Lower Wortley Primary School
Reading in KS2
Children in Key Stage 2 build upon their initial phonic knowledge and early comprehension skills from Key Stage 1. Most children who are in Key Stage 2 are secure with their phonics knowledge and no longer have the need for exclusive phonics teaching to support the learning of reading. However, for some children the continuation of regular phonics teaching and practice will help them secure progress in reading and spelling.
Phonics
Phonics in Key Stage 2 contiunes from using the Floppy's Phonics scheme of work. Children have regular phonics teaching based upon their level of phonic knowledge and level of need. Sometimes this might be small group work or even on a one to one basis where needed. Phonics sessions involve recognising letters and the sounds they make, blending sounds together to read whole words and segmenting words up into their sounds to help with spelling. They practice both reading and spelling/writing in phonics sessions.
If you would like to support your child with their phonic knowledge you may find the following links helpful:
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Reading
Reading is a very important part of our curriculum in Key Stage 2. The children take part in a range of reading activities each day. These may include individual reading to an adult, reading together as a whole class, reading aloud to the whole class, listening to an adult read, guided group reading, completing reading related tasks in their reading journal and self-initiated reading for pleasure. We feel that children reading aloud to an adult on a one to one basis is still a very important part of how children learn to read and make time during the school week for children to read to adults. However, once the children reach Upper Key Stage 2 there is a lot more emphasis on reading independently.
To support the children with their individual reading we use a range of reading scheme books. We believe that children learn best when they experience a breath of text types and not just one type of scheme book. As the children progress with their fluency, accuracy and comprehension they will progress on to 'free reading' levels where they can read 'real' books to enhance their reading progress and develop personal tastes.
The scheme that the children in Key Stage 2 use will depend upon their reading ability and understanding of phonics as they enter Key Stage 2 and as they progress. Some children in Lower Key Stage 2 may still use phonetically decodable books from the Bug Club or Oxford Reading schemes. Most children in Lower Key Stage 2 use books from the Rigby Rocket Reading Scheme and the Oxford Reading Tree. These are the core reading material for children in Lower Key Stage 2. However, depending on the children's needs we also use book banded 'real books'. This provides children at all levels with a range of material that can provide support and challenge as needed.
As the children reach Upper Key Stage 2 the majority of children will be fluent and competent enough to move on to choose their own books. At this level they do not read books from a publish scheme but may choose from a selection of book babded 'real books'. By allowing the children to choose books that interest them we hope to foster an interest and enjoyment in reading that will follow the children to Secondary school life and beyond.
Please see our homework pages for tips on reading and learning at home.
You might find the following websites useful when supporting children with reading at home:
tips for reading comprehension
You might find the following document also useful when supporting your child with reading at home: