Gillas Lane Primary Academy and Nursery, Seaton Avenue, Houghton Le Spring, Sunderland, DH5 8EH

0191 500 5956

Gillas Lane Primary Academy and Nursery

Proud to be part of Aim High Academy Trust

Reading at Gillas Lane Primary Academy

Reading in Key Stage 2

 

Reading in Key Stage 1

English

At Gillas Lane Primary Academy we believe that a secure understanding of reading, writing and speaking and listening is the foundation for all learning. We endeavour to ensure all children leave Gillas Lane Primary Academy with an understanding that is at least in line with national expectations. We do this in the following ways:

Reading

We use the Read Write Inc. programme to ensure children have a good understanding of letters and their sounds. We closely link reading sounds to writing them. Throughout Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 (and beyond where necessary), children access a daily phonics lesson that involves hearing, reading and recording sounds.

 

When children are learning to read, we send home RWI reading books to support and build on learning in the classroom. As children progress, we use Lexile Measures to ensure children are reading appropriately challenging texts, but our most valuable tool is our staff, whose love of reading and knowledge of children's literature is second to none. 

 

All children are expected to read to an adult at home every night; our Everybody Every Night celebrations are always a highlight of the term.

During English lessons, there is an equal focus on both reading and writing. Children routinely read texts as a whole class.

 

Writing

Writing is directly linked to children’s reading. A variety of genres are covered each term and children have the opportunity to write, receive feedback and then redraft their work.

Children are given the opportunity to write for a variety of reasons and purposes and we often share children's work with the authors that inspired them via our Twitter account.

 

Speaking and Listening

At Gillas Lane Primary Academy, we understand that children arrive at school with varied knowledge and understanding of language, whether this be English, or another native language. We build on children’s knowledge and understanding through our use of stem sentences and encourage repetition of correct sentence structure.

 

 

We were thrilled to hear that Mrs Straughan was selected as the winner of the Lord Glenamara Memorial Award for Excellence in English. She received this letter of congratulations from Gavin Williamson, Secretary of State for Education. It is wonderful that the way we teach English at Gillas Lane has been recognised as being best practice.