Introduction

At the Green Way Academy we are determined that every pupil will learn to read, regardless of their age, gender or ability,  and we relentlessly endeavour to ensure that they make sufficient progress to become secure readers.

We are all truly passionate about the importance of reading because we know that if a child can read, and more importantly enjoy doing so, they will experience success in all areas and aspects of the curriculum. 

We believe that the active encouragement of reading for pleasure should be a core part of every child’s educational entitlement, and that it is this extensive reading and exposure to a wide range of texts that will make a huge contribution to pupils’ educational achievement and their chance of future success beyond our school. 

 In our school the children are taught exceptionally well and they are provided with a number of opportunities to read

 for pleasure.  Our whole school culture promotes a lifelong love of reading. 

 

‘When you read often and with enthusiasm, usually 

just for the sheer fun of it, you lay foundations that last for life’

Alan Gibbons

KS1 Reading 

Once the children have completed the RWI Phonics Programme they enter a transition phase where we use the RWI books (fiction and non-fiction) to practice reading for understanding.

Initially we teach fluency and vocabulary strategies so that the children can then focus on understanding what they read.  We spend time discussing the text and helping the children to ask and answer questions about the text.

This year we will be investigating the RWI Comprehension Programme for the Year 2 children. T

This is a 20-week programme that provides an ideal stepping stone from Read Write Inc. Phonics onto wider literacy programmes in Key Stage 2. 

As well as taking home their RWI reading book the children also take home a ‘Beautiful Book’ to share and enjoy with their families.

KS2 Reading


In KS2 we teach reading using the ARK English MyMastery scheme.   This is a fully-resourced, sequential reading programme which allows pupils to make at least good progress in reading. 

This book-based reading curriculum is based upon a mix of classics, modern classics and representative whole texts.  These have been carefully selected to: provide the appropriate level of challenge, be narratively engaging, instill important behaviours and values and reflect pupils’ realities whilst giving them an experience of the diversity of other groups.  Reading lessons also include extracts of other texts to broaden exposure. 

In each year group there is a theme that connects the texts that are being studied.

Reading whole novels allows the children to fully invest in the text; exploring characters, plots, different settings and different cultures.  It also motivates the children to read for pleasure and gives them the confidence to read whole texts by themselves.

The overviews are available here.

Assessment of Reading

We assess the children’s reading ability on a daily basis through listening to the children read, discussions with the children and looking at the work they have produced in response to the text.  We use this daily assessment to review the learning, feedback to the children and plan what we will need to teach the children next. 

We ensure the children are on track by using the school’s Reading Progression Document.

Three times a year the children from Y2 - Y6 will complete the NGRT (New Group Reading Test)

This is a standardised, adaptive, termly assessment to measure reading skills against the national average. It tells us whether the children are secure readers for their age. We also use it to identify where intervention may be needed, and then to monitor impact and progress made. 


Additional  Support in Reading 

Progress in reading is tracked frequently and forensically at The Green Way Academy.

If children need extra help and support they quickly receive a provision that meets their individual needs.

In KS1 and lower KS2 some children receive Read Write Inc. 1:1 Fast Track Tutoring daily.

In Year 5 and Year 6 they may receive Read Write Inc. Freshstart. Every day, pupils learn new letter-sounds and review previous sounds and words. They apply what they’ve been taught by reading words containing the sounds they know in lively, age-appropriate stories and non-fiction texts that are closely matched to their increasing phonic knowledge. By the end of the programme, they will be able to read these accurately and fluently. 


Children may also access extra support through:

Pupils’ progress in any of these provisions is tracked carefully using 

Edukey Provision Map.

Reading Experiences and Enrichment 

‘Reading for Pleasure’ is something which everyone in school feels very passionately about and we encourage the children to be happy and regular readers in a number of ways. 

The children and parents have access to our wonderful School Library where they can choose from our wide range of fabulous books  The children have one timetabled session a week in the school Library but can access it at any other appropriate time.

The children in KS1 can come to a weekly STORY CLUB and KS2 pupils can attend LIBRARY CLUB. 

Pupils also have their own reading area in the classroom - a book corner or a mini Library - which is carefully created to provide a range of wonderful and engaging texts for them to access throughout the day.

We have our own ‘Reading for Pleasure Literature Spine’ which brings together a collection of high-quality books, including books which celebrate diversity. 

All the children take part in Reading Adventure Week, World Book Day and Frankie’s Read every Day Challenge.

We invite authors in to school to work with the children and we have volunteers who simply listen to the children read.

Everyday the teachers show the children that they themselves are readers by sharing a class story and every year we buy every child in school a book for Christmas.

We have our own reading vending machine!  Children can visit Frankie’s Book Machine with their ‘Golden Coin’ and choose a book of their choice to take home.  We use this to provide rewards for children’s hard work, effort, good manners and kindness.  It is also used to celebrate our ‘Reader of the Week’ from each class. 

In the EYFS parents are invited to a termly ‘Story Sleepover’ session which takes place after school, helping to foster a culture of reading for pleasure from the very beginning of their journey with us.  Parents and children are provided with hot chocolate, blankets and biscuits, as well of course as a selection of books to share and enjoy!