Assessing Reading at the End of Key Stage 1

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This was a project run to identify opportunities in the primary classroom for assessing pupils'
reading skills at the end of Key Stage 1. The materials in this document were drawn together
from 6 different settings where teachers planned and carried out various activities involving
reading, then used the evidence gathered to assess pupils' progress. Detailed examples of
the assessment of children's reading skills have been used to exemplify standards
throughout this document.

Acknowledgements
Our grateful thanks to all those who have contributed:
Karen Williams Assessment Support Team Co-ordinator
Helen Clark – Assessment Consultant
Vanessa Andrews- Kennington Primary School, Preston
Jenny Bell - St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale
Fiona Eccles – Whittle-le-Woods C of E Primary School, Chorley
Michelle Singleton- Anderton St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Chorley
Nick Ward- Bretherton Endowed CE Primary School, Leyland
Alison Wilkinson- Nelson Whitefield Infant School, Nelson

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 Contents

National Curriculum Level Descriptors 4

About the project 5

Environment 6-9

Ideas for supporting reading 10-19

Record keeping and systems 20

Evidence that can be used to assess reading 21

Examples of level 1 reading evidence 22-26

Examples of level 2 reading evidence 27-32

Examples of level 3 reading evidence 33-40

Profile of a child working at level 1 41-48

Profile of a child working at level 2 49-56

Profile of child working at level 3 57-64

Resources 65

Appendices 66-68

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Key Stage 1 - Reading Project

Statutory Requirements

'Teaching should ensure that work in 'speaking and listening', 'reading' and 'writing' is
integrated.

Reading: during Key Stage 1 pupils' interest and pleasure in reading is developed as they
learn to read confidently and independently. They focus on words and sentences and how
they fit into whole texts. They work out the meaning of straightforward texts and say why
they like them or do not like them.'(National Curriculum)

National Curriculum Level Descriptors

Attainment Target 2: Reading

Level 1 Pupils recognise familiar words in simple texts. They use their knowledge of letters
and sound-symbol relationships in order to read words and to establish meaning when
reading aloud. In these activities they sometimes require support. They express their
response to poems, stories and non-fiction by identifying aspects they like.

Level 2 Pupils’ reading of simple texts shows understanding and is generally accurate. They
express opinions about major events or ideas in stories, poems and non-fiction. They use
more than one strategy, such as phonic, graphic, syntactic and contextual, in reading
unfamiliar words and establishing meaning.

Level 3 Pupils read a range of texts fluently and accurately. They read independently, using
strategies appropriately to establish meaning. In responding to fiction and non-fiction in a
range of modes they show understanding of the main points and express preferences. They
use their knowledge of the alphabet and of search techniques to locate sources and find
information.

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This booklet has been created as an aid for teachers when considering evidence for
assessing reading. Many examples derive from the Lancashire Literacy Team Reading
Documents (see resource list) and show how these can be used and adapted for classroom
practice.

The document is structured around 5 key areas of good practice:

Good Practice
• Planning & Organisation
• Environment
• Ideas for supporting reading development
• Assessment
• Resources

Detailed examples of the assessment of children's reading skills have been used to
exemplify standards throughout this document. The final section of this document
includes profiles of a child working at Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3.

Planning & Organisation

Purposeful reading activities should be regularly planned for including opportunities to teach
and apply relevant skills. Specific and appropriate age related activities should be planned
for across a range of contexts. Where possible other adults in the room should be involved in
the planning process and should at the very least know the precise objectives that will be
covered in a session. Planning also needs to take account of assessment opportunities; day
to day assessment and include details of next steps in learning. Providing opportunities for
children to practise and apply their skills e.g. through cross curricular activities.

Organisation
• Set times for reading daily- carousel of activities
• Volunteers- making sure trained correctly- know what they are expected to do
• Strategies for reading
• Assessing reading
• Reading records
• Whole school reading records
• Dedicated time
• Reading opportunities
• Staff trained in reading

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 Environment
In order to develop reading effectively the classroom environment needs to provide
appropriate stimulus. A print rich environment full of quality reading resources is essential for
fostering children's love of reading and a key component in developing effective reading
skills. Schools may find the Literacy Learning Environment Checklist in Appendix 1 useful
when developing their classroom environments.

Environment
• Reading areas with comfy
seating-cushions, bean bags,
mats
• Story telling areas/chairs/story
circles/staged areas- inside &
outside
• Listening area
• Role play area
• Storage- accessible to the
children
• Displays-e.g. books the class
are reading, children reading
• Print rich environment e.g. key
words display, phonics

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 Ideas for Supporting Reading

 Develop role play areas that are

linked to familiar texts.

