Reading at Home
Reading books are sent home regularly with a child’s reading record, which can be filled in by teacher, teaching assistant, parent or child. Books are allocated (or selected by the children, if appropriate) from central locations across the school. The books are published by Little Wandle or Oxford Reading Tree and are colour coded (or numbered) and linked to the National Book Band scheme. These book bands in turn link to the National Curriculum levels, assessment grids and support materials used by staff. Once a child is a confident, fluent reader and is successfully able to comprehend the final numbered stage of Oxford Reading Tree (Stage 16) accurately, they become a ‘Free Reader’. This final stage allows the children to choose their own reading material from a wide range of authors that the children themselves have selected – to help foster, maintain and embed a love of reading.
Children are also allowed to bring home a ‘bedtime story’ (Early Years and Year 1) or a ‘library book’ (Year 2 – Year 6). This is to encourage children to pick a book for pleasure, alongside their designated reading book. Lower down the school, these books can be read to them by a parent, to allow children the opportunity to escape into the book and access the vocabulary and comprehension.
Parent Guide to Reading Record Comments
Listed below are some comments which may help you when writing in your child’s Reading Record Book to describe how your child has read at home. It is important to record both positive and developmental comments, as this will help both teachers and parents gain a better understanding about how your child is progressing. The statements below are just a guide; please feel free to adapt the wording and write comments which you feel appropriate.