Read, Write, Inc.
Read, Write, Inc. is the programme used across our school to teach the children how to be confident readers and writers!
The programme starts in our Nursery classes with children introduced to the sounds around them. This then develops into recognising letters and blending sounds together to form words – or Fred Talking as we call it!
Children using the programme will bring home a book to share on a Friday. They should be able to confidently read this book to you – we call this the celebratory read. It’s a chance for your child to show off their reading skills without any pressure. At the back of the book there are questions for you to ask to ensure understanding. Your child may then like to write simple words or sentences from the story, which is great! Don’t worry about him/her spelling all the words correctly, as long as they’re using their Fred Talk we’ll be happy!
For further information, including videos on best to support your child as they move through the Read, Write, Inc. programme, please visit:
Oxford Reading Tree
When children complete the Read, Write, Inc. scheme, they move onto Oxford Reading Tree books which are staged to match the children’s reading abilities. Usually children start this scheme at around Stage 8 or 9 and the scheme finishes at stage 16. At this point, we’re confident that the children are reading fluently and can move onto free reading or library books to read for pleasure.
Of course, there is more to reading than simply decoding words on a page. Children need to understand what they have read, question it and use it to further develop their understanding of the world around them.
We teach reading throughout the day in school, across a range of subjects. Children might be reading a recipe in their Science lesson; reading instructions whilst coding or reading a problem to solve in Maths! To ensure the children here at Park CP are able to do this, we continue to develop their higher order reading skills right up until they leave us. We use a variety of reading materials – books, articles, comics, etc. to teach them how to scan for information; make deductions and predictions; evaluate what they’ve read and summarize. We recognise the importance of these everyday skills and track the children’s progress in developing them carefully.
To support your child with developing these essential comprehension skills, our Read, Write, Inc. books and Oxford Reading Tree books have helpful hints at back including questions to ask your child.
In addition you could try asking:
What was your favourite part of the story?
Were there parts you didn’t like?
Who was your favourite character?
What do you think happened next?
If you could add/change a character, what would you do?
Have you ever experienced… ?
How do you know that …..?
Need further support or information – please contact your child’s class teacher, who will be more than happy to help!
Supporting your child with Maths
Maths plays such an important role in everyday life. From buying the weekly shop and budgeting to simple things like putting enough water in the kettle to make a cuppa!
The best way to support your child with maths is to involve them in everyday activities and talk to them about how maths is important in real life situations. Helping children to learn their times tables is invaluable and this can be done in a fun way – through songs and games. Other ways you can help are:
Play games likes dominoes, cards, tic-tac-to and darts
Look for numbers in the environment
Cook together – weigh out ingredients, work out costs and quantities
Count money together (and with older children work out change)
Build with lego and construction kits
Measure – rooms, gardens, tables, walls – any space you’re measuring involve your child
Below are links to some useful documents or websites that you may find useful and of course if you’d like to know more, please contact school.
https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/blog-supporting-the-learning-of-mathematics-at-home
https://safmeds.gwegogledd.cymru/
Supporting Well-Being
We introduced a program called My Happy Mind in September 2023 into all classes. My Happy Mind is all based around helping children to understand how their brain works and to support them in developing positive skills and habits to be their very best selves!
For further information and to access the My Happy Mind Parent app please visit: https://myhappymind.org/parent-resources
Other sources of information and activities that you may find useful, can be found at: