Phonics and Early Reading
At St Cuthbert's, we believe that all our children can become fluent readers and writers. We teach phonics and early reading through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, which is a systematic and synthetic phonics programme. We start teaching the skills for phonics in Nursery through lots of listening activities and games to tune pupils into their speaking and listening ability. In Reception and Year 1 we follow Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised progression, which ensures children build on their growing knowledge of the alphabetic code, mastering phonics to read and spell as they move through school.
Through our teaching of phonics, children are able to tackle unfamiliar words as they read. To ensure our pupils can apply their phonics knowledge and skills, we model the application of the alphabetic code through phonics in shared reading and writing, both inside and outside of the phonics lesson and across the curriculum. We have a strong focus on language development for our children as speaking and listening are crucial skills for reading and writing in all subjects.
What Phonics Looks Like A St Cuthbert's
Daily Phonics Lessons in Reception and Year 1
Daily Keep-up Lessons Supports Every Child To Learns to Read
Teaching Early Reading: Reading Practice Sessions Three Times a Week
Home Reading
Ensuring Consistency and Pace of Progress
Reading at St Cuthbert's
What reading looks like at St Cuthbert's
At The Federation of St Cuthbert’s and St Mary’s we strive to foster a love of reading at school and at home.
We believe that speaking, listening, reading and writing are fundamental life skills, which enable children to communicate effectively in all areas and equips them for the challenges they will face in the wider world.
Reading is an entitlement that should enable children to connect with some of the finest words ever written. It should open up a world of possibility and intrigue. A centralised aspect of our Book-Led Curriculum across the school is to ensure reading influences the thoughts, feelings and emotions of our learners.
At school we will teach and support children to develop a love of reading through class reads and story time, alongside the systematic teaching strategies of daily phonics lesson, and Whole Class and Guided Reading sessions where strategies for reading are explicitly taught.
Reading daily at home provides your child with an opportunity to practice the skills they have been learning in school to further develop and cement them into their reading practice and understanding.
The more you read, the more things you will know.
The more that you learn, the more places you will go.
Dr Seuss
Reading aloud to your child daily. As often as possible. This is still the #1 way to support early readers and ensure that your child has the best possible start at reading. And it’s fun!
What books? Any books are fine for reading aloud. You are doing the reading and modeling and your child is benefiting in a lot of ways!
Got a library card? Perfect! Head over to the children’s section and allow your child to choose some books. Choice is a powerful motivator so the more you can include your child in the books you read together, the better!
How about making there own books? Have your child tell you a story and you write the words. She can go back and add pictures. Then read the story together. You will be surprised how well children can read books they create themselves!
We call this repeated reading. When your child is able to read a book, have her read it over and over again until she reads it fluently and flawlessly — with expression too! She can read it to all the members of the family, the childminder, brother, the dogs, and cats, or even her stuffed teddies. The key is repetition.
Pause during the story and ask questions about the characters.
*It’s always best to phrase your question as if you were asking yourself — or thinking out loud. Don’t make this a quiz! Just have fun.
“I wonder why Harry was afraid. What do you think?”
Help your child identify with the characters or the problem/conflict in the story.
“I remember a time that I was afraid during a storm. Have you ever been afraid during a storm?”
Process the events in the story by reviewing what’s happened so far.
“So far Harry has visited his best friend, made some potions, and what else has happened?”
“Look at Susanna as she lays in bed. What do you think she is thinking or feeling?” “How can you tell?”
Make predictions about what will happen next.
“I wonder if Susanna will run to her grandma’s room? What do you think she’ll do next?”
We have also created a list of favourite reads suggested by parents and grandparents of children in school.
Should you need any support with helping your child to read please don’t hesitate to contact the school.
