Literacy
Reading
We place great importance on the teaching of reading. It is our philosophy that the reading, and the enjoyment of reading, opens the world to our children and is the key to success in all curriculum areas. A love of reading is one of the most powerful gifts that a child can develop.
We expect all pupils at Perranporth School to have a regular reading routine. Children begin reading using a mixture of phonics leveled books and stories to share at home. Reading is recorded in reading records and teachers monitor the comments to assess reading progress and to communicate with parents/carers about any issues raised whilst reading at home. Each class has time to visit the school library. The library has a wide range of books for the children to choose from and is run by the year 6 librarians.
We also have a whole school reading reward system to encou
rage children to participate in regular home reading. All children at Perranporth are encouraged to read daily at home and to record this in their reading record. This year we are encouraging our youngest pupils to take part in our Ultimate Bookworm Reading Challenge. To participate, all children need to do is simply read regularly and record each significant read with parents/carers commenting and dating after each reading session. Each significant number of reads then results in a special badge that children earn. When children receive a badge they receive a special mention in assembly. To earn some badges children will also need to complete specific challenges the first challenge is a book review and 125 reads to receive the bronze badge.
The reward system works as follows:10 reads= White Bookworm, 30 reads= Red Bookworm, 50 reads= Orange Bookworm, 100 reads= Yellow Bookworm, 125 reads + a book review= Bronze Bookworm, 175 reads + two books from 100 best children’s books= Silver Bookworm, 200 reads + a book that a member of your family read when they were a child= Gold Bookworm, 250 reads + a classic (KS2) + a book written by a recommended author = Perranporth Ultimate Bookworm. Children who become Ultimate Bookworms will be entered into a prize draw to win an e-reader.
Have you got what it takes to become an ultimate bookworm?
For more information about the challenge please click on the link below
Ultimate Bookworm Reading Challenge
Book review templates needed to become a bronze bookworm. (These are also available from Mrs Laity or from Class Teachers)
Book review EYFS Book review KS1 Book review KS2
Please click below to see the Book Trust 100 best children’s books list by year group and recommended classics/authors
100 Best Children’s Books Recommended Classics Recommended Authors for Children
AR Millionaires
For our KS2 pupils reading will be rewarded according to the amount of words read on Accelerated Reader. Children who meet the following word criteria will be members of the millionaires club and automatically rewarded with an in school treat termly. These children will also be in with a chance to take part in an exclusive activity each term. Each class teacher will also nominate a child from each year group to participate in the activity based on their reading effort that term. Children in KS2 are able to take part in the Ultimate Bookworm Challenge but they need to be responsible for counting their own reads and completing the extra activities.
250,000 by Christmas
500,000 by Easter
1,000,000 by Summer
All of our pupils can access free ebooks and eaudiobooks using their Borrowbox app log in details. Please contact class teachers for individual log ins for the Borrowbox app.
Book Club
Children in KS1 and KS2 also enjoy a daily reading session. They take part in specific activities to improve their reading skills. Over the year they will explore a range of genres and develop confidence in using a range of reading strategies.
Phonics
At Perranporth School, The Letters and Sounds programme is used for the teaching of phonics. Daily sessions are taught in EYFS and KS1. We ensure children apply phonic knowledge and skills as their first approach to reading and spelling. Children are taught the common exception words and tricky words to help to aid their reading and spelling fluency.
Click here to see our parent’s guide video on how we te
ach phonics at Perranporth School.
Click here to see our letter of congratulations from the Minister of School Reform Nick Gibb MP for such fantastic phonics standards! Phonics Letter
Speaking and Listening
Children are provided with opportunities to gain confidence in speaking individually, in small groups and through class based activities across the curriculum. Through these opportunities children explain, explore and develop their skills for different purposes and audiences. Children are encouraged to develop effective communication skills in readiness for later life.
Writing
We aim for all of our children to experience a wide variety of writing genres. First-hand experience, films, books, newspapers and imagination are used to help children create their own writing. Carefully planned regular writing opportunities allow pupils to develop their writing stamina. Through these opportunities children are also taught how to draft and evaluate their writing. Children in KS1 and KS2 complete independent writing tasks regularly. From these independent pieces of writing teachers are then able to provide specific next steps for each child to achieve in their future writing.
At Perranporth School we enhance pupil’s vocabulary through opportunities that arise naturally from their reading and writing. Pupils are taught how to work out and clarify the meaning of unknown words and words with more than one meaning. New words and phrases are introduced regularly and children are challenged to experiment with using these in their own writing.
Children across KS1 and KS2 use cursive handwriting. Handwriting is taught in specific short sessions throughout the week however neat handwriting is promoted and valued at all times. Joining is introduced in year 2 and in KS2 once children are able to join fluently they begin to write in pen rather than pencil.
Spelling, punctuation and grammar
Children in KS1 and KS2 take home spellings to learn weekly and are tested on them the following week. Spellings are set from the National Curriculum and children are taught the relevant spelling objectives and to investigate the rules and any variants. Grammar and Punctuation are taught daily from the National Curriculum with class teachers using their knowledge of the children to fill any gaps in their learning. Children are able to put into practice what they have learning in their own writing.
How can you help your child at home?
- Talk to them! The most important thing you can do is talk to your child and listen to them when they are talking to you. Try to extend their vocabulary range and their skill at talking in increasingly more complex sentences. For example, try to teach them alternative words for ideas, or nouns they already know.
- Read to them and always discuss the story you are reading to try to build your child’s comprehension skills and understanding.
- Listen to you child read every night. Find a quiet time to hear your child read and use lots of praise to encourage them.
- Encourage your child to record their writing in a variety of ways. They may wish to keep a diary, write or story or send a postcard.
- Support you child in learning their weekly spellings.
- Make use of our local library.
Progress
If a child is not making expected progress within Literacy then they may receive small group or individual intervention sessions. These sessions are planned to meet the needs of the child and progress is regularly monitored. Reading and writing are regularly assessed and you will be notified of your child’s level at each Parents Evening and in the School Report. Formal testing takes place for phonics at the end of Year 1 and reading at the end of Year 2 and Year 6.
It is expected that all children will be fluent readers by the end of Year 2, having secured word recognition skills and that they will have become independent readers with a love of books
More Information
If you would like to find out more about the 2014 National Curriculum in England for Literacy, please use this link. National curriculum in England: English programmes of study
