Reading

Reading is at the very heart of the curriculum at Canon Burrows. We are ambitious in our teaching and curriculum to support every child to read fluently by the end of Key Stage 1. 

In order to do this we have a progressive approach to Reading that starts in our Nursery and is carefully planned until our children leave Year 6 as confident, well read and passionate readers for life. 

Systematic Synthetic Phonics Programme

We follow Little Wandle updated Letters and Sounds as our Synthetic Phonics Programme to ensure our children have the best possible start to their reading journey. This means children receive daily high quality phonics sessions led by the class teacher. Alongside this our children receive 3 weekly reading sessions to support their fluency and prosody. 

For more support and information to help your child with their phonics learning please visit: https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/resources/for-parents/ 

Reading Books

In classrooms the children experience and enjoy a wide range of books and genres throughout the year. This comes through our text rich curriculum,  but also through our daily class readers as part of Storytime. This is a daily timetabled slot to experience reading and listening for pleasure. 

Children take home a reading book each week,  which is matched to the sounds they have learned so that they can develop automaticity, fluency and prosody. 

Alongside these reading books, children make a weekly visit to our beautiful and well stocked Library so they may choose a book to read for pleasure and enjoy at home with family and loved ones. 

Parents and School work together to communicate the reading journey of the children through the online reading log Boom Reader. 

Reading Comprehension

In Year 2 and throughout Key Stage 2 our children are taught through a Guided Reading approach to oomprehension. Staff work with Reading Consultant John Murray to target the children's prosody and comprehension skills. Each week children explore a reading extract focussing on text level and word level comprehension skills. This approach is consistent in each year group from Year 2. It supports the children to become analytical and deep thinking. 

For more information please see the weekly Guided Reading Cycle document below. 

Reading Support

For children who require a little extra support to achieve our goal of being fluent and passionate readers we are swift in ensuring this support is in place. Little Wandle allows us to complete same day interventions to ensure a 'Keep up, not catch up' approach. We also use the Little Wandle Intervention Resources throughout school for bespoke short term intervention purposes. 

We have a designated member of staff who soley supports children who need a bit more help with their reading through the research based intervention programme Better Reading. 

Support for Parents and Carers

We recogonise the huge importance of parent and carers in supporting the reading journey of your children. On this page you will find helpful information for when you are reading with your child. 

At Canon Burrows we aim to develop a reading community where children become confident and enthusiastic readers. For us to achieve this we need to take reading beyond the classroom. We want to create a rich reading environment where reading is encouraged by everyone and everywhere.

Everywhere we go there are things to look at and read. This can be done at any time; while you are shopping, visiting the dentist or the doctor, travelling in the car or on a bus. There are lots of fun and interesting ways we can help children to read without them even realising they are learning.

Please see the attached EYFS, KS1 and KS2 reading materials which outline comprehension questions, key word lists, reading skills and suggested prompts and praise. You will also find a pupil's guide to Boom Reader - our fantastic reading recording app!

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