Our home reading programme is for all classes across the school. When your child starts in Year 3, they will be listened to and put onto a reading band suitable for their level . Some children will be put on reading colour levels from the  Read Write Inc scheme which is used at the Infants.  Other children may be allocated books from the school library.  There are simply 7 levels across years 3-6.  Your child will bring home a book or even books with different coloured bands on them. 

Colour System

The colour system works on the idea that the children can read anything up to a certain colour. For example, your child might now be able to read up to ‘Yellow’, so they can read any books on black, blue, and yellow. This will give them the opportunity to choose from a wider variety of books: fiction, non-fiction and poetry, thus reading a broad range of texts. The aim of our home reading program is not for children to read more difficult books as quickly as possible, but rather to enjoy reading and being read to and practise some of the skills and strategies they have learnt at school.

Types of Reading Materials

Many of the books that children bring home as home readers will be books that they will find fairly easy to read. In class, children will read at a higher level of difficulty as specific skills and reading strategies are taught. Home Reading is aimed at enjoyment and practice and because of this, children will be reading books they can read competently and with confidence in order to practise a range of reading behaviours, the most important of these being comprehension.

We also hope that children will read a wide variety of genres and texts; therefore, if your child has read a leaflet posted through the door; an article in a magazine or newspaper; or something on their many electronic devices, these also count as ‘Home Reading’ and can be recorded in their reading diaries.

Reading Diaries

In addition to daily reading at school, it is expected that your child should read at home at least four times every week. We encourage you to read with and listen to your child read as much as possible to support them in the development of their reading skills.

To help us monitor and reward the children for working hard on their reading, please make sure the date and the text title is filled into the reading diary. If you wish to comment in the diary you can; alternatively, you can initial after the text has been read. You child’s class teacher will check the reading diaries weekly and count up their home reads signed by an adult at home. If they have achieved four home reads, they will earn a sticker on the reading chart. If your child is not reading regularly at home, your child’s class teacher will contact you to see how they can support you with this.  

Please try to have your child’s reading folder in school every day with their home reading book and reading diary. This will enable us to record in the diary when your child has read with an adult in school or within a guided reading group. If your child needs a new reading folder to keep their diary and books organised, these can be purchased from the front office.

Reading Rewards

After half term we will be running our first ‘Reading Awards’ assembly, congratulating the children who achieved the first ‘Reading challenge’. Every half term we will have a reward assembly, allowing children to collect Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Class Award certificates. So watch this space!

Reading Aloud

We understand that home life can be very busy and that it can also be tricky when your child progresses through Junior School as they might be reluctant to read out loud. However, we do encourage that you try to hear your child read out loud even if it is only for a page whilst you’re still washing up, cooking etc. Fluency, expression and intonation are still skills an able reader needs to keep practising. And, it can be ‘fun’ reading to an audience!

To, With and By - Reading Choices

To

Sometimes your child may bring home a text that is too difficult for them to read independently. This is a good opportunity for you to read the book to your child. Being read to is a vital part of children’s reading development.

By reading to your child you are:

• modelling an enjoyment in reading 

• demonstrating what a fluent reader sounds like

• modelling expressive reading

With

If the text is one that your child can read parts of, while some parts may be too difficult, this is an opportunity for you to read with your child. You may read parts of the text and allow your child to read parts. You may leave off the end of sentences for your child to read or encourage your child to read familiar words. When reading with your child you are: 

• creating an enjoyable shared reading experience

• supporting your child by helping when needed and joining in the experience with them

By

Some texts will be easier for your child to read, and can be read by your child. If your child can read the text independently, this is an opportunity for you to take them a step further with discussion and “book talk”. If the text can be read by your child you can:

•  celebrate their achievement 

• encourage expression – How would that character’s voice sound? How could we read the exciting / scary / funny parts?

• discuss the content of the text: • What happened in the story? • Where could we go to find some more information about that? • What did you learn? • Why do you think that character did that? • Why do you think the author chose that title? • How did the illustrations help the story?

The aim of home reading is practice and enjoyment. We do not expect you to teach your child at home. The time you spend creating an enjoyable experience in which children can practise skills and strategies they have learnt at school is important and appreciated. When your child brings a book home, you may decide if it is something you will read to your child, with your child or that can be read by your child. Above all, make it an enjoyable and positive experience.