Reading

Phonics and Early Reading at St Bede’s

Phonics is a vital foundation for early reading. At St Bede’s, we combine high-quality phonics teaching with a strong culture of reading for pleasure, ensuring our pupils develop the skills and confidence they need to become successful, lifelong readers.

We follow the Department for Education validated programme Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS). Through this structured approach, we aim for all pupils to:

• Recognise, say and write all phonemes within each phase of Essential Letters and Sounds

• Blend and segment phonetically decodable words with confidence

• Apply their phonic knowledge to read and write more complex words

• Read common exception (harder to read and spell) words

• Write clearly, accurately and coherently using their phonic knowledge

• Develop fluency in both reading and writing

• Foster a love of listening to and reading stories

Decodable Books

While children are learning to read, it is essential that their books closely match their phonics knowledge. We use Oxford University Press decodable readers, carefully aligned to the Essential Letters and Sounds programme and the specific sounds being taught in school.

These books are used in weekly review lessons and sent home to support practice. Children keep their reading book for one week and are encouraged to re-read it at least four times. Re-reading helps to build fluency, confidence and comprehension, allowing children to focus more effectively on new learning in school.

Reading books are matched to each child’s current phonics phase. Once children have securely mastered all sounds up to and including Phase 5, they move on to the Oxford Reading Tree scheme from Stage 6 onwards.

Reading for Pleasure

Alongside their decodable reading book, children enjoy regular library sessions in our school library and may take home a sharing book to read for enjoyment with their family. We ask that library books are returned promptly so they can be exchanged regularly.

Reading in Key Stage 2

In Key Stage 2, children continue on the school reading scheme until they are confident and ready to become “free readers.” Alongside this, we have a carefully selected reading spine in Key Stage 2 which includes a diverse range of high-quality texts. Our reading spine is designed to expose pupils to rich vocabulary, varied authors, different genres, and a broad representation of cultures, experiences, and perspectives. 

As in Key Stage 1, parents are encouraged to support their child’s progress by listening to them read regularly and recording comments in their reading record book. This partnership between home and school plays a key role in developing confident, fluent, and enthusiastic readers.

Policy

Key Stage 2 Class Novels