Reading and Phonics
At Merriott Primary School, it is our vision that children finish our school as fluent, skilled and passionate readers. We believe that reading is the key that unlocks a child’s learning and so we ensure children are able to access texts independently and have the tools to understand what they are reading.
Children begin their reading journey by being taught systematic phonics through the Read Write Inc. Phonics programme. Click here for more details.
We have carefully chosen high-quality texts as the basis for our reading and writing curriculum, ensuring that children are exposed to a range of cultural and historical experiences through books and develop a wide range of vocabulary. Please see our reading spine for more information about the texts we have chosen and the rationale behind this.
Our reading progression explains how we have broken down our intended reading curriculum in more detail.
Reading at home
Children bring home reading books to continue to practise their reading skills at home. Children are expected to be reading at least four times a week at home in every year group and this should be recorded in the reading diary provided each time. In Reception, this may include stories that are read to the children in the early stages of the year. We have a reading incentive programme in school and children can claim rewards such as bookmarks, pencils, rulers and even a book if they read regularly at home throughout the school year.
It is still important throughout their time at Primary School to encourage children to read some of their text out loud to you as this continues to embed fluency, which is the bridge to understanding texts. You can support your child’s reading comprehension by discussing the text and asking key questions to draw out their understanding of a text.
Shared reading at home, such as an adult reading a bedtime story out loud, throughout Primary School supports children to develop their understanding of vocabulary and the wider world as well as instilling a life-long love of reading.
Parent questions for home reading