At Stelling Minnis CE Primary School we value reading as the basis of our whole curriculum! From the moment a child is born they begin to acquire the skills for reading through language and vocabulary and we continue that learning journey from day one at our school. We have built a high quality reading curriculum to guide our young people to be life-long readers with both skill and passion.
The tools we use to support our reading curriculum are:
- Little Wandle Phonics Programme
- Little Wandle Banded Reading Books
- Big Cat Banded Reading Books
- Complete Comprehension
- High quality reading texts for class libraries
- High quality reference texts to support our wider curriculum
- Language Link
- The Power of Reading from CLPE
At the core of each unit of study, high quality texts such as Power of Reading books, as recommended by the CLPE (Centre for Literacy in Primary Education), are carefully selected based on their theme and content. These books are shared as whole class core texts to ensure that all children at Stelling Minnis are exposed to quality literature; broadening and deepening their knowledge and comprehension with regular opportunities to discuss, reflect and respond.
This approach resonates through every other reading experience children encounter, such as whole class reading, group reading sessions, peer reading and in selecting the books which we provide for children to read independently, and the contexts we provide for sharing and enjoying these books. Pupils read at frequent intervals during the school week; to staff, at home, to parent-helpers, during quiet reading times, as well as for research in other subjects.
Daily reading comprehension takes place, taught through the unit of study texts, as well as weekly discrete reading skills lessons.