Early Reading

We are Authors

Intent

Welcome to our phonics and early reading page.  We have recently become a Read, Write, Inc school.  Read, Write, Inc is a teaching programme developed to ensure that all children become fluent readers, articulate speakers and confident writers.  Each ‘reading teacher’ at Amesbury Primary School has completed the Read, Write, Inc Ruth Miskin Training, rated Outstanding by Ofsted, to ensure consistent and high-quality practice for our children.  We teach with high aspirations, rigour and enthusiasm; we want your child to develop a love of books, as well as simply learning to read.  Our children are always encouraged to work hard and demonstrate our school values of: kindness, dignity and endurance, thereby promoting our whole school ethos, ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart.’ (Colossians 3:23)

Implementation

We start using the RWI (Read, Write, Inc) programme to teach our children in Reception.  Daily lessons continue until children are ready to exit the programme.  Phonics is about learning the relationship between letters and sounds.  Children are taught to read letters, or groups of letters, by saying the sound they represent.  They can then blend the sounds they know to read whole words.  We teach children simple ways of remembering these sounds and letters.  Children also learn to read ‘tricky words’ that do not follow the phonic rules they have been learning (eg said, have, what).  Children will practise their developing reading skills with books that are perfectly matched to their phonic and ‘tricky word’ knowledge.  They begin to believe in themselves as successful readers.  This boosts their confidence and ensures they want to continue learning.

Children work in RWI groups with others who are at the same reading level.  Regular and consistent assessment ensures that children are grouped appropriately; they may move groups if they are making faster progress than others or they may receive one-to-one tutoring if they need support to keep up.  We will always keep you informed of your child’s progress and of any concerns so that you know how to help at home.

Your child will bring different sorts of books home from school.  Some will be RWI books that your child can read on their own.  Ofsted suggest that children read with 95% accuracy in books that are supporting them to practise their reading skills. Help your child to sound out the letters in words and then to ‘push’ the sounds together to make a whole word. You can hear how to say the sounds correctly at this link: http://www.ruthmiskintraining.com/teacher-support/61/index.html 

Some books will be for you to read to your child, such as a picture book from our lovely school library.  Encourage your child to talk about the story; ask them questions about what happened, discuss the characters, explain new words that your child doesn’t yet know the meaning of – this will support your child to develop their comprehension skills and expand their vocabulary.  More RWI information for parents and carers can be found using the link https://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/find-out-more/parents/

When your child begins the RWI programme, you will be invited to a meeting so that we can explain how we teach reading.  Please come and support your child.  We want you to know how to help.  We know parents and carers are very busy people but becoming a fluent reader is the most important thing your child will learn at Amesbury Primary School, and we will ensure every child learns to read as quickly as possible, thus enabling them to become confident readers, speakers and authors who are best-equipped to understand, explore and work creatively as citizens of God’s world.

Intent

 As stated above, becoming a fluent reader is the most important thing your child will learn at Amesbury Primary School. We aim that every child leaving Amesbury CE Primary School will be  confident readers, speakers and authors who are best-equipped to understand, explore and work creatively as citizens of God’s world. Hence, providing them with the necessary tools to be successful at KS3 and in later life.