Reading Assessment

EYFS- Making a Strong Start – Phonics

• In EYFS we follow the ‘Making a Strong Start’ document to ensure all our children make rapid progress in learning to read. 
• In Autumn term week, a baseline assessment is completed identifying each child’s individual sound knowledge. 
• When phonics teaching starts in week 2, individual sound gaps are tracked for each child using the Starting Strong Tracker. 
• Daily Fast Track tutoring (1:1 tutoring) is delivered to any children who have sound gaps so they can keep up with their peers.  
• At the end of Autumn term and onwards, the children are then assessed each half term using the Read Write Inc online assessment tool. 

Half Termly assessments - Phonics

• The Early Reading Lead and EYFS teacher assess all children on the Read Write Inc programme and Fresh Start programme half termly using the Read Write Inc assessment tools.  From the assessment individual records are created for each child and any needs identified such as sound gaps, speed of reading and reading longer words. 
• All children’s progress is tracked throughout school and the Reading Leader monitors this progress to ensure children are making the expected progress.  Once all children have been assessed homogenous grouping are organised according to children’s individual ability.  In addition, any needs of children are identified and support is given using Fast Track tutoring (1:1 tutoring).

Formative Assessments – Phonics

• The ongoing day to day assessment of reading is also an important way of monitoring progress.  Throughout phonics and 1:1 reading sessions, the phonics teacher is continuously monitoring the participation of all children within their group to check their understanding and application of skills.
• Teachers will identify any children that need additional practise and will adapt the session to allow this e.g revisiting sounds or the additional practise of story green words.  
• Any children that need additional practise beyond the phonics session will receive additional practise in the afternoon, through a same day intervention. 
• During the session, the phonics teacher moves around the group listening to all children to check they can apply their knowledge and skills whilst reading. 
• The teacher will provide children with feedback and support any children that need additional guidance.
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Peer Support – Phonics

• Within RWI, children work in pairs throughout the sessions to read the storybook.  Children support each other and take turns to listen to each other read.  They provide feedback and support using the strategies taught to their partner when reading.  E.g If a word is read incorrectly, they will ask their partner to re-read the work using the strategy ‘Special Friends, Fred Talk, Read the word’. 
• Other strategies they use include breaking the word in to syllables, root word and whole word as well as remembering red words have tricky letters in them. 

Reading at home – Phonics

Every week new RWI decodable reading books are sent home matched to each individual child’s ability.  Each child has a reading record where parents record when they have read at home and give feedback how well their child has done and if they have any concerns. These reading records are monitored in school by the class teacher to check children are regularly reading at home and identifying any concerns that need addressing. 

Reading Assessment – Post Phonics

Formative assessment

• Formative assessment happens constantly in day-to-day lesson time. Adults are constantly checking what children know e.g. asking questions, using thinking thumbs/ down, hands up, word waves, tell your partner, whiteboards, marking etc

Oracy

• There are so many opportunities in our reading lessons for children to talk and share their ideas. Children are given the opportunity to discuss in pairs and groups before feeding back to the class. Verbal feedback can be taken in different ways, such as a word wave.
• During conversations, adults will listen and prompt, giving instant feedback.  Feedback may be given to individual

Live Marking

• Where appropriate, live marking is used. This gives instant feedback and any support can be given immediately.

Pre-teach sessions and booster classes

• Identified target children may access these sessions which help to recap important knowledge and skills, as well as boost confidence and self-esteem.

Intervention groups

• Adults work with groups of children or individuals on a specific focus e.g. inference. Target readers are identified and these children read with an adult on a one-to-one basis.

Comprehension sessions

• Sessions focused on comprehension allow the children the opportunity to apply their knowledge of how to understand and interpret a text. These also provide adults with an opportunity to address any gaps in knowledge.

Summative assessments

• Summative assessments are done at least termly and are used to collate current knowledge and address any gaps in knowledge.

Homework

• Children are asked to read regularly at home. Their reading records and comments from parents are checked regularly and any concerns/ needs are addressed promptly.

Salford Reading Assessments

• These are used across school to assess and track the reading age and comprehension age of the children, particularly those with SEND.