Learning to read is the most important thing children will learn at our school. Everything else depends on it, so we put as much energy as we possibly can into making sure that every single child learns to read as quickly as possible. We know that our children's early formative years are crucial for acquiring both phonetic knowledge and skills to support them in becoming fluent readers. 

We also want children to love reading – and to want to read for themselves. This is why we put our efforts into making sure they develop a love of books as well as simply learning to read. We aim to create a love of reading, by daily sharing high quality books with our children during our Rise and Read sessions and by reading to and with them, and by supporting our parents to make reading an enjoyable part of their daily routine. Our books both reflect the community in which the children live and introduce them to lives different from their own.  Children read widely across the curriculum, in all forms, including non-fiction books, magazines and newspapers and digital formats. 

Reading for Pleasure is a culture that is embedded throughout school. We aim to promote a love and enjoyment for reading to enable children to succeed within school and into adulthood. Research shows that the impact of reading can develop children's self esteem, confidence and well-being whilst giving them an insight into the wider world.

We do this by:

• Hosting weekly 'Rise and Read' mornings with parents and careers to share books and stories. 

• Enjoying weekly reading for pleasure assemblies which expose children to a variety of literature.

• Children are treated to a parent mystery reader each week during their 'Rise and Read' mornings.

• Creating high-quality reading spaces within the classroom and throughout the whole school environment. Our whole school fiction and non-fiction library emphasise our love of books, texts and reading.

• Trips to the school library, allowing children to become immersed and explore a range of books on offer.

• Inviting parents into school termly for Reading and Phonics Workshops  help parents understand the way we teach reading in school. 

• Year 1 and 2 participate in 30 minute reading buddy session. This allows children to gain confidence as they are reading to peers who support them by listening, asking them questions about the text and practise becoming a fluent reader.

• Each morning children are able to vote for a book that they would like their teacher to read to them that day.

• A child is chosen in each class each week to take home a reading buddy. This includes stories, a blanket, a reading teddy and a reading passport for the children to document their reading journey that week.

Rise and Read Mornings