Progression in Reading: years 1-6
Using Classic Texts
January 2016
Oakfield Primary, Reading with classic texts: A Policy for Progression
In order to meet the requirements of the new national curriculum, children need to be exposed to a wider reading range including a number of classical texts.
At Oakfield, we acknowledge that some classical texts may prove difficult for all children to access in terms of decoding skills and lexical knowledge. For this reason, we have decided to introduce ‘shared reading’ of classic texts on a daily basis. We have already established 15 minutes dedicated story time each day. This has been developed to 15 minutes reading (adult to class) and 5 minutes group discussion about the text at 1:30pm daily. This will allow all children to access the text and begin to explore themes whilst allowing teachers to assess understanding informally. There is no written outcome required from these sessions and they do not need to be documented however, they will be observed as part of literacy learning walks throughout the school.
The following texts have been chosen as the minimum classic texts children should be exposed to. Teachers may supplement story time reading with other age-appropriate classic texts once these have been shared but should not move into the next year group.
We will continue to review this progression policy and adapt as we feel is necessary.
Heather O’Connor – Literacy Coordinator
Years 1&2: Classic Texts to be covered
/Beatrix Potter, The tale of Peter Rabbit
A.A. Milne, Winne the pooh stories
Dick King-Smith, The Sheep Pig
Ted Hughes, The Iron Man
Jeff Brown, Flat Stanley
Roald Dahl, Charlie and the chocolate factory
Ursula Moray Williams, Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat
Joan Robinson, The Teddy Robinson storybook
Poetry:
Lear, The Owl and the Pussycat
Ted Hughes, Meet my folks
Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake, Revolting Rhymes
Years 3&4: Classic Texts to be covered
/Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden
J M Barry, Peter Pan
Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows
E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web
Clive King, Stig of the dump
Roald Dahl, George’s marvellous medicine
Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
Charles Kingsley, The water babies
Poetry:
Noyes, The Highwayman
Coleridge/Dore, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Years 5&6: Classic Texts to be covered
/Arthur Ransome, Swallows and Amazons
Robert Louis Stephenson, Treasure Island
Mark Twain, The adventures of Tom Sawyer
Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
Edith Nesbit, The Railway Children
Susan Coolidge, What Katy did next
Charles Dickens, Great Expectations
Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Poetry:
Tennyson, The Lady of Shallott
Crossley-Holland/Keeping, Beowulf
1 / Heather O’Connor January 2016