Reading is embedded through out the Year 1 curriculum in all areas of learning and is highly valued by the staff and children in a range of different ways. We focus on developing children’s pleasure and motivation for wider reading opportunities, which help to introduce appropriate levels of challenge and to broaden vocabulary. Take a closer look…
Class Library
The children have access to our class library throughout the day which they use in their free time, for example when they have completed their work set or during set reading times which are at the start of each morning and afternoon. Children can sit in the book area and choose from a range of fiction and non-fictions books choosing to read independently or with others. Each week, two of our class members are given the responsibility of being librarians and taking care of our library.
Hook a book
At Holy Redeemer school we follow a creative curriculum and part of this is using a book as a hook to further learning, where the teacher chooses a book to begin each week or topic and plan the lessons for the curriculum through this. This approach to learning really brings books to life for the children.
Some of our favourite books this year so far have been:
The Rainbow Fish
Mr Wolf’s Pancakes
Charlie’s Superhero Underpants
Mr Gumpy’s Outing
Traditional Tales
Story time
At the end of every school day we have story time where a book is read to the class. This is often read the adults in our class or sometimes by visitors, who we invite in to share their favourite books with us. Children are also given the opportunity to read to the rest of the class. Often our story time book is chosen by way of a daily book vote or a child may request a book that they are interested in.
We also read class texts, which are longer books above the level of reading for the children. This gives the opportunity for the children to enjoy more complex plots and learn new vocabulary. During discussions of different aspects of the story they are able to further develop comprehension.
We also have regular story time sessions where we invite parents and other family members to join us. This allows children to share books with others. Additional reading activities available too, including book reviews, word finding games and drama opportunities.
We invite other classes to join us for story times too. Sometimes the other class bring books they have written, or would like to share, and on other occasions Year 1 choose the books.
Home reading
Children take books to read at home which follow a book banded system. This enables children to regularly practise and consolidate using their phonics knowledge and inference skills. They progress through the banded system at a personalised rate of progress. Children also take home phonics specific books and are able to visit the school library weekly too so they can take a picture book to share with their family.
To encourage reading at home we have a display in the reading area which links to the class topic. For example we had a ‘Reading is my Super Power’ board when we were learning about Superheroes and had a ‘Reading Road Round Pershore’ when learning about our local area. Each time a child reads at home they move around the reading board, aiming to reach the end section where they can choose a reading prize.
Authors
There are many wonderful authors out there who have created books for children to enjoy. Two of my favourite authors are Roald Dahl and Julia Donaldson. They each have written some very well known books and I use them to support the teaching and learning in the classroom too.
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was born in Llandaff, South Wales on September 13th 1916. His parents were Norwegian, and were called Harald and Sofie. He went to Repton school, in Derbyshire, and left school in 1933.
His first job was in Africa, with the Shell Oil Company. In the second world war he fought as a fighter pilot, and was badly injured when his plane crashed. After the war he worked in America, and soon started writing stories.
His very first children’s book, written in 1943 was called The Gremlins. Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of the President of the USA liked it so much he was invited to the White House and became friends with the President, Franklin D Roosevelt.
He wrote a number of books and short stories for adults, many of which were televised as the hugely popular Tales of the Unexpected.
But it was as a children’s author that he found greatest fame and satisfaction, saying “I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers…Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful.” Millions of fans around the world agreed and have chuckled and gasped at his amazing stories. His mesmerising stories, written in sizzling, sparkly language, will lead you into adventures you’ll never ever forget!
From 1945 until his death, he lived at Gipsy House, in Buckinghamshire, where he wrote his famous children’s books. He died in hospital in Oxford, on November 23rd, 1990. His books have continued to be read and loved, and have been made into a number of hit films, including Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You can even visit the Roald Dahl Museum in the village where Dahl lived for most of his life.
Julia Donaldson
Julia is the award winning, bestselling author of much-loved modern classics like The Gruffalo, Stick Man and What the Ladybird Heard. She was also the Children’s Laureate 2011-2013.
“I grew up in a tall Victorian London house with my parents, grandmother, aunt, uncle, younger sister Mary and cat Geoffrey (who was really a prince in disguise. Mary and I would argue about which of us would marry him).