 Use quality questioning during shared, guided or individual reading sessions.

 Have regular times where adults read to the class. This shows adults as good role models for
reading and can help develop children's enthusiasm for reading.

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 Provide opportunities for story telling by having resources readily available for children to access e.g.
puppets, familiar texts, fabric, masks, hats, wigs, props, dressing up.

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 Acquiring skills to enable children to have a deeper understanding of texts. For example, Living
History Days, independent research, selecting words to describe characters and finding the meaning
of unfamiliar words.

 Provide incentives for reading regularly at home and in class. Interactive activities and rewards such
as collecting points, stars every time they read at home building up to a bigger reward.

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 Have theme days where the class complete activities related to a particular book or character or take
part in World Book Day by, for example, dressing up as a favourite character from a book.

 Provide texts related to other curriculum areas.

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 Reading for information from different sources and in different environments.

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 Get parents involved in promoting the importance of reading. E.g. by providing workshops for
parents, having a book exchange, sending home questions for parents to ask their children as they
are reading, invite parents in to read with the class/groups/individuals

 Provide regular opportunities for speaking and listening activities. This will help children to develop
and widen their vocabulary whilst also giving reading a purpose.

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  Reading buddies. Pair up older and
younger children to read to each other.

 Set up reading clubs to provide

opportunities for children to discuss
texts and share their love of reading.

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 Reading for fun. Involving children in the selection of their own texts and providing appropriate places
for them to enjoy their choices.

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 Provide opportunities for
discussion about texts to develop
comprehension.

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 Phonics sessions to support the
development of essential early
reading skills.

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Record keeping and systems

Having a manageable system to track pupils' progress in reading, which is consistent

across the school, is essential. From these records teachers should be able to
identify groups and individuals who are making good progress or not progressing as
they should. This should enable a school to put in place intervention strategies and
tailor provision accordingly. Impact of this provision needs to be analysed and
evaluated.

Useful resources from the Lancashire Literacy Team for record keeping:

• Assessment and Progression in Reading Skills- A3 Summative Sheet

• Assessment and Progression in Reading Skills- Formative Booklet
• Children's Targets for Reading
• Assessment and Progression in Phonics- A3 Summative Sheet
• Activities for Responding to Reading
• Creative Ideas for Developing Reading Comprehension

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Evidence that can be used to assess
reading

• Drama
• Role play
• Role on the wall
• Conscience alley
• Hot seating
• Freeze Frames
• Interviews
• Comprehension activities-oral and
written
• Written responses to reading
• High Quality Questioning
• Speaking and Listening Activities

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 Examples of Level 1 Reading Evidence

AF 3 L1-Express relevant opinions about events

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AF3 L1-Extracts information from a shared, whole
class text and explains with support.

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 AF2 L1- Discusses favourite books and empathises
with different characters.
AF3 L1- Focuses on the thoughts of a character
through drama.

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AF2 L1-Retells stories orally using a storyboard or The children created a story map of
story map. 'The Little Red Hen' with the teacher
and retold the story orally.

AF2 L1-Acts out a story in role play.

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 Examples of Level 2 Reading Evidence

The child was asked to write a

blurb for the back of the book
to attract a year one child to
read it.

AF3 L2- Extracts and

summarises information from
the text.

AF6 L2- Is clear about the

purpose and audience of a book.

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AF2 L2- Retells a story clearly and with appropriate detail.

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 AF3 L2- Uses an understanding of the story to
make predictions.

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AF3 L2- Makes simple inferences about characters'
thoughts, and feelings.

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After reading 'Letters to a Dragonfly' the children wrote letters to Dragonfly as the character
Butterfly.

AF2 L2- Recalls the qualities of characters.

AF3 L2- Makes simple inferences about characters' thoughts, feelings and reasons for actions.

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 AF2 L2- Retells a story clearly
and with appropriate detail.

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 Children thought of possible responses from
characters in the story.
AF3 L3-.Continues to make plausible predictions
based on knowledge of the text.
Examples of Level 3 Reading Evidence

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 The children used information books to research famous
people. They then wrote about the people they had
researched.
AF2 L3- Shows understanding of main points with reference to
the text. (Point + Evidence)

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The child was asked to write a recommendation of the book they had read.

AF2 L3- Links own personal comments to the text.