There is also a fantastic article written by Michael Morpurgo outlining 101 books every child should read which you can link to here
We have put together some suggested reading lists for you and your child to work through. If you have any other suggestions to add please email them into the School Office admin@st-cuthberts.manchester.sch.uk
Reading list for each year group
Early Years
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Bill Martin Jnr
Where’s Spot? Eric Hill
Guess How Much I Love You Sam McBratney and Garth Williams
The Little Red Hen Byron Barton
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eric Carle
Clifford the Big Red Dog Norman Bridwell
Owl Babies Martin Waddell and Patrick Benson
Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak
Winnie the Pooh A A Milne
The Tale of Peter Rabbit Beatrix Potter
Stone Soup Marcia Brown
Not Now Bernard David McKee
There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly Pam Adams
Q Pootle 5 Nick Butterworth
The Gruffalo Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler
Room on the Broom Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler
Winnie the Witch Valerie Thomas & Korky Paul
The Elephant and the Bad Baby Elfrida Vipont & Raymond Briggs
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Helen Oxenbury
Handa’s Surprise Eileen Browne
I Will Never Eat a Tomato Lauren Child
Rosie’s Walk Pat and Laurence Hutchins
One Snowy Night Nick Butterworth
Dear Zoo Rod Campbell
The Rainbow Fish Marcus Pfister
Dogger Shirley Hughes
Farmer Duck Martin Waddell
Once Their Were Giants Martin Waddell and Penny Dale
Here Comes the Aliens Colin McNaughton
Year 1
The Cat in the Hat Dr Seuss
The Tiger Who Came to Tea Judith Kerr
Hairy Maclary Lynley Dodd
The Large Family Collection Jill Murphy
Charlie and Lola Lauren Child
The Smartest Giant in Town Julia Donaldson
A Squash and a Squeeze Julia Donaldson
The Gruffalo’s Child Julia Donaldson
The Gigantic Turnip Aleksei Tolstoy
The Whisperer Nick Butterworth
Mrs Armitage on Wheels Quentin Blake
The Trouble with Jack Shirley Hughe
My Friend Bear Jez Alborough
Avocado Baby John Burningham
A Bear Called Paddington Michael Bond
Funnybones Allan Ahlberg
The Jolly Postman Allan Ahlberg
Mister Magnolia Quentin Blake
Katie Morag Series Mairi Hedderwick
Frog and Toad are Friends Arnold Lobel
The Princess and the Pea Minnie Grey
Don’t Forget the Bacon Pat Hutchins
Emperor of Absurdia Chris Riddell
Year 2
The Cat Who Lost His Purr Michelle Coxon
Frightened Fred Peta Coplans
Friends Kim Lewis
Mog Stories Judith Kerr
Mr Wolf’s Pancakes Jan Fearnley
Frog is Frog Max Velthuijis
Cat and Mouse Story Michael Rosen
The Snow Lady Shirley Hughes
Grace and Family Mary Hoffman and Caroline Binch
The Adventures of Captain Underpants Dav Pilkey
The Diary of a Killer Cat Anne Fine
Little Wolf’s Book of Badness Ian Whybrow
Mr Men Series Roger Hargreaves
Mrs Wobble the Waitress Allan Alhberg
Pirate School: Just a Bit of Wind Jeremy Strong
George’s Marvellous Medicine Roald Dahl
The Giraffe, Pelly and Me Roald Dahl
The Guard Dog Dick King-Smith
Emily’s Legs Dick King-Smith
No Tights for George Julia Crebbin
Princess Smarty-pants Babette Cole
Prince Cinders Babette Cole
Jolly Roger Colin Mc Naughton
The Worst Witch Jill Murphy
Year 3
The Butterfly Lion Michael Morpurgo
Kensuke’s Kingdom Michael Morpurgo
Billy the Kid Michael Morpurgo
The Twits Roald Dahl
Charlie and Chocolate Factory Roald Dahl
The Magic Finger Roald Dahl
Danny The Champion of the World Roald Dahl
Fantastic Mr Fox Roald Dahl
The BFG Roald Dahl
The Sheep Pig Dick King-Smith
Bill’s New Frock Anne Fine
The Hundred Mile an Hour Dog Jeremy Strong
Return of the Hundred Mile an Hour Dog Jeremy Strong
The Naughtiest Girl in the School Enid Blyton
Secret Seven series Enid Blyton
Famous Five series Enid Blyton
Animal Ark series Lucy Daniels
Horrid Henry series Francesca Henry
Charlotte’s Web E B White
Flat Stanley Jeff Brown
Fungus the Bogeyman Raymond Briggs
Mystery Winklesea Helen Cresswell
The Indian in the Cupboard Lynne Reid Banks
Mr Majeika Humphrey Carpenter
Please Mrs Butler Allan Ahlberg
The Sam Pig Story Book Alison Uttley
Railway Cat Phyllis Arkle
