Home Reading 2022

What is the rationale behind our approach to Home Reading?

We are a ‘reading school’ – we immerse our pupils in a literature-rich learning environment where every pupil becomes an avid reader!

Pupils will leave our school as confident, independent readers with a passion for reading that lasts a lifetime, unleashing a world of imagination, curiosity and discovery.

Our Home Reading replaces homework focusing on developing our children as 'confident, independent readers.'

According to the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), the benefit of primary children doing additional work at home equates to a “+2 months” impact against a control of doing nothing. The EEF further cites that ‘short, focused tasks which relate directly to what is being taught, and which are built upon in school, are likely to be more effective’.

Through Home Reading, pupils are encouraged to participate in a range of regular, bitesize reading activities which correspond directly with work done in class. Tasks will either be part of:

• Consolidation (revisiting learned knowledge and skills) or
• Preparation (preparing for knowledge and skills yet to be learned)

Teachers in each year group generate a clear, sequential home reading which is bespoke to their class, evolves over time, and adapts to the needs of individual children.

What does Home Reading  look like?

• “Little and often” is the key approach with Home Reading. Each reading task  will be designed in a way that is meaningful, manageable and motivating.
• The Home Reading schedule is built around bite size, time-specific reading tasks which take no more than 15 minutes to complete.
• The tasks are designed to set children up for success in class, and to aid with the retention of reading skills into children’s long term memory.

How does Home Reading work?

• All pupils will bring a reading book home to read.
• The expectation is that all children partake in a minimum of five reading sessions per week.
• Each pupil will receive a personal School Planner. All home reading is to be recorded in School Planners. Parents must sign in the ‘Reading record’ section, stating the page number the child has read up to,. If your child reads a different book at home, please encourage them to record what they have read in the ‘Reading for enjoyment’ section.
• Reading Plus – In KS2, children have the opportunity to access an online diagnostic programme at home. This is acknowledged as home reading and will count towards a reading stamp. When recording this activity in your child’s planner, please note ‘Reading Plus’ and the title of the texts they have read online. 
• All reading books must be returned daily in a book bag or named transparent wallet provided by the school and placed in a classroom home reader box. The home reading box will be checked by an adult in school. Staff will stamp pupils’ school planners to acknowledge that the planner has been checked on a daily basis.    
•  Books can only be changed when the book is noted with ‘completed’ and signed by a parent or member of staff. Some pupils may read a book at a time; others will read a chapter or section of a novel, simply sign and note what page your child is currently at to ensure they receive their recognition stamp.
• Nursery and Early Years pupils will be able choose a book to take home to share with their families. As Reception and Year One pupils begin to read independently, they will bring early reading books home linked to their phonics knowledge.
• Year One to Year Six pupils will be provided with reading books following regular reading assessments by the school. Pupils will be allocated with reading materials appropriate to the level they have been assessed at by their teacher. Once pupils are confident, fluent readers with sound comprehension, they will be able to self-select their own reading book.
•  A reward system is in place to acknowledge time spent reading and offer rewards for milestone achievements. The reward chart will be updated on a daily basis and any achievements met will be arranged at the end of the day.
• Rewards:
  1. 25 records of home reading = wear your own clothes for a day
  2. 50 records of home reading = extra playtime
  3. 75 records of home reading = a new book of your choice
  4. 100 records of home reading = invite to a reading tea party
  5. 125 records of home reading = win a Golden Ticket to a film viewing after school

How will I know if my child’s teacher has checked my child’s Home Reading?

• Children will be required to bring their school planners in every day, contained inside their book bags
• Stamps and verbal feedback will be written in  school planners.