Reading at Lowfield
From Phonics to novels we ignite a passion for reading in our pupils.
At Lowfield we believe in providing quality books for the children to read. In F2, Y1 and initially in Y2, reading books are specifically linked to the phonics stage a child is at.
Reading is taught through a range of direct teaching experiences including: phonics lessons, guided reading, novel studies, personal reading time, comprehension sessions and library visits.
​
It is our aim to develop enthusiastic and confident readers who can understand a wide range of texts. Children read for interest, information and enjoyment. Reading is an empowering life skill so at Lowfield our commitment is to give children the best start and develop a love of books and reading for pleasure.
Our Reading Aims
​
-
To provide a rich and stimulating reading environment.
-
To enable children to read with confidence, accuracy, fluency, understanding and enjoyment.
-
To foster an enthusiasm for and love of reading for life.
-
To identify accurate levels of attainment in reading for each child.
-
To ensure that all children are appropriately challenged.
Children will be taught a full range of strategies for reading including:
Phonics (sounding the letters and blending them together) and visual (whole word recognition with known words);
Contextual (use of picture and background knowledge including knowledge of the world);
Grammatical (which words make sense following standard English grammar).
​
Reading Online
Here are some useful links to online reading resources that you may find helpful.
Book Bands
The image below shows the colours or "bands" that books are grouped into. Children begin by having books specifically aligned to their phonic ability. Children partner read these books in their phonics lessons. They are then able to confidently and fluently read these independently. Lime book band corresponds to a child's reading level at the end of Year 3, which indicates that a child is moving towards being an independent reader, able to read a wider range of texts, beyond a structured system.
These are the book bands children progress through after they have left the RWI programme.
Turqoise
Purple
Gold
White
Where children need to be at the end of Y2
Lime
Where children need to be at the end of Y3
Copper
Topaz
Ruby
Emerald
Sapphire
Where children need to be at the end of Y4
Where children need to be at the end of Y5
Where children need to be at the end of Y6
Looking for information that you can't find? Contact our office on 0114 2552501 or enquiries@lowfield.sheffield.sch.uk and we will be happy to help you.