OFSTED 2022..."Pupils describe West Horndon as being a big family. Staff know pupils well. Pupils are proud to be part of such a welcoming school...Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils. Pupils rise to meet these expectations. All staff share this vision. Leaders make sure pupils have a wide set of experiences. These help pupils develop into confident individuals. Pupils develop their self-esteem through extra responsibilities...Leaders have developed an inspirational curriculum that is designed to meet the needs of pupils at West Horndon. ..The whole school environment is a celebration of language and vocabulary...Pupils are well behaved in lessons and around school. They know the school rules...Leaders consider staff’s workload and well-being. Staff enjoy working at the school and feel supported by leaders." Pupils do not disrupt lessons. Pupils always do their best and want to make their teachers proud of what they can achieve. 2024 New Intake Prospective Parent Tours 2nd Oct at 10.30am, 30th Nov at 9.30am and 11 Jan at 9.30am Please call the school office or email admin@westhorndon.essex.sch.uk to book a space.
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Reading at West Horndon Primary School

Reading at West Horndon Primary School

 At West Horndon Primary School we place reading at the heart of our Curriculum. All children are encouraged to become confident, successful and fluent readers, so that they can read for both pleasure and knowledge. 

We want the children in our school to: 

  • Foster an enjoyment of reading.
  • Give the children the necessary skills and knowledge to enable them to read.
  • Give the children confidence to work with a variety of media.
  • Develop the child’s self-esteem.
  • Be exposed to literature that is beyond their current experience and fluency.
  • To broaden and enrich their vocabulary.
  • Develop close links with parents providing a partnership between home and school to support the child.

What reading scheme do we follow?

At West Horndon Primary School we use the Oxford Reading Tree book banding system throughout KS1 which uses a wide range of texts from a variety of popular reading schemes that link to the children's phonics phase. 

These include:

Alien Adventures

Hero Academy 

Project X

Children take two reading books home; a book that matches the child’s phonics ability and a book of their choice from the same colour book band.

When children exceed the Oxford Reading Tree book bands they move onto Accelerated Reader. Accelerated Reader (AR) is a reading management and monitoring programme that aims to foster independent reading. The internet-based software assesses reading age, and suggests books that match pupils' needs and interests. Pupils take computerised quizzes and earn AR points as they progress. We have an Accelerated Reader library which is located on the lower floor communal area, the books are arranged into book levels. The children also use an online reading platform called Myon to access texts at home.

 To find out more about Accelerated Reader, please click here:

 How reading is taught:

We teach children the skills and strategies they need to become fluent readers through Whole Class Guided Reading. Teachers demonstrate reading to inspire a love of books and develop the necessary skills to become masters of reading. We have peppered our English curriculum with quality texts that both challenge and inspirer our pupils.

 Each class has a designated reading area, of high quality and value, where children can sit and enjoy a wide range of books for pleasure. The area should be clearly identifiable and be used as far as possible to display relevant materials for example; particular book genres being studied, a focused author, newly exchanged or purchased books as this will further enhance the schools’ promotion of reading. 

Reading is intrinsically incorporated across the curriculum, whether it be reading a problem in Maths, accessing instructions in a Design and Technology session, using inference and deduction to explore a painting in Art or sourcing information for a topic from a book or the internet.  Children are provided with many opportunities to read, enjoy and share books as well as being emerged in language rich environments with access to a breadth of vocabulary and print.

 At West Horndon Primary School. we celebrate literary events such as World Book day and have regular Book Fairs. Our Author in residence – Chris Connaughton regular visits our school to work with classes as well as promote a love of reading through assemblies.

 How can you be involved?

We ask that all children in KS1 spend at least 10 minutes a night reading at home and in KS2 spend at least 20 minutes. Reading with your child at home has many benefits- no matter how old you are.

Our Reading Champions are volunteers that come into school and encourage reading for pleasure as well as boosting children’s confidence.