READING PROTOCOL

Rationale

We believe reading is a vital skill that supports learning across the whole curriculum. We therefore want our students to become enthusiastic, independent and reflective readers who are able to read with increasing fluency, accuracy and understanding.

We believe it is essential to establish a consistent whole school approach to the teaching of reading by promoting a strong and systematic emphasis on the teaching of synthetic phonics during shared, guided and independent reading sessions.

We aim to ensure that our students are given opportunities to read good quality and interesting fiction and non-fiction texts.

We create a stimulating learning environment where reading materials are attractively presented by enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff who keep up-to-date with current literature.

We also believe it is crucial to involve and engage with parents in order for students to fulfil their potential in reading as we realise families have an important role to play in their children’s education.

Aims

• To ensure students become enthusiastic, independent and reflective readers who are able to read with increasing fluency, accuracy and understanding.
• To ensure students are given opportunities to read good quality and interesting fiction and non-fiction texts in a stimulating learning environment.
• To establish a consistent whole school approach to the teaching of reading by promoting the teaching of synthetic phonics.
• To engage with families in order for students to fulfil their potential in reading.

Responsibility for the Protocol and Procedure – Governing Body and Headteacher

The Governing Body has:

• appointed a member of staff to be responsible for coordinating Teaching and Learning, including Literacy and the teaching of reading throughout the school; This person is Deputy Headteacher
• delegated powers and responsibilities to the Headteacher to ensure all school personnel and stakeholders are aware of and comply with this protocol;
• responsibility for ensuring full compliance with all statutory responsibilities;
• responsibility for ensuring that the school complies with all equalities legislation;
• responsibility for ensuring funding is in place to support this protocol;
• responsibility for ensuring Abbot’s Lea School make effective use of relevant research and information to improve this protocol;
• responsibility for ensuring this protocol and all policies are maintained and updated regularly;
• responsibility for ensuring all policies are made available to families;
• nominated a link “Teaching and Learning” governor to:

• visit the school regularly;
• work closely with the Deputy Headteacher;
• ensure this protocol and other linked policies are up to date;
• ensure that everyone connected with the school is aware of this protocol;
• where relevant, attend training related to this protocol;
• annually report to the Governing Body on the success and development of this protocol.

• responsibility for the effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this protocol.

The Headteacher has:

• delegated all aspects of leadership of Teaching and Learning to the Deputy Headteacher

Responsibility for the Protocol and Procedure – Deputy Headteacher

The Deputy Headteacher has delegated authority from the Headteacher to:

• lead all aspect of curricular planning, delivery, evaluation, quality assurance and reporting
• work in conjunction with the Senior Leadership Team to ensure all school personnel, students and families are aware of and comply with this protocol;
• provide training for all staff on induction and when the need arises regarding;
• ensure good practice is shared throughout the school;
• be prepared for all types of school inspection;
• work closely with the link governor;
• provide leadership and vision in respect of equality;
• provide guidance, support and training to all staff;
• make effective use of relevant research and information to improve this protocol;
• monitor the effectiveness of this protocol by:

• monitoring learning and teaching through observing lessons
• monitoring planning and assessment
• speaking with students, school personnel, families and governors

• report to the Governing Body on the success and development of Reading

Responsibility for the Protocol and Procedure – Key Stage Leaders

The Key Stage Leaders will:

• provide leadership and direction to their Key Stage;
• deliver a curriculum that provides students with the essential knowledge they need to be educated citizens in democratic Britain;
• provide an environment that is fun, stimulating and challenging to all students;
• promote an awareness of and respect for a diversity of cultures, values, beliefs and abilities;
• equip students with a range of skills and a desire for lifelong learning;
• ensure appropriate coverage of the curriculum;
• provide support and advice;
• monitor student progress;
• ensure sufficient and up to date resources are in place.
• ensure students are given opportunities to read good quality and interesting fiction and non-fiction texts in a stimulating learning environment;
• ensure teachers engage with parents in order for students to fulfil their potential in reading;
• be expected to become a member of the National Literacy Trust Network;
• ensure continuity of assessment;
• monitor reading throughout the school;
• provide guidance and support to all staff;
• make effective use of relevant research and information to improve this protocol;
• keep up to date with new developments and resources;

Whole-school approach

We believe it is essential to establish a consistent whole school approach to the teaching of reading by:

Phonics – all students will be taught phonics through dedicated and well-organised phonics lessons. These lessons will take place daily. Twinkl Phonics (validated by DfE) is the main programme used by our staff. It is designed to help practitioners to teach students how to decode letters and sounds and how to make meaning of the words they decode. Twinkl Phonics is taught using our phryical resources and the online platform. In our setting, many of our students continue to master phonics after Key Stage 1. It may also be used as an intervention programme in older areas of the student population.

Shared Reading – the whole class share a text with specific reading skills or features of differing genre being taught. This will be weekly. This may be as part of a lesson, other than English

Individual Reading – students read decodable reading books. This may be a physical reading book, or an online book. Every student will read with an adult every week.

Reading Aloud – students are encouraged to read aloud to a variety of audiences. This is as appropriate

Story Time – the teacher reads aloud reading material that is age appropriate and of interest to the students. This will happen at least 3 times a week.

Home-School Reading – students choose decodable books from school and families are encouraged to hear their students read these several times a week. The home-reading book will be changed weekly – either physically or online.

Reading Resources – reading resources will be updated every year in order to provide a language rich environment. They will also be matched to our Curriculum Maestro resources

Assessment – students are assessed formatively daily. Their progress will be updated at least termly.

Phonics – a screening will take place in Term 1 and Term 6 of each academic year, where relevant.

Reading Age – GL Standardised Reading Age assessment will take place in Term 1 and Term 6 of each academic year, where possible.

Monitoring the effectiveness of the protocol

This protocol will be reviewed regularly to ensure it reflects best practice