Reading is at the heart of the connected curriculum at Ravenscote. Our children are given the opportunity to read a mixture of books including; fiction, non-fiction and poetry. We provide the children with the opportunity to discuss books, develop opinions and share their thoughts with others. At Ravenscote, the expectation is that all children in the school will read at home to an adult on a regular basis and they will record all their reading in their reading record. A child’s reading development benefits greatly when they read and answer questions about their book every day, it is just as important that the children understand what they are reading, as well as being able to read the words, so please ask your children questions as they read to you, some questions to support you in doing this can be found below. 

 

Finally, we want to encourage a love of reading, and encourage children to read other types of books, alongside the school books that are sent home. We therefore have implemented a "Read around the world" system which rewards children with certificates as they travel around the world, this is achieved by reading the specified number of times within a week.

 

We are very excited to announce that our Reading Band Scheme has been launched! Banded books follow a structured scheme which provides children with a colourful stairway of progression in reading.

The video below outlines in detail how this scheme will work, both in school and at home.

As mentioned in the video, if you have any questions you would like submitted, please follow this link to take you to a Google Form: Reading Band Query Form

 

Children can be rewarded with a token for our Reading Book Vending Machine. They are awarded with a book to take home and keep by demonstrating our school values.

The Book Bus

We have a unique and exciting school library aboard a London Double Decker Bus. As they step onto the bus, our children enter a reading world submerged in a forest theme. They are able to relax and read among the trees and animals, sparking their imagination as they delve deep into the world of the characters they explore.

Our children are able to take out books from the Reading Bus, and they will return in future weekly Reading Bus visits.

 

 

 

Reading at home

Questioning your child during or after reading will help them to comprehend what they read and develop their reading skills. You don’t need to ask every question, just choose 2 or 3 each time… Reading questions:

1. What has happened in the story so far?
2. What do you think will happen next?
3. Who is your favourite character? Why?
4. Who is the character you like least? Why?
5. Do you think the author intended you to like / dislike this character?
6. Does your opinion of this character change during the story? How? Why?
7. Find 2 things the author wrote about this character that made him / her likeable or unlikeable?
8. If you met one of the characters from the story, what would you say to him / her?
9. Which part of the story is your favourite / least favourite? Why?
10. Would you change any part of the story? How?
11. Would you change any of the characters? How?
12. Which part of the story was the funniest, scariest, saddest, and happiest? Find some evidence in the text to support your opinion.
13. Do you think the title of the book is appropriate? What would you have called it?
14. What is the genre of the book: - Sci-Fi, mystery, historical, fantasy, adventure, horror, comedy or…?
15. Find 2 sentences, which describe the setting.
16. Is the plot fast or slow moving? Find some evidence in the text, which supports your view.
17. If the author had included another paragraph before the story started what do you think it would say?
18. Would you like to read another book by this author? Why?

 

At Ravenscote Junior School, we have recently implemented an approach to reading called 'Hooked on Books'. In our reading lessons, the children use a reading rainbow to help them understand texts .The rainbow is made up of a wide range of 'lenses' that enable the children to focus on specific elements of a book when reading. As we also use a writing rainbow, the children are able to read books through the author's eye and build the bridge between reading and writing.