Reading

Reading is at the heart of our school curriculum. At Hallam Fields Primary School we use reading to expand our children’s horizons, build their creativity and imagination as well as teach them new knowledge and skills. We firmly believe that reading unlocks all areas of the curriculum and is a core skill that children need to learn and that reading is the key to future success.

The skills of reading are taught within phonics and whole class reading and children are immersed in literature through English lessons and foundation subjects.

The skills of reading are taught throughout our curriculum. These include, daily phonics lessons (EYFS- Year 1), whole class reading lessons (Year 2-Year 6), listening to a class novel, 1:1 reading with teachers and support staff. You may have heard your child speak about VIPERS- Find the KS1/ KS2 VIPERs guide below.

Children are also excited by the opportunity to share their recommended reads, or favourite books in our weekly book club sessions in class. We also explore different authors and books genres throughout the year and recommend other books from the same author with teachers sharing their recommendations or why they enjoyed reading a particular child’s book.

Books:   From Year 2 to Year 6 children are given individual reading books from the UK book banded system. Please see below the colour banded system. Children also take home a reading for pleasure book. All reading for pleasure books are labelled with a gold star and for children, parents/ carers to enjoy and share with their child at home.

Bookbag Books

At Hallam Fields Primary School we have invested in the bookbag books which relate to the Read, Write, Inc scheme we teach. This means that the book the children take home contain sounds and words they have already been taught in school so at home they can practise them confidently. This helps with consolidation and retaining phonics learning, making the children masters of reading!