At Henry Maynard Primary School and Nursery, we believe that every child should leave year 6 with a love of literature and ready to be a lifelong reader. We offer a curriculum designed to ensure the building blocks of word reading are secured in KS1 and that all pupils choose to read for pleasure both at school and at home.
Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.
Frederick Douglass
Reading Opportunities
Early Reading:
We use Little Wandle to teach Phonics and Reading in Reception and Year 1. Our children are taught Phonics as part of a language-rich curriculum, so that they develop wider reading skills as well as their ability to decode unfamiliar words. We use Big Cat Collins books for early reading as these support the phonics teaching. Reading workshops for parents from Early Years to Key Stage 2 are held to support reading at home. The statutory Phonics Screening Check takes place towards the end of year 1. More information on this can be found in the documents provided below.
Please access the Little Wandle website (link below) to find more information. The 'For parents' section provides videos of how to pronounce the Phase 2 and Phase 3 sounds and how we teach the reading of words.
Reading at home:
Each week, children in Early Years and KS1 will bring home a reading book tailored to their ability to support their reading development and a free-choice book to develop their love for reading. In KS2, children will bring a reading book home each day that they will select, with guidance when needed, from their reading range as part of Accelerated Reader. Each child has a reading diary where parents and carers, and the children themselves, are encouraged to share feedback on the books they have read.
Reading across the Community:
To encourage reading across the school community, a book swap trolley for parents and carers is available outside both school offices. Please feel free to bring in a book to swap and share. We are proud to participate in a Family Reading Challenge, whereby families read together everyday for a fortnight to celebrate the wonder of reading. Children across the school visit local libraries and children from KS1 read with residents of our local care-home. We hope to be able to resume this when it is safe to do so.
During the week of World Book Day, we invite parents and carers to take part in a Reading trail. We are so proud of our children and families and their fantastic efforts in our World Book day trail. You can see images from this community event on our twitter page.
Helpful Documents