English Curriculum at Anglesey

Reading at Anglesey

To ensure our children read with skill we:

• Teach the phonological skills required to decode texts in our daily phonics lessons in EYFS Reception and Y1 (some children will also have a daily phonics lesson in Y2)
• Carefully plan an immersive English learning journey, using quality texts
• Ensure opportunities for children to talk about the texts they read and develop their understanding
• Build upon prior knowledge and teach reading strategies
• Ask and answer questions about the class texts we read
• Use Accelerated Reader in Y5 and Y6
• Ensure opportunities for 1:1 reading
• Team children up for buddy reading

To ensure our children read with passion we:

• Develop children's engagement with, and understanding of, texts when reading as part of our English lessons
• Create a reading rich learning environment
• Nurture a joy of the exploration of language through sharing and celebrating their reading journey
• Visit the school library at least once every two weeks
• Visit the local community library in every year group at least once per year
• Read books to children daily in story time
• Offer reading workshops for parents
• Invite an author into school at least once per year
• Encourage and motivate children's independent reading through the Rocket Reader Scheme
• Record, praise and celebrate children's reading

Home Reading and Rocket Readers

We utilise a range of books from different publishers for our Home Reading Books. All books in EYFS and KS1 (Year 1 and 2) are organised by Phonic Phases so that children are reading books that match their phonic ability. Although books will also have a colour band, children will bring home books to read that match their current phonic phase of learning. Your child should be able to use their phonic knowledge to decode the words and read the books they bring home. If you have any concerns, please speak to your child's class teacher. Children will also have the opportunity to bring home a library book, from our school or classroom library, for pleasure - this is a book that the children individually select and may not be matched to their current phonic phase. Please enjoy time with your child reading their library book to them.

All children are expected to bring their reading diaries into school daily.

As an incentive for reading at home children can earn badges through the Rocket Readers scheme. Pupils will be awarded a different coloured badge every twenty-five times they read with a family member at home.

Pupils cannot receive more than 1 read each calendar day (e.g. if they have their diary signed twice on one day, it still only counts as 1 read).

If pupils read every day throughout the academic year, they can become exclusive members of the Reading Star Club and receive a reward for reading 300 times during the year! If children read every day for the whole year they will have 322 reads. Last year, all the children that earned their Reading Star badge had a visit from the ice cream van!

Writing at Anglesey

As part of each English unit of work, teachers plan the spoken language, reading and writing objectives children need to achieve. Teachers decide on the final writing outcome and 'plan backwards' from that to ensure children build the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to confidently create an independent piece of writing. Teachers also plan opportunities for children to 'publish' some of their final written outcomes, which lead to their work being displayed, shown to another class, shared with parents, made into a book for another year group to enjoy or being shared on our school website.