Reading
Click here to view the Bowker Vale progression document where you will find the reading objectives taught in every year group.
Click the Year Group below to see the reading progression documents to show what children are learning in each year.
At Bowker Vale, we believe that being a successful reader is essential for all our pupils. Children who read every day will develop better vocabulary and comprehension skills. This has a massive impact on a child’s achievement in all other areas of the curriculum. Our main aim is for children to foster a love for reading and books. We celebrate this love for reading throughout the year with different events and celebrations, which the children really enjoy.
At Bowker Vale
From Nursery to Year 1, reading is taught in guided sessions with the class teacher. From Years 2 - 6 whole class reading is taught in a specific teaching sequence. We give pupils time to unpick texts and talk about what they have read. Reading strategies and the skills to answer different types of questions are also explicitly taught, giving pupils the confidence to become fluent, independent readers.
Reading strategies (Reception-year 1)
Reading strategies (Year 2- 6)
At home
We want children to develop their confidence, fluency and expression when reading at home (and to have fun). For this reason they will bring home books that are at or just below their reading level that they should be able to access, practice their fluency and enjoy.
Nursery - Y2
We have a wide variety of different types of books, which are sorted into coloured book bands and stored in tubs. The children know which colour band they are choosing from and pick their own books. These books are from a wide range of schemes, publishers and authors.
This allows the children to read a much wider variety of texts whilst still being supported at the correct reading level (and means that they are not always reading about Biff, Chip and Kipper!)
The colour bands progress as below:
|
pink
|
red |
yellow |
blue |
green |
orange |
turquoise |
purple |
gold |
white |
lime |
Years 3-6
At Bowker Vale we use a reading programme called Accelerated Reader. The only way to become really good at understanding what we read is through practice. Reading is a skill, so the more that we do it then the better we will become, which is why we hope that this new system will encourage pupils to read even more than they did before. At 4 different points during the year your child will take a Star Reader test. From this test they will be given a ZPD, which is the range of books which are at their current level. Once they have finished a book pupils will then take a quiz on the book to check their understanding.
We also have a subscription to myON. MyON is a fantastic digital platform, allowing pupils unlimited access to approximately one thousand e-books. Children are able to use a computer or tablet to select age and ability appropriate books which mostly link into Accelerated Reader quizzes. If needed, your child can listen to the story as it is read aloud to them.
This is an excellent resource to enhance your child’s reading experience (both fiction and non-fiction). Teachers will be able to track reading times and progress. Your child can use a computer, iPad or tablet to login to myON. Always ensure that you use www.myon.co.uk.Alternatively, you can download the myON app to enjoy reading some books offline. Your child’s login details, which allow them to read at home, can be found at the front of their reading diary.
Try and read with your child as much as you can. Listen to them reading aloud and also read to your child, so that they understand how to use expression and the correct pace. Checking that your child understands what they have read is also very important. Click on the links below for some resources for supporting reading at home.
Here are also some recommended reads that you can enjoy with your child at home. We may have many of these books in school, but you will also find them in your local library.
