A Hull Collaborative Academy Trust school.

Reading

At Dorchester Primary School, we strive to create a community of children who love to read! We wish for all our children to develop the joy of getting lost in a book and as such aim to instill a love of reading from the moment that our youngest pupils start their journey with us and continue to develop this right up until the children leave us and move onto their secondary placements. By the time they leave us, our Dorchester pupils will have a wide and varied reading diet, filled with Fiction, Non-Fiction and Poetry; they will have experienced all of the wonders of reading and will have a desire to continue on their quest to discover new and wonderful worlds through the power of books.

Here at Dorchester, children will experience reading for purpose and for pleasure, applying their comprehension skills across the curriculum. Reading also plays a vital role in the Writing process and every writing genre begins with a high-quality text, acting as a stimulus to ‘hook’ the children in. Children will initially learn to be fluent readers, with this process starting with Phonics in the EYFS. Daily adult led storytelling sessions are loved by all and our youngest children have the opportunity to be read to by our eldest pupils with our ‘Book Buddies’. The EYFS curriculum and environment is underpinned by a print-rich indoor and outdoor environment.

In Key Stage 1, children continue to develop their Phonic ability whilst focusing on specific comprehension skills through teacher led sessions to broaden their ability to independently discuss and understand a text in more depth. By the end of Year 2, our children begin whole class reading sessions, which prepare them for the deeper discussions that will come in Key Stage 2. In Key Stage 2, each year group has a varied selection of ‘Class Texts’ that their main comprehension skills are taught through, a selection of Poetry and Picture Books that specifically target high levels of inference. Non-Fiction is woven into each half term and wider opportunities for Reading through the Curriculum are planned for.

As partners working together to promote the importance of reading, teachers and parents encourage children to read at school and at home as much as possible, with parents committing to listen to their child read three times each week.

“The help that leaders provide for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength of the school.”

Ofsted

“Leaders have ensured that pupils have plenty of opportunities
to design, make and evaluate projects using different materials.”

Ofsted

“Leaders have established ‘hive’ provision for pupils who need it. These well-resourced, intimate settings provide the intense support that a significant minority of pupils need.”

Ofsted

“Pupils now use mathematical vocabulary with accuracy.”

Ofsted

“School council representatives attend School Stakeholder Group (SSG) meetings to share their views.”

Ofsted

“Teachers provide lots of opportunities for pupils to rehearse and say the sounds they are learning aloud, which helps them to remember them.”

Ofsted

“One pupil told inspectors that ‘teachers are really caring, we know if we ask for help, we will get it’.”

Ofsted

“In the short term, leaders have placed a greater focus on subjects such as
English and mathematics.”

Ofsted

“Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum that sets out clearly what pupils should
learn and when.”

Ofsted

“Leaders ensure there is a focus on developing pupils’ mathematical vocabulary.”

Ofsted

“Children are
taught to read as soon as they start in the early years.”

Ofsted

“Leaders’ subject monitoring has led to a consistent and successful approach to the teaching of phonics across the early years and key stage 1.”

Ofsted

“Leaders use assessment well to ensure that the books pupils read match the sounds they already know.”

Ofsted

“Pupils spoke with enthusiasm about the school garden they are developing and of their plans for the fruit and vegetables they will grow.”

Ofsted

“Leaders provide ‘chatterpacks’ to parents so that they have the age-appropriate resources they need to support their child’s
reading.”

Ofsted

“Leaders have rightly reorganised their curriculum to make up for learning that has been
lost during the COVID-19”

Ofsted

“Pupils feel that they are being listened to and that their views help leaders to improve the school.”

Ofsted

“Strong, cross-curricular links with subjects, such as science, give pupils the opportunity to apply their skills and
knowledge when making products.”

Ofsted

“As soon as children start school, leaders check their speech and language needs so that extra help can be provided, where it is required.”

Ofsted

“Leaders have continued to prioritise the teaching of phonics and reading.”

Ofsted

“In other curriculum
areas, such as design technology (DT), the curriculum is improving rapidly.”

Ofsted

“Leaders ensure that opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical understanding are provided in the activities pupils
complete.”

Ofsted

“Knowledgeable and highly trained leaders ensure that pupils get the support they need to achieve.”

Ofsted

“Democratically elected roles, such as house captains and school councillors, enable pupils to contribute purposefully to school life.”

Ofsted

“In subjects such as history, teachers use assessment skilfully to find out what pupils know before they start to teach a new unit of work.”

Ofsted

“Pupils are clear about the school rules.”

Ofsted

“In the early years, mathematics is a high priority. Daily ‘carpet time’ is used to teach children
mathematical concepts”

Ofsted

“The mathematics curriculum is clearly sequenced. Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to continually revisit and review previous learning.”

Ofsted