AF5 L3- Makes statements about the impact of descriptive style.

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The children wrote to persuade people to visit
Antarctica after reading some non-fiction texts.

AF2 L3- Finds information to support own writing.

AF3 L3- Summarises the main points from a passage

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or a text.
The children used a range of information books and the internet to conduct some independent
research on Florence Nightingale.

AF2 L3-Makes notes from information located in texts.

AF3 L3- Summarises the main points from a passage or a text.

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 After Reading 'Baba Yaga' the
child listed words and phrases
to describe the character
before writing a character
description.

AF3 L3- Discusses the actions of

the main characters and justifies
views using evidence from the
text.

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AF2 L3- Makes notes from
information located in texts.

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 Profile of a Child Working at Level 1

National Curriculum Level Descriptor- Level 1

Pupils recognise familiar words in simple texts. They use their knowledge of letters and
sound-symbol relationships in order to read words and to establish meaning when reading
aloud. In these activities they sometimes require support. They express their response to
poems, stories and non-fiction by identifying aspects they like.

Mustapha

Mustapha is currently on the orange book band. She can read all the words on list 5 and
uses her phonics knowledge to decipher unknown words. She also uses the pictures to help
when reading. Mustapha often rushes when reading; this can sometimes result in her
misreading or substituting words in texts.

She can talk about the characters, setting and events in books. She can also discuss the
structure of a story and can say what happened at the beginning middle and end. Mustapha
is beginning to compare characters and events in different books and knows the difference
between fiction and non-fiction.

Mustapha enjoys reading and is able to talk about her favourite books. She often chooses to
spend time in the reading area and uses her knowledge of stories well during role play
activities. She enjoys reading with her reading buddy and always becomes fully involved in
book events such as ‘World Book Day’.

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 Profile of a Child Working at Level 2b

National Curriculum Level Descriptor- Level 2

Pupils’ reading of simple texts shows understanding and is generally accurate. They express
opinions about major events or ideas in stories, poems and non-fiction. They use more than
one strategy, such as phonic, graphic, syntactic and contextual, in reading unfamiliar words
and establishing meaning.

Lucy

Lucy is currently on the gold book band. She reads aloud accurately using intonation and
expression taking account of punctuation marks. Lucy is secure at Phase 5 Phonics.

She can talk about stories in detail; she understands the main theme of a story and can say
why things happen and make predictions based on her understanding of similar texts. Lucy
can explain how she thinks a character is thinking or feeling and give simple reasons for a
character's behaviour/actions.

Lucy is able to say what the purpose of a book might be by looking at the front cover and
blurb. She can identify general features of different text types. Lucy can read for a purpose
and use non-fiction books correctly to find particular information including using
alphabetically ordered texts and indexes to locate specific information.

Lucy enjoys reading and often chooses to read in the book area. She can choose a book
and say what she liked or disliked about it. She enjoys reading with her reading buddy and
reads regularly at home.

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 Profile of a Child Working at Level 3

National Curriculum Level Descriptor- Level 3

Pupils read a range of texts fluently and accurately. They read independently, using
strategies appropriately to establish meaning. In responding to fiction and non-fiction in a
range of modes they show understanding of the main points and express preferences. They
use their knowledge of the alphabet and of search techniques to locate sources and find
information.

Luke

Luke has recently completed the reading scheme and now regular chooses his own reading
material. Luke selects books from the class and school library as well as bringing in books
from home. He reads longer texts independently using a range of self help strategies to
decode unfamiliar words and comprehend.

Luke recognises texts written for different purposes and can comment on the key features of
texts. He understands the purpose of paragraphs and punctuations marks. Luke is secure at
Phase 6 Phonics.

Luke can discuss the actions of the main characters in a book and can find places in the text
to support what he thinks. He can locate information in non-fiction texts and can sum up the
main points in a few words. Luke can use the contents, index, headings and sub-headings to
locate information in a text.

Luke enjoys reading and always chooses to do so in his spare time. He uses the reading
area often and likes to read to other children in the class. He reads every night at home and
visits the library regularly with his parents.

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Luke's responses shown in blue.

