Accelerated Progress in Reading

77% of children at Key Stage Two achieved the expected standard, with a progress score above national. This builds on results last year which were also above the national.

As reading underpins all learning, we needed to develop a structured approach to improve outcomes initially in Early Years and Key Stage One so that there were fewer gaps in learning as children moved into Key Stage Two.

• The teaching of reading has been developed to include the following:
• We have adopted a policy of ‘every read counts’, where all staff and volunteers are trained to ensure they can offer a high quality reading session focusing on developing reading strategies and comprehension;
• We have two reward systems in place; ‘bugs’ legs’ in Key Stage One and ‘Diamond Quest’ in Key Stage Two, both of which are easy to administer and create a competitive structure that children enjoy;
• Our MOTOR (my own time of reading) Club enables children to catch up on their reading time and progress through the reward system.  It operates at break and lunchtime to support reluctant readers;
• Reading is regularly tracked through running records and half termly assessments;
• The school has had investment from a large supermarket to develop ‘reading pods’ in the wooded area;
• All volunteers and staff at every level are trained in listening and teaching reading on a 1:1 basis;
• We audited the provision of reading books to ensure that there was a wide range, which meant investment and some disposal of unsuitable texts;
• The reading schemes have been redefined and split up more to refine the levels and movement through variety of schemes. Books are mixed in the levels with different fonts, genres, sizes etc. to ensure that the reading skills are transferable;
• Each book is introduced with a book orientation session;
• Because of the increase in the number of levels, children and parents see their progress more clearly.
• Children making less progress are identified and a reading intervention is initiated. Children go through a ten week programme where they read for up to 30 minutes a day with a trained member of staff. 

'Time' has been our largest resource, to relate time for training and prioritise CPD over meetings. We have spent extra money on books.

The children are developing an intrinsic motivation to read as a result of this confidence is growing as their reading skills develop. The transference of these skills are impacting on children’s learning all the way across the curriculum.