Early Reading

At Oatlands we believe that it is essential that every child develops into a fluent and confident reader. To this end we prioritise the teaching of reading throughout the school, supporting children in not only being able to decode texts independently but in fostering a joy of reading and knowledge of literature.

We follow a systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) programme called Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised throughout Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 where necessary to give the children the skills to learn to read. All staff are trained in this programme and provide support quickly to help children keep up and make progress. Children read in school 2 or 3 times a week and bring these books home to share and practice.

In addition, we have the Oatlands Reading Curriculum and Values Storytimes which expose our children to a diverse range of authors, texts, genres and themes. These guarantee that all children listen to quality texts on a daily basis and have the opportunity to explore our school values through a range of stories. Children are encouraged to develop their knowledge of authors and poets so they can go and explore their work independently.

For parents who wish to continue to support their child's early reading at home, please click HERE to go to the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds website for parents.