Reading- Our Reading Curriculum
INTENT:
At Battledown Centre for Children & Families we recognise that reading is a tool that allows our pupils to access the world around them. We consider enjoying and experiencing books and reading to be one of life’s most enriching skills. We aim to create a stimulating environment where children are encouraged to engage with and experience books and all forms of written material. The reading and literacy opportunities that we provide reflect the unique learning needs of our pupils. We provide a range of experiences that include multi-sensory approaches and encourage practical application of reading to support the development of life and independence skills in the community.
IMPLEMENTATION:
Our reading curriculum takes into account the needs of all pupils. We use a Total Communication approach throughout the school which supports pupils to make links between print, spoken words and the marks that they make. Alongside the explicit teaching of reading, a rolling programme of genres supports breadth of reading experiences for all pupils. These are often linked to the topic-based learning that is being delivered each term.
The offer for reading is based on the stage of learning that pupils are accessing. Please see more information below:
IMPACT:
The impact of the teaching of reading at Battledown Centre for Children & Families can be seen through ongoing assessment and discussion throughout the year. This includes:
o Continuous updating of SOLAR (our assessment tool)
o 3x yearly assessments for RWI
o Pupil progress meetings
o EHCP reviews
o Moderation
Where pupils are not making progress, barriers to learning will be assessed within the pupil progress meetings with members of SLT. Pupils at Battledown do not undertake statutory testing, including the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1.
READING FOR PLEASURE
Reading for pleasure opens up new worlds for children. It gives them the opportunity to use their imagination to explore new ideas, visit new places and meet new characters.
At school, we do lots of things to promote reading for pleasure:
- Class texts – every class has a focus text usually linked to their topic. This is displayed on the door of every class for all to see.
- Daily story time – each class engages in a daily story session. This varies from adults reading to the class from a chosen book to sensory stories and story massage.
- Book areas – all classes have an area of the classroom dedicated to books and reading. These are engaging spaces for the pupils filled with books that are age appropriate for the pupils. Pupils also have access to audiobooks.
- School library – Our library is welcoming and filled with exciting books. Books in the library are split into different curriculum areas for children to find books to suit their interest.
- Continuous provision – areas around classes that pupils are able to access promote reading and storytelling.
- World Book Day – each year we celebrate World Book Day with a range of activities linked to love of books. These often include dressing up as our favourite characters, sharing story time with staff and other pupils around school.