Mary and I were always creating imaginary characters and mimicking real ones, and I used to write shows and choreograph ballets for us.
I studied Drama and French at Bristol University, where I met Malcolm, a guitar-playing medic to whom I’m now married.
Before Malcolm and I had our three sons we used to go busking together and I would write special songs for each country; the best one was in Italian about pasta.
The busking led to a career in singing and song writing, mainly for children’s television.
One of my television songs, A Squash and a Squeeze, was made into a book in 1993, with illustrations by the wonderful Axel Scheffler. It was great to hold the book in my hand without it vanishing in the air the way the songs did. This prompted me to unearth some plays I’d written for a school reading group, and since then I’ve had 20 plays published.
My real breakthrough was The Gruffalo, again illustrated by Axel. We work separately – he’s in London and I’m in Glasgow – but he sends me letters with lovely funny pictures on the envelopes.
My novel The Giants and the Joneses is going to be made into a film by the same team who made the Harry Potter movies, and I have written three books of stories about the anarchic Princess Mirror-Belle who appears from the mirror and disrupts the life of an otherwise ordinary eight-year-old.
When I’m not writing I am often performing, at book festivals and in theatres. I really enjoy getting the children in the audience to help me act out the stories and sing the songs”
Ideas and Resources
With a world of books to choose from it, these are a selection of useful resources for suggestions to read and explore with your child.
Books for Topics suggests this list of 50 recommended reads for Year 1 which I would wholeheartedly agree with. I use some of these books in the classroom for our ‘hook a book’ creative planning and have the majority of these available in our class library for the children to enjoy themselves. You can download a checklist of these 50 books with the link below if you would like to via the link below:
Another useful website is The School Reading List which have ideas and resources for reading including a ‘book of the month’ and ideas for bedtime stories too.
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Year 1 Reading Page
A message from Miss Taylor:
“Reading was one of my favourite things to do when I was a little girl and is still one of my favourite things to do now, including reading by myself and sharing books with the children in my class and at home with my daughter. I love how a book can take you on world of adventures and emotions. One of my favourite books is Alice in Wonderland, a children’s book written by Lewis Carroll. I love all the characters, the wonder, imagination and the humour that the author creates throughout the story. What are your favourite stories? Why do you like them?”
Reading is embedded through out the Year 1 curriculum in all areas of learning and is highly valued by the staff and children in a range of different ways. We focus on developing children’s pleasure and motivation for wider reading opportunities, which help to introduce appropriate levels of challenge and to broaden vocabulary. Take a closer look…
Class Library
The children have access to our class library throughout the day which they use in their free time, for example when they have completed their work set or during set reading times which are at the start of each morning and afternoon. Children can sit in the book area and choose from a range of fiction and non-fictions books choosing to read independently or with others. Each week, two of our class members are given the responsibility of being librarians and taking care of our library.
Hook a book
At Holy Redeemer school we follow a creative curriculum and part of this is using a book as a hook to further learning, where the teacher chooses a book to begin each week or topic and plan the lessons for the curriculum through this. This approach to learning really brings books to life for the children.
Some of our favourite books this year so far have been:
The Rainbow Fish
Mr Wolf’s Pancakes
Charlie’s Superhero Underpants
Mr Gumpy’s Outing
Traditional Tales
Story time
At the end of every school day we have story time where a book is read to the class. This is often read the adults in our class or sometimes by visitors, who we invite in to share their favourite books with us. Children are also given the opportunity to read to the rest of the class. Often our story time book is chosen by way of a daily book vote or a child may request a book that they are interested in.
We also read class texts, which are longer books above the level of reading for the children. This gives the opportunity for the children to enjoy more complex plots and learn new vocabulary. During discussions of different aspects of the story they are able to further develop comprehension.
We also have regular story time sessions where we invite parents and other family members to join us. This allows children to share books with others. Additional reading activities available too, including book reviews, word finding games and drama opportunities.
We invite other classes to join us for story times too. Sometimes the other class bring books they have written, or would like to share, and on other occasions Year 1 choose the books.
