English - Reading
Reading in Woodlands - Intent
At Woodlands, we want children to learn, develop and embrace a love of reading. We want them to know that reading can be for both pleasure and for information retrieval.
Although not an exhaustive list, this guide contains a number of strategies that you may find your child uses within their classroom to develop our pupils’ reading skills and enjoyment.
Implementation
Supporting Your Child - finding suitable books
Across the school, we have mapped out key authors that your child will learn about, and have the opportunity to read some of the books written by them. We have carefully selected authors who represent a range of cultures and backgrounds to represent all members of our community.
It can be tricky to know what books are suitable for your child and also what books might engage them. We are always here to help - please ask your child's class teacher for help or use our author guide that has links to a range of books suitable for your child's age group.
Authors Across the School
Independent Reading
Hearing pupils read on a 1:1 basis can help develop the initial reading skills of decoding / fluency etc. It is also a great way to assess any gaps in the children’s sight vocabulary or phonics knowledge which can then be used to inform your planning.
In EYFS and KS1 there is an expectation to read with an adult 1:1 with a reading book, matched to their level regularly.
Matching a child’s level to a reading book
- Books should be targeted at children's ability to read 95% independently – it should not be a challenge to them (the books in school may be more of a challenge for them if supported by an adult)
- Their phonics level should match with the texts they are able to access confidently
- They should make less than 3 decoding errors on a page
- They should be able to read with fluency, not like a robot
- They should be able to answer simple comprehension questions about the content
Reading at home EYFS and KS1
Books will be sent home each week for your child to read. This is recorded in a reading journal and signed by the parent, every time your child has read to you.
Thank you in advance, parents and carers, for supporting us with this.
Books should be read at least twice at home, with the aim that children can read the text with fluency and passion -especially when reading for a second/third time. Overlearning a text when young can be fun and empowering. Often it is thought that re-reading a text is monotonous, but at this young age, reading a book a few times will help boost their confidence. A child who thinks that reading a book once alone, should be encouraged to read the book again with expression, or as if it is for performance.
This can be done in a variety of ways. Parents could try echo reading, where they read some of the text and the child copies, using the same intonation, before the child then reads it independently. The child could read with an adult first and then ‘perform’ read the text to another family member.
Parents should be encouraged to ask their child questions about the book. In Reception, ideas of comprehension questions and activities are sent home regularly to parents. In KS1, these questions are both in the reading journal and sometimes contained in the actual book.
Reading at Home KS2
Books will be taken home each day for the child to read. This is recorded in a reading journal. The aim of reading at home is to spark interest and enjoyment of texts and authors, as well as to build up general knowledge and broaden vocabulary. Parents should be encouraged to ask comprehension questions, read a text alongside their child, support children with the meaning of vocabulary and show an interest/awareness of what their child is reading and enjoying.
Independent Reading KS2
Reading at KS2 should foster an awareness of authors, genres and a love of the written word. In KS2, there is no expectation to read 1:1 with an adult in school, unless a child needs a little more support. Children are expected to read independently regularly, within the class and across the school week, with a book that matches their interest and reading level. Books will be well thought out for your child. We have a well equipped library and some very knowledgeable staff, who can help direct your child to a suitable book or author. We also have some great book lists!
Guided Reading
Every class will use guided reading. The aim of guided reading is to guide children into a love and appreciation of texts and their authors whilst developing key reading skills. The sessions will be tailored to the needs of the children that the adult is working with. Guided reading will slightly vary in different key stages. There are a large number of books available for guided reading which are progressive throughout the school.
EYFS: Nursery – Shared reading
In Nursery, shared reading is introduced in the spring/summer term, whereby a simple picture book is displayed to a small group and the children are encouraged to use the pictures to tell the story and make simple inferences such as if a book is showing a dark picture it is suggesting it’s night time. Skills being taught will include order of texts, front covers, author, illustrator, and page numbers. In nursery, the aim is to ignite a love of reading for pleasure. All books shared with pupils are to be displayed for the children to access independently.
EYFS: Reception – Guided reading
In Reception, the aim of reading, alongside enjoyment, is to build on using pictorial clues to recognise that words too, have meaning. Pictures are used alongside words - the words are not used independently. Shared reading continues from nursery and underpins the teaching of reading daily.
We use Little Wandle books for our guided reading sessions that takes place once a week with each group, where it fits into the curriculum. Phonics is at the heart of these sessions and interlinks and builds upon phonics teaching.
KS1 and KS2 – Guided reading
In KS1 and KS2 they will use a ‘Carousel model’. Across the week, each group will have a guided session with an adult at least once a week.
Timetabled for a number of shorter sessions throughout the week, each group of children will work with an adult at least once a week. The remaining groups will complete well-planned activities that will be rotated on a carousel basis..
Further Reading in Classes
Core Text
A core text will be shared in your child's class every day. For our younger pupils, this may be a short story. For our older pupils, it may be a longer chapter book. The class teachers always spend time in choosing a book that allows children to become immersed in the story and excited to hear the next chapter. Reading out loud to children is one of the most powerful ways we can engage more reluctant readers, and it is always a great end to the school day.
Reading Area
Every classroom has a designated and engaging reading area where children can enjoy texts and get pleasure from simply reading and sharing books. All books shared with pupils as a class, or in small groups, are then displayed for the children to access independently.
Comprehension 
We use Literacy Shed, which is a well resourced online platform that have topic related texts/video clips. We use VIPERS questioning method in KS2, to help our learners to gain a better understanding of the text. This is taught once a week from Year 3-6.
Texts across the curriculum
Books about current topics are always displayed and used regularly by children in the class; this is aimed at enhancing their subject knowledge and enjoyment of the topic.
Teaching of Spelling and Phonics
At Woodlands, we aim for all pupils to develop secure phonics and spelling knowledge so that they leave as confident and accurate spellers.
Spelling is taught progressively, building on pupils’ phonics understanding and knowledge of spelling patterns, rules and exceptions. High expectations for spelling are reinforced across the curriculum, with staff supporting and challenging pupils to apply correct spelling in all subjects.
Each morning, pupils complete a short spelling or phonics activity to practise and consolidate key learning. In Years 3–6, we use the Twinkl spelling programme to teach spelling rules in line with the National Curriculum. In Years 5 and 6, pupils also use ‘Rainbow Spelling’, where they practise statutory and key SATs vocabulary, using word key rings and are tested weekly.
Phonics in KS1/EYFS
Phonics in KS2
Teachers will identify those children who may need additional phonics teaching from their written work, miscue analysis or spelling tests. Children who have gaps in their phonics will be assessed one to one and then taught regular, discrete phonics sessions targeting the sounds they need to learn. These will be regularly assessed to ensure that the children move on as quickly as they can.
Early Years
In the Early Years, reading develops through enjoyment, interaction and growing awareness of print.
In Nursery, children are immersed in stories, songs and rhymes, learning to listen, join in and talk about what they hear. They explore books independently and with adults, learn how books work, and begin to notice sounds in words through rhyme, rhythm and alliteration. The emphasis is on building vocabulary, comprehension through talk, and a love of books.
In Reception, reading becomes more structured as children begin systematic phonics. They learn letter–sound correspondences and use these to blend sounds to read simple words and sentences. Children develop fluency and understanding through regular reading of decodable texts, shared stories and discussion. By the end of Reception, many children can read simple books independently and talk about what they have read, showing both enjoyment and understanding.
