Reading at Home – Growing a Love of Reading Together
At Eaves Primary School, we believe that reading is one of the greatest gifts we can give a child. Reading opens doors to new worlds, develops imagination, builds vocabulary and provides the foundations for success across the entire curriculum. We are passionate about developing confident, fluent and enthusiastic readers who discover a lifelong love of books. To help achieve this, we expect every child, in every year group, to read at home at least four times each week.
Starting the Reading Journey – Early Years
Our youngest children begin their reading journey by taking home carefully selected books to enjoy and share with their families. These books provide wonderful opportunities for children to develop a love of stories, explore illustrations, learn new vocabulary and become familiar with the language and structure of books.
We encourage parents and carers to make reading together a special part of their daily routine. Talk about the pictures, ask questions, predict what might happen next, explore new words and, most importantly, enjoy the magic of sharing a story together!
These early experiences are incredibly important in developing children's communication, listening, comprehension and early literacy skills. Sharing books also helps children associate reading with warmth, enjoyment and positive relationships.
Developing Confident and Fluent Readers
As children begin their phonics journey and progress through school, they will bring home reading books carefully matched to their phonics knowledge and reading ability. These books allow children to practise the sounds, words and reading skills they have been taught in school, helping them develop accuracy, fluency and confidence. Regular reading practice is essential. Just like learning to ride a bike or play an instrument, becoming a confident reader takes time, repetition and encouragement.
Reading regularly at home helps children to:
Build Fluency – Read with increasing accuracy, expression and confidence.
Strengthen Phonics Skills – Practise recognising sounds, blending words and applying their phonics knowledge.
Develop Comprehension – Understand, discuss and think more deeply about what they read.
Expand Vocabulary – Discover new words, ideas and ways of expressing themselves.
Develop Independence – Grow in confidence and take ownership of their reading journey.
Foster a Love of Reading – Discover the pleasure, excitement and endless possibilities that books offer.
We encourage families to listen to their child read, discuss the story, ask thoughtful questions and celebrate their progress. Even when children become confident independent readers, talking about books and showing an interest in what they are reading remains incredibly valuable.
Our Home Reading Expectations
To support consistency and progress, we ask all families to commit to the following:
Read at least four times every week. Children should enjoy regular reading opportunities at home, whether sharing stories with an adult, practising their matched reading book or reading independently as they become more confident.
Record reading in the Reading Diary. Parents and carers are expected to write a short comment in their child's Reading Diary at least four times each week, confirming that reading has taken place. Comments might celebrate a particular achievement, highlight a new skill, describe how confidently a child has read or identify something they found challenging.
Talk about the books. Reading is about much more than saying the words on a page. We encourage families to discuss characters, settings, events, vocabulary and favourite moments to develop understanding and enjoyment.
Celebrate effort and progress. Every reading journey is different. Praise your child's determination, encourage them when they find something tricky and celebrate the wonderful progress they make along the way.
Practical Ways to Support Reading at Home
Supporting your child's reading doesn't need to be complicated! Small, enjoyable reading experiences can make a tremendous difference to their confidence, fluency and love of books.
1. Make Reading Part of Your Daily Routine
Find a quiet, comfortable space and aim to read at a similar time each day. Just 10–15 minutes of focused reading can be incredibly valuable. Bedtime stories, reading after school or sharing a book before dinner are all wonderful opportunities.
2. Let Your Child Take the Lead
Encourage your child to hold the book, turn the pages and read as independently as possible. For younger children, explore the illustrations and talk about what they can see. For older children, encourage them to share their opinions and explain what they have enjoyed.
3. Support Phonics – Don't Guess the Words!
When children are learning to read through phonics, encourage them to look carefully at the letters, say the sounds they have been taught and blend them together to read the word. If your child becomes stuck, give them a little thinking time before offering gentle support. Avoid encouraging them to guess words from pictures or the first letter alone. Our Little Wandle approach helps children build the skills they need to become accurate, confident readers.
4. Read Favourite Books More Than Once
Re-reading a familiar book is incredibly beneficial! The first read might focus on decoding words, the second on developing fluency and the third on reading with expression and understanding. Celebrate how much more confidently your child reads each time.
5. Ask Questions and Talk About the Story
Encourage your child to think about what they are reading. Try asking:
What has happened so far?
Who is your favourite character and why?
How do you think the character is feeling?
What do you think might happen next?
Why do you think the character made that choice?
What does that word mean?
What was your favourite part and why?
For older children, encourage them to explain their answers using clues or evidence from the text.
6. Model a Love of Reading
Let your child see you enjoying books, magazines, newspapers or recipes. Talk about what you are reading and share recommendations. Children are more likely to develop positive reading habits when reading is valued and enjoyed at home.
7. Encourage Reading Beyond the School Book
Reading opportunities are everywhere! Encourage children to explore library books, comics, recipes, instructions, information books, signs and magazines. These experiences help children understand that reading has a purpose in everyday life.
8. Keep Reading Positive!
Praise effort, celebrate progress and avoid turning reading into a stressful experience. If your child is tired or struggling, take a break and return to the book later. The aim is to develop confident, enthusiastic readers who associate books with enjoyment and success.
What Could I Write in My Child's Reading Diary?
We know that parents and carers sometimes wonder what to write in their child's Reading Diary. Comments do not need to be lengthy – a short, meaningful message helps us understand how your child is progressing at home.
Here are some examples:
Phonics-"Used their sounds confidently to blend unfamiliar words."
Fluency- "Read much more smoothly today with fewer pauses."
Expression-"Used lovely expression when reading the characters' dialogue."
Comprehension-"Could explain why the character was upset and predict what might happen next."
Independence-"Read independently tonight and only needed help with two tricky words."
Enjoyment-"Really enjoyed this chapter and was excited to tell me what happened!"
Perseverance-"Found some words challenging but kept trying and showed great determination."
Early Years-"Loved looking at the pictures and talking about the animals in the story."
Remember, a short comment at least four times each week helps us celebrate progress, identify areas for development and strengthen communication between home and school.
Working Together – Our Home–School Reading Partnership
At Eaves, we recognise that the strongest readers are developed when school and home work together.
Our Reading Diaries provide an important link between families and teachers, allowing us to celebrate achievements, monitor regular reading practice and identify where children may need additional encouragement or support. By recording reading at least four times each week, parents and carers help us build a clear picture of their child's reading experiences beyond the classroom. These valuable conversations between home and school enable us to work together to develop confident, capable and enthusiastic readers.
We understand that family life can be busy, but even a short period of focused reading together can make a significant difference. What matters most is establishing a positive, consistent reading habit that children enjoy and look forward to.
Every Page Makes a Difference!
Whether it is the excitement of sharing a first picture book, the pride of reading a sentence independently or the joy of becoming completely absorbed in a favourite novel, every reading experience matters.
Four reads a week, a few minutes each day and a shared commitment between home and school can make a lifetime of difference.
Thank you for supporting your child's reading journey and helping us inspire the next generation of confident, curious and passionate readers.
Excellence in Everything – The Eaves Way.