Home reading
Children take books to read at home which follow a book banded system. This enables children to regularly practise and consolidate using their phonics knowledge and inference skills. They progress through the banded system at a personalised rate of progress. Children also take home phonics specific books and are able to visit the school library weekly too so they can take a picture book to share with their family.
To encourage reading at home we have a display in the reading area which links to the class topic. For example we had a ‘Reading is my Super Power’ board when we were learning about Superheroes and had a ‘Reading Road Round Pershore’ when learning about our local area. Each time a child reads at home they move around the reading board, aiming to reach the end section where they can choose a reading prize.
Authors
There are many wonderful authors out there who have created books for children to enjoy. Two of my favourite authors are Roald Dahl and Julia Donaldson. They each have written some very well known books and I use them to support the teaching and learning in the classroom too.
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was born in Llandaff, South Wales on September 13th 1916. His parents were Norwegian, and were called Harald and Sofie. He went to Repton school, in Derbyshire, and left school in 1933.
His first job was in Africa, with the Shell Oil Company. In the second world war he fought as a fighter pilot, and was badly injured when his plane crashed. After the war he worked in America, and soon started writing stories.
His very first children’s book, written in 1943 was called The Gremlins. Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of the President of the USA liked it so much he was invited to the White House and became friends with the President, Franklin D Roosevelt.
He wrote a number of books and short stories for adults, many of which were televised as the hugely popular Tales of the Unexpected.
But it was as a children’s author that he found greatest fame and satisfaction, saying “I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers…Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful.” Millions of fans around the world agreed and have chuckled and gasped at his amazing stories. His mesmerising stories, written in sizzling, sparkly language, will lead you into adventures you’ll never ever forget!
From 1945 until his death, he lived at Gipsy House, in Buckinghamshire, where he wrote his famous children’s books. He died in hospital in Oxford, on November 23rd, 1990. His books have continued to be read and loved, and have been made into a number of hit films, including Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You can even visit the Roald Dahl Museum in the village where Dahl lived for most of his life.
Julia Donaldson
Julia is the award winning, bestselling author of much-loved modern classics like The Gruffalo, Stick Man and What the Ladybird Heard. She was also the Children’s Laureate 2011-2013.
“I grew up in a tall Victorian London house with my parents, grandmother, aunt, uncle, younger sister Mary and cat Geoffrey (who was really a prince in disguise. Mary and I would argue about which of us would marry him).
Mary and I were always creating imaginary characters and mimicking real ones, and I used to write shows and choreograph ballets for us.
I studied Drama and French at Bristol University, where I met Malcolm, a guitar-playing medic to whom I’m now married.
Before Malcolm and I had our three sons we used to go busking together and I would write special songs for each country; the best one was in Italian about pasta.
The busking led to a career in singing and song writing, mainly for children’s television.
One of my television songs, A Squash and a Squeeze, was made into a book in 1993, with illustrations by the wonderful Axel Scheffler. It was great to hold the book in my hand without it vanishing in the air the way the songs did. This prompted me to unearth some plays I’d written for a school reading group, and since then I’ve had 20 plays published.
My real breakthrough was The Gruffalo, again illustrated by Axel. We work separately – he’s in London and I’m in Glasgow – but he sends me letters with lovely funny pictures on the envelopes.
My novel The Giants and the Joneses is going to be made into a film by the same team who made the Harry Potter movies, and I have written three books of stories about the anarchic Princess Mirror-Belle who appears from the mirror and disrupts the life of an otherwise ordinary eight-year-old.
When I’m not writing I am often performing, at book festivals and in theatres. I really enjoy getting the children in the audience to help me act out the stories and sing the songs”
Ideas and Resources
With a world of books to choose from it, these are a selection of useful resources for suggestions to read and explore with your child.
Books for Topics suggests this list of 50 recommended reads for Year 1 which I would wholeheartedly agree with. I use some of these books in the classroom for our ‘hook a book’ creative planning and have the majority of these available in our class library for the children to enjoy themselves. You can download a checklist of these 50 books with the link below if you would like to via the link below:
Another useful website is The School Reading List which have ideas and resources for reading including a ‘book of the month’ and ideas for bedtime stories too.