English - Reading and Writing

Reading

We follow a Mastery approach to English through the programme Pathways to Read. Units of work are delivered using high quality texts and children in all year groups are given varied opportunities 

for reading. Skills are built up through repetition within the units, and children apply these skills in the reading activities provided.  

We deliver one whole class shared reading lesson per week from years 2-6 with bespoke grouped reading for every pupil at least once a week as well as individual reading. For pupils still needing support with phonics from years 2-6, we provide an individual reading programme that has phonically decodable texts at the heart of it. In our shared and grouped reads, there is a clear teaching focus with the opportunity to master key reading skills in each session. There are follow on reading tasks to enable pupils to evidence the skills they have mastered independently.

Many opportunities for widening children’s vocabulary are given through the Pathways to Read approach and this builds on the extensive work we do in school to provide our children with a rich and varied vocabulary.  

We also use Pathways to Write to drive our writing curriculum. This aligns with Pathways to Read ensuring meaningful links for our pupils with texts and topics that are used across Literacy, Humanities and Science.

You will find the end of year expectations for reading for each of our year groups in the attached documents. For further detail on the skills that your children are learning on a termly basis, please contact your class teacher.

Guided Reading across the Federation

Once children have completed Phonics they will move on to whole class Guided Reading. This takes place daily and makes use of high quality texts and help to develop their reading skills.

Antrobus

At Antrobus, Year 2 children have whole class guided reading with the class teacher or a teaching assistant. Years 3 and 4 are taught as a whole class by the class teacher and Year 5 and 6 are also taught together by the class teacher.

Great Budworth

At Great Budworth, once the children in Year 2 have completed Phonics they will move onto whole class guided reading delivered by the class teacher or the teaching assistant. Children in Year's 3, 4, 5 and 6 are all taught as one class for Guided Reading and the class teacher will challenge each year group through their questioning, discussions and tasks.

What does Guided Reading look like in our school?

Guided Reading is taught as a whole class. Each week is split into 5 sessions.

Session 1: Whole class read (predict, clarify vocabulary, model fluency)

Session 2: Whole class read (fluency practice, retrieve, mastery focus)

Session 3: Independent Reading

Session 4: Follow up task

Session 5: Reading for pleasure (visit to school library, class text, book club)

Below is a sample of some of the high quality texts that are used within Pathways to Read. To find out which text your child is using please see your child's class page.

Reading Books

Children will also have a reading book that they will take home. The book will be selected based on the child's reading ability and their understanding of the text. The class teacher or teaching assistant will support in the changing of the books and assessments will be carried out frequently to ensure the children are being challenged. Each child will also have a reading record where reading both in and out of school can be recorded.

Writing

Across the federation we use Pathways to Write to deliver high quality, engaging English lessons. Pathways to Write is split into units that last for a half term. Each unit is based on a class text and the children will do a range of different activities leading up to an independent write at the end of the unit.

Pathways to Write approach

Gateway

Each unit of work starts with a hook to engage the children in the text they are going to be learning.
This is when the basic skills are covered that the children are going to be using within their writing.

Pathway
This is where opportunities are provided for children to practice skills they are already been taught and are given the opportunity to 'master' them. They will also be able to practice new skills and apply them in new contexts. Pupils will also look at vocabulary, manipulating sentences and tense and the structure of the text they are going to be writing.

Writeaway

Children will then be given the opportunity to create their own plan before doing a piece of independent writing making use of the skills they have learnt and been practicing.

The work will be then be edited and published.