The Reading Strategy

The Reading Strategy is a trust-wide approach to develop reading comprehension skills, it takes place EVERY day for a minimum of 35 minutes. It incorporates age-appropriate, challenging texts which vocabulary rich therefore pupils are exposed to text which enables them to respond using a greater range of vocabulary. Each year group has carefully chosen texts which last for up to a term. All year groups have a reading response book which reflects the pride and enjoyment which children have towards their reading. The texts are supplemented with non-fiction and poetry to ensure a broad range of literature is experienced.

In addition to the Delta Reading Strategy, the children at Kingston Park Academy have access to a range of 1:1 reading texts. Predominately these are taken from the Oxford Reading Scheme but the but the school reading scheme books are supplemented throughout each phase to ensure a broad and balanced collection of genres are available.

Reading Plus

Children in Year 3-6 also access daily reading plus sessions. This session allows the children to focus on improving their fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, stamina, and motivation for reading. The children complete their session using an electronic device which tracks their reading speed and understanding. Staff can use the data to continually assess the children’s reading level and adapt the programme to suit the needs of the individual child plugging specific gaps. A group of children who might struggle to access this programme will be given the opportunity to develop their fluency using a text which is more at their ability level or might work on their phonic knowledge during this time.

Children are encouraged to read at home a minimum of three times a week and those who do receive rewards in our regular reading assemblies. In addition to this, we have our ‘Book Bingo’ to further encourage and develop a love of reading.

We pride ourselves in celebrating a love of reading throughout school from the moment the pupils arrive until the moment they leave. There are inviting reading areas situated throughout the academy where children may sit and read for pleasure in their own time. We encourage pupils to develop a love of reading so that they become life-long readers. It is our aim to ensure that pupils become fluent readers as early as possible. We recognise how crucial this is for pupils to be able to access all areas of the curriculum.

We ensure all of our pupils read widely and often, with fluency and comprehension appropriate to their age. Furthermore, we arrange engaging experiences such as author visits, library visits and book fayres to expose the pupils to the joy that reading can bring. This aims to involve and inspire the community with developing a love of reading.

A strategic approach to story time is being embedded though daily ‘Reading for Pleasure’ sessions. All pupils in the academy enjoy listening to an age-appropriate story every day. Each classroom is transformed into an inviting environment where the pupils are able to lose themselves in the imaginary world inspired by the story telling experience.