Hallgate’s Reading Vision

At Hallgate, our aim is that children leave our school with a love of reading and the skills
that they need to equip them for the next stage in their education. We believe that if we
equip the children with the correct reading tools, they will be able to use them effectively
within a literate world. We want them to have experience of a wide range of high quality
texts that will excite them and engage their interest. We recognise that reading
development is closely linked to that of writing; it is by drawing upon examples from a
wide range of texts that pupils come to understand how writers write and are able to
develop as writers themselves.
Foundation Stage and Year 1
In Foundation, we teach our children to read using the phonics scheme Bug Club.
Children have a daily phonics session where they learn to recognise phonemes, learn to
read and spell words.
Children read on a regular basis in small groups and as a whole class. All children read
phonetically decodable books that link to the phoneme that they are currently learning in
their phonics session.
Year 2 and Key Stage 2
Children in Year 2 and Key Stage 2 develop reading skills through independent reading,
whole class guided reading and shared reading.
During Guided Reading and English sessions children explore a wide range of genres
which allow them to understand what they are reading. Children are given opportunities
to explore texts and discuss the purpose, themes and audience of texts.
Home Reading
Here at Hallgate Primary School, we believe that reading is extremely important. A great
deal can be done at home to develop your child’s reading skills. Reading aloud to
children can help them to enjoy stories they might struggle to read themselves. This
helps reluctant readers by removing the pressure. You can try sharing the reading, so
you read a page or paragraph each followed by a discussion of the text development,
language and structure. Research shows that reading with your child is the single
important thing you can do to help your child's education.
In Foundation Stage and Year 1 children bring regular bring home books from the
phonics Bug Club scheme to share and read at home with an adult. These books
directly link with the phonemes that they are currently learning in school.
In Year 2 and Key Stage 2 children bring books home on a regular basis from the
Accelerated Reading Scheme; once children have finished a book they complete an
online reading quiz to ensure that they understand every book that they read.
We have provided a range of approaches for each reading level that can be used to
support and develop a child’s comprehensive understanding. We have put together a list
of possible questions to help you with conversations about your child’s reading.

Reading Approaches

Picture Books
These are building blocks for understanding story structure, vocabulary and sentences.
Children learn which way round to hold a book; that we read from left to right, following the
pictures in order and from the top of the page to the bottom. Children learn that the story links
to the pictures and to use pictorial cues as their reading develops.
Picture books are really important because they enable children to discuss a story, and they
can build their confidence when re-telling a story. Talking about the pictures is enjoyable,
inspiring their imagination. Children can see the fun in reading right from the start.
Children in Foundation Stage bring home sharing books on a regular basis.
Phonetically Plausible Books
Children in Foundation and Year 1 bring phonetically plausible books home that directly link
with the phonemes that they are learning in their phonics sessions. Reading books develops
their phonetic knowledge and their knowledge of irregular words. At the same time, they will
need to hear, share and discuss a wide range of high-quality books to develop a love of reading
and broaden their vocabulary.
Reading for Understanding
Children are increasingly taught that the words they read have meaning. For example children
will learn to read a story rather than just learning to read a list of words. In this way, they also
understand reading has a purpose. They are taught to check that the word that they have read
fits in with what else they have read. Words and sentences make sense in the context of what
they already know about the topic or story. New words are introduced and explained in the
context of what they are reading. Eventually the meaning of unknown words can often be
worked out from the context of a story or information text.
Children are taught inference skills which is the skill to seek meaning in what they have read.
This can be very obvious and literal but can also be hidden. Children learn to infer the not so
obvious meanings that are often hinted at in fiction and non-fiction texts. They are taught to find
clues in the text and to add to those to what they already know. Children are taught to develop
and apply this skill to reading, eventually having to back up their inferences with evidence from
the text, so they can make sure it makes sense in the context.
Exciting books take a lot of inference. When children become experts at inferring, they become
lost in a world that the book is creating. They cannot wait to turn the page, and they are reading
for pleasure.