Reading is an essential part of your child’s homework. It is important to read with your child at least 3 times a week at home (but we encourage you to do this every night) and record this in their reading diary. 'Reading miles' with your child will really support their reading development. The more your child reads at home, the further they develop along their reading journey. Class teachers monitor how often children read at home. 

In addition to the phonics reading book, F2 children also take home a story book each week, for parents to read to them at home.  We want our children to have a love of reading and a love of books. Stories spark children's imagination, improve their vocabulary and improve their attention and listening skills.

We aim to hear all children read in school once a week.  Teachers will write a comment in the diary when this occurs. We expect all children to have their reading book and diary in school every day.

Suggested comment for reading diary

• Read familiar words independently
• Able to predict what happens next in the text
• Showed good understanding of the text
• Read with good expression
• Worked out new words independently
• Worked out new words by sounding them out
• Discussed the story and characters well
• Used good spoken expression
• Enjoyed reading this book a lot
• Self-corrected own errors independently
• Used the picture cues and the first sound of a word to work out words
• Read with fluency and expression
• Able to read this book, but with lots of prompting
• Struggled to work out a lot of the vocabulary e.g chain, chop and chair
• Struggled to retell the story