Reading at MGPS

Reading at MGPS

At Mappleborough Green Primary School, we see reading as a fundamental aspect of life, and is central to a child’s general progress, as well as their ability to develop an understanding across a wide range of curriculum areas. Success in reading is crucial in developing children’s selfconfidence and motivation to learning in general. As a result, we aim to develop fluent, confident and independent readers through a structured focus on word, sentence and text level knowledge. We encourage children to become enthusiastic and reflective readers by teaching them to understand and respond to a variety of texts. Children are given the confidence and opportunity to read aloud with expression and clarity to a range of audiences, as well as developing and extending their vocabulary through shared and guided reading. All of this is based on developing a love of reading that recognises the value and importance of this critical life skill. Our extensive school library, together with a well-structured and progressive curriculum enables children to develop their cultural capital by exposing them to the best that has been thought and said in the world of literature. Each year group also has a set of ten 'Reading Challenge' books which encompass the very best of classic and contemporary literature from 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' and 'Dogger' to 'Tom's Midnight Garden', 'Stig of the Dump' and 'Howl's Moving Castle'.

Throughout the school year, children are empowered in their reading by discussing and voting for new book stock as part of a Class Book Club. These books are then available for the children to read as part of their home/school reading choices. In addition, a ‘Book of the Month’ display in the school library helps children to explore new book choices based on the views of other children. To further encourage children to read, we reward children based on the number of words read. Certificates are issued for key word count milestones, with those children reaching one million words receiving a book token.