The Hodgeheg Dick King-Smith
Gregory Cool Caroline Binch
Viking at School Jeremy Strong
Awful Egyptians Terry Deary
Stormin’ Normans Terry Deary
Smashing Saxons Terry Deary
Vicious Vikings Terry Deary
Year 4
A Caribbean Dozen John Agard & Grace Nicholls
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland ewis Carroll
Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters John Steptoe
Beowolf Kevin Crossley-Holland
The Firework-Maker's Daughter Philip Pullman
The Dragon's Child Jenny Nimmo
The Ghost Blades Anthony Masters
Sara, Plain and Tall Patricia MacLachlan
Smart Girls Robert Leeson
Brother Eagle, Sister Sky Susan Jeffers & Chief Seattle
Robi Dobi Madhur Jaffrey
The Reluctant Dragon Kenneth Grahame
Flow Pippa Goodhart
Dragon Poems John Foster & Korky Paul T
The Crazy Shoe Shuffle Gillian Cross
The Sea Piper Helen Cresswell
The Chocolate Touch Patrick Skene
Catling Spacebaby Henrietta Branford
James and the Giant Peach Roald Dahl
A Pot of Gold Jill Bennett
Fog Hounds Wind Cat Sea Mice Joan Aiken
The Clothes Horse Allan Ahlberg
It Was A Dark and Stormy Night Allan Ahlberg
The Dancing Bear Michael Morpurgo
The Demon Headmaster Gillian Cross
A Dog So Small Phillipa Pearce
Emil and the Detectives Erich Kastner
The Iron Man Ted Hughes
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe C S Lewis
Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh Robert C O’Brien
Stig of the Dump Clive King
Diary of a Whimpy Kid Series Jeff Kinney
Groovy Greeks Terry Deary
Angry Aztecs Terry Deary
Greek Myths for Young Children Marcia Williams
The Orchard Book of Creation Stories Margaret Mayo & Louise Brierley
Year 5
Water Wings Morris Gleitzman
Blabbermouth Morris Gleitzman
Belly Flop Morris Gleitzman
The Diddakoi Rumer Godden
Stormbreaker Anthony Horowitz
Walter and Me Michael Morpurgo
Friend or Foe Michael Morpurgo
Mister Monday Garth Nix
Aquila Andrew Norris
Harry and the Wrinklies Alan Temperley
The Story of Tracy Beaker Jacqueline Wilson
Double Act Jacqueline Wilson
Northern Lights Philip Pullman
A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens
Dragon Rider Cornelia Funke
Journey To Jo’burg Beverly Naidoo
Journey to the River Sea Eva Ibbotson
The Owl Service Alan Garner
Pig Heart Boy Malorie Blackman
How to Train your Dragon Series Cressida Cowell
Watership Down Richard Adams
The Wizard of Earthsea Ursula K Le Guin
Wolves of Willoughby Chase Joan Aiken
Where the Red Fern Grows Wilson Rawls
Little Women Louisa May Alcott
All Alone on a Wide, Wide Sea Michael Morpurgo
Artemis Fowl Eoin Colfer
The Wind in the Willows Kenneth Grahame
Anne of Green Gables L M Montgomery
Black Beauty Anna Sewell
Holes Louis Sachar
There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom Louis Sachar
Vicky Angel Jacqueline Wilson
The Other Side of Truth Beverley Naidoo
Harry Potter series J K Rowling
Terrible Tudors Terry Deary
Year 6
Carrie’s War Nina Bawden
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit Judith Kerr
Forgotten Voices of the 2nd World War Max Arthur
The Diamond of Drury Lane Julia Golding
Framed Frank Cottrell Boyce
Homecoming Cynthia Voigt
Noughts and Crosses Malorie Blackman
Knife Edge Malorie Blackman
Private Peaceful Michael Morpurgo
Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ Sue Townsend
Treasure Island Robert Louis Stevenson
Mortal Engines Philip Reeve
Clockwork Philip Pullman
Dragon Keeper Carole Wilkinson
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Mark Haddon
Peter Pan J M Barrie
Wizard of Oz F Baum
Robinson Crusoe Daniel Defoe
Oliver Twist Charles Dickens
Jungle Book Rudyard Kipling
The Railway Children E Nesbit
The Borrowers M Norton
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain
Alex Rider series Anthony Horowitz
My Story series Various authors
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl Ed. Otto H Frank
Boy Overboard Morris Gleitzman
A Boy in Stripped Pyjamas John Boyne
War horse Michael Morpurgo
Lord Less and Denominator Series Darren Shan
Alex Rider Series (Stormbreaker) Anthony Horowitz
Artemis Fowl Eoin Colfer
Skellig David Almond
Holes Louis Sacher
The Woeful Second World War Terry Deary
Vile Victorians Terry Deary