Reading

Our pupils are given regular opportunities to read at school so please ensure they have their reading record and books with them in school every day. 

Phonics

We teach children to read and write using the Read, Write, Inc. phonics programme as soon as they start with us in reception. Children in reception and KS1 have a 40-minute phonics lesson every day, where they are grouped with others at the same reading level as them.

Watch the videos below to find out more about how we teach phonics:

Click on the link below to find out more about the Read Write Inc Phonics Programme: 

https://www.ruthmiskin.com/parentsandcarers/?playlist=7781fe9&video=c2cde2c

Click on the link below to find out how to pronounce the sounds that your child will be learning in Phonics: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yln6PpV1G1I

This sound chart shows the sounds your child will learn in their phonics lessons. We call sounds with more than one letter ‘special friends’. 

In Year 1, children take part in the Phonics Screening Check. Click on the link below to find out more information. 

https://www.ruthmiskin.com/parentsandcarers/?playlist=7781fe9&video=ae89b53

Guided Reading

Guided Reading is taught throughout Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. In these sessions, pupils develop their word reading, decoding and fluency, alongside reading comprehension skills.

In Key Stage 1, the key comprehension skills are:   

• literal understanding and retrieval 
• inference 
• prediction 
• sequencing 
• identifying and explaining 
• word choices and vocabulary 

In Key Stage 2, the key comprehension skills are: 

• literal understanding and retrieval 
• inference 
• prediction 
• identifying and explaining 
• summarising 
• word choices and understanding vocabulary 
• comparison (Year 5 and 6) 

At Costessey Primary our pupils in Years 2-6 are taught Guided Reading in a sequence of four sessions focusing on these skills. 

 

The books your child will bring home

‘Book Bag Book’ - Reception to Year 6

This is a book which has been chosen by your child’s teacher for children to read to parents. All of these books will be set at a level that is both comfortable yet sufficiently challenging to them.

Read Write Inc Story Book - Reception to Year 2 (plus some children in Year 3)

Children will also take home a Read Write Inc story book. This will be linked with the sounds which the children will be learning in their phonics lessons.

Library Book - Reception to Year 6

Finally, children will also take home a book that they have acquired from the library. This is a book that they can read for pleasure. These books may not match the level that your child is reading at but will be books they have chosen as they match their interests. It is important that the children feel a sense of ownership over their reading choices and so they may need support with decoding these texts. Younger children may choose a book for their adults to read to them instead!  

How much reading should I do with my child at home?

Reading with your child is the most important thing you can do to support them with their school work at home. We expect our children to read five times a week with an adult at home. Please record any reading you do with your child in their reading record.

What rewards will my child receive for reading at home? 

Your child receives a ‘raffle ticket’ for every five reads recorded in their reading record. The ‘Reading Newsletter’ tells you the day your child’s reading record will be checked. Two raffle tickets are selected each week to choose a very special prize!

Each class is also completing the ‘Race to Read’ challenge where they are competing to get to a class total of 1,000 reads! Every read your child has in their reading record is counted and added to the class total.