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Early Reading

Early reading is a vital skill and is the ticket to all other learning. At Hartsfield our aim is to have all children reading fluently by the end of Year 2. If your child is not reaching the milestones needed to get to this point, we will let you know as soon as possible and the strategies we are using to help your child get to where they need to be.

Systematic and robust phonics teaching is by far the best way to learn reading. We do this daily in EYFS, building on what they have learnt in their nursery setting and then extending into Years 1 and 2.

In school, the children read books exactly matched to their phonic knowledge on a daily basis in EYFS, Year 1 and 2. Once they are reading fluently then we encourage them to choose any books to read that interest them.

Home reading

The children in EYFS, Year 1 and 2 bring home weekly games, website ideas and activities that are exactly matched to their phonics learning and will help you to support your child with their phonics skills at home and reinforce what they are learning in school. This is alongside a book for sharing with an adult that is beyond their phonics skills.

Other ways for you to help your children with reading at home:

Read to your child every day. Make a routine, such as reading together after a bath or before bed.

Read and reread your child’s much-loved stories as many times as they want to hear them. Choose non-fiction books that interest them and authors that they like too.

Get comfy! Encourage your child to hold the book themselves and turn the pages.

Ask questions when you are reading together, such as ‘What can you see on this page?’, ‘How do you think the characters feel?’ and ‘What is the story about?’

Visit the local library together. It is fun choosing new books to read. Keep an eye out for special story events at the library or local bookshops that you can join in with. We will let you know of any events or visiting authors we have at school.

Encourage family and friends to share books with your child. The more they see you and others reading, the more they will want to read too. Everyone tells a story in a different way. Have siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles read to your child.

Read a range of texts such as recipe books, nursery rhymes, leaflets through the letterbox, signs, non-fiction and of course, classic stories.

Model your reading enjoyment by telling your child how much you enjoy reading with them. Talk about “story time” as the favourite part of your day. Read books for your own enjoyment in view of your child.