information for parents
We hold regular workshops and information evenings for parents, and send home information throughout the year to support reading at home.