Reading

At Chelford CE Primary School we are passionate about reading! We recognise that reading is a life skill that opens a world of opportunities for children as they grow older. A key part of our work in teaching reading to our pupils is the belief that reading is an enjoyable and pleasurable activity. Through reading, our pupils get to travel the seven seas, meet wonderfully interesting and exciting characters, learn facts about a range of interests and hobbies and immerse themselves in a completely new world - all without stepping foot outside the classroom!

As part of our practice, we promote daily reading with our pupils and share our enthusiasm for reading by ensuring that all children are read to on a regular basis. In doing so, staff are able to model reading fluency, demonstrating shifts in intonation and creating voices to add characterisation to the texts they share, which consequently increases pupils’ enjoyment of texts.

We recognise that great writers are born through great readers; it is how our pupils can acquire new and exciting vocabulary; adopt some of the techniques deployed by their favourite authors and combine a range of skills to give their work an appropriate ‘voice’ - one which shifts to the needs of the audience and purpose.

At Chelford CE Primary School we are keen to celebrate the diversity and inclusivity of reading and pupils have access to the works of authors across the gender, ethnicity and religious spectrum. In doing so, these poets and writers become inspirations for our pupils, empowering them to write with creativity, flair and purpose.

The School outlines its approach to the teaching and learning of reading in the document below. In developing this approach, leaders reflected on research published by the Education Endowment Foundation which provided an insight into some of the effective models of teaching reading in the primary phase.

Reading: Intent, implenmentation and impact	EEF Improving Literacy in KS1 (2017)	EFF Improving Literacy in KS2 (2017)	Subject lead: Mrs Heather Thwaites

PTA support for reading at Chelford CE Primary School

Just some of the wonderful reading books added to class libraries from PTA donations

To support pupils’ enjoyment of reading, the PTA supported the acquisition of new reading books at a cost of over £1,000 in the spring term. Pupils’ recommendations and nominations for new titles, along with research into the latest children’s texts and authors informed our selections. In addition, reading books to support areas of study as identified in the Chelford Curriculum were purchased for each class. 

As a consequence, all class libraries now include a wide range of children’s books for pupils to enjoy. 

We cannot wait to get our hands on our latest library additions!