Daily Reading & Decodable Books

We want our children to feel confident in reading, and aim to inspire a love for this early. Therefore, we prioritise Early Reading through ‘Our Rise and Shine’ reading sessions; allowing children to practice their reading daily with their matched decodable book.  Books are allocated based upon the codes that the children have learnt in order, this enables them to have books that match their code knowledge. These are known as 'decodable books'. Books are carefully allocated by school staff to ensure it is at an appropriate level for the children to read as we ultimately want to ensure success, engagement and enjoyment of reading. 

To ensure children have numerous opportunities to revisit, practice and enjoy reading we follow a three-book approach for children at Rivendell. Children who continue to require support with their Phonic knowledge will also follow this approach. It includes:

• A reading for pleasure book, chosen by the child.
• A decodable book, chosen by the adult dependent on their knowledge of codes (sounds).
• A decodable book, chosen by the adult from the previous week. This is to revisit and gain further fluency with the familiar text/storyline.

A reading diary and other scaffolds such as flash cards and word mats are available in children's home learning phonics books that are sent home, including the three-books above.

1:1 Reading

We ensure that all children are read with 1:1 each week. Additional reading known as 'daily reading' takes place for children who require further practice. We follow a consistent approach to ensure all children are provided with the same high-quality reading experience, and scaffolds and support are put in place to enhance reading.  

Reading for Pleasure

Reading for Pleasure is a culture that is embedded throughout school. We aim to promote a love and enjoyment for reading to enable children to succeed within school and into adulthood. Research shows that the impact of reading can develop children's self esteem, confidence and well-being whilst giving them an insight into the wider world.

We do this by:

• Holding termly reading breakfasts with parents and careers to share books and stories. 

• Create high-quality reading spaces within the two libraries within school 

• Reading for pleasure slots within our timetables to promote a love of reading and create environment for book talk. 

Launch Pad Reading 

At Rivendell, our Launchpad Reading program provides a whole-class approach to reading in Foundation 2 and Key Stage 1, fostering confident, fluent readers and a lifelong love of books. Through daily structured lessons, children develop essential skills in phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension using high-quality, diverse texts. This inclusive approach combines teacher modeling, group discussions, and targeted support to meet individual needs while inspiring a shared love of literature. We also partner with families by providing resources and updates to encourage reading beyond the classroom, ensuring every child has the foundation for academic success and a joy for reading.

Orbital Reading 

At Rivendell, our Orbital Reading approach for year 2 and Key Stage 2 is a whole-class reading program designed to develop comprehension skills and improve reading fluency. Through carefully structured lessons, children engage with high-quality, challenging texts that promote deep thinking, discussion, and analysis. This approach emphasizes the importance of fluency in reading aloud with accuracy, expression, and understanding, while fostering critical skills such as inference, prediction, and summarization. By creating a shared reading experience, Orbital Reading encourages collaboration, builds confidence, and inspires a lasting love of literature, equipping every child with the skills needed for academic success and lifelong learning.