Other than ‘knowing things’ and for sheer enjoyment, there are many other benefits to reading. These include: mental stimulation, stress reduction, vocabulary expansion, memory improvement, stronger analytical thinking skills, improved focus and concentration and, of course, better writing skills.

Parents often ask how they can support their child’s reading development, and it’s no wonder that you are interested in this essential skill. Reading plays an important role in later school success. One study even demonstrates that how well a 7-year-old reads predicts their income 35 years later!

In early years, reading to your child is one of the most important things you can do to support their early reading skills. The expression in your voice as you read as the different characters, and the way you pause at simple sentence punctuation, really shows our 4 and 5 year olds what it means to be a good reader.

As children start to read independently, dedicating time at home to listening to them read regularly, or taking turns with them is how best to support them. Our fluent readers still need to read aloud, and whilst they get lots of opportunities to do this in school, we rely on them reading to someone at home to get even more practice.

Please be sure to write in your child’s reading record when you hear them read. It’s another ‘job’ for you to do, but our teachers really value the time you spend reading with your child. And, it’s a great way to monitor how much reading our pupils are doing. Thank you for your continued help with this.

Reception parents….look out for the dates for the upcoming phonics open sessions where you will be able to see the teaching of early reading skills in action.