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Resources

• Books and materials in a good condition which the children will enjoy handling
and reading
• A progressive, good quality reading scheme which suits needs of the children
• A range of different texts- different genres, fiction, non-fiction, children's
magazines and newspapers
• Author's baskets
• ICT resources- Audio books, Dvds, microphones, recording equipment e.g.
talking books, Interactive White Board books, children's websites
• Puppets
• Story sacks
• Masks and dressing up materials
• Photo albums
• Soft toys
• Small world
• Big books and stand
• Lancashire Literacy Team resources

Useful Websites

http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/

http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/

http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/resources/external_resources/1301_booktrustchildren
sbooks_org_uk

www.lovereading4schools.co.uk

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 Appendices
Appendix 1

Environmental print: letters and words

• Is the setting bright, well organised and inviting to walk into?

• Are resources and working areas clearly labelled?
• Do the resources reflect the range of families and cultures in Britain?
• Are children’s names and high-frequency words displayed at child height?
• Are greetings/days of the week displayed in English and other languages and scripts?
• Is there an attractive pictorial alphabet frieze displayed at child height?
• Are poems, songs, children’s writing and extracts from shared texts displayed?
• Do displays include typed and handwritten text?
• Does the teacher read and refer to the print that is displayed around the setting?
• Do displays include typed and handwritten text and captions from adults and children?
• Are children encouraged and supported to ‘read around the room’?
Opportunities for children to read independently and for adults to read with children

• Does reading and writing happen inside and outdoors?

• Do adults read to the children most days?
• Are there are lots of opportunities to hear, sing and discuss rhymes?
• Is the big book stand/IWB easily seen by all children during shared reading?
• Do children take an active role in group, shared and guided reading?
• Are children building a good bank of known texts?
Books and literacy areas

• Do the books in the book corner match the needs and interests of the children?
• Are the books of appropriate quality, quantity and variety (hard cover, soft cover, fiction, non-fiction,
rhymes…)?
• Are big books, favourite and new books and phonics games available for independent use?
• Are books included in displays and available resources related to areas of the curriculum other than
literacy?
• Are books for guided reading identified and organised with reference to Book bands (or another
system of fine grading)?
• Do the books for early reading have a repetitive structure?
• Do the books for early reading have text that includes the repetition of high-frequency words?
• Do the books for early reading include a good proportion of words the children can decode using their
phonic skills?
• Are there enough guided reading resources to meet the range of needs in Y2?
• For shared reading, is the type and page layout simple and clear so children can isolate known high-
frequency words?
• Are the texts short enough to be completed in a 10–15-minute shared reading session?
Resources for phonics teaching

• Are there sufficient resources for children, including whiteboards and pens, letter fans (one each), and
Yes/No cards?
• Do the teacher resources include puppets for demonstration, large clearly visible whiteboard, sticky
notes, cards of each phoneme, magnetic letters, and cards for games and activities?
• Does the practitioner have a well-organised selection of phonics resources to draw on (fans, mini-
whiteboards, etc.) for direct teaching sessions?

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 Appendix 2

Whole-School Reading Systems- Some Questions to Consider

(Adapted from Page 54 of "Getting them ready early, Inspecting reading in the new framework,
Ofsted Oct 11")

Apart from outcomes in reading, evidence from or about the following might also help you to
determine the consistency of a school’s approach to teaching reading:

What impact can be seen, of the subject leader or reading manager across classes/year-
groups, for example through her/his monitoring of progress and feedback to staff?

Are there strong links between early language work in the Nursery and Reception classes
and work in Key Stage 1?

Is there a shared system for tracking children’s progress in reading across the school?

How quick and effective is the transfer of children from one reading group to another,
determined through whole-school reading assessments, so that teaching is matched closely
to need?

What are the common features in teaching reading across different classrooms, such as
mnemonics, shared multi-sensory approaches, common vocabulary, similar literacy displays
(as appropriate to the age of the children) and other resources as reference points?

Are there strong links between any intervention work and the teaching in the mainstream
classroom – and between the staff involved (teaching assistants and teachers)?

What is the impact of whole-school continuing professional development (CPD) for reading
that has involved teaching assistants as well as teachers?

Is there a shared language for discussing reading – shared by children and staff?

Is there common communication to parents about how the school teaches reading – and
feedback from parents that this is so?

Is there additional tutoring in small groups: before the lesson to prepare children or after the
main lesson to help them catch up?

Is there any evidence of one-to-one work with a trained teaching assistant?

Are groups of children who are at the same level in reading being taught together so that the
teaching can focus closely on their needs? (Especially in Year R, a mixed-ability class being
divided towards the latter part of the academic year for phonic work to enable the younger or
less able children to make good progress before Year 1)

Is there support for a child or a small group of children within a lesson?

(from Page 39 of "Getting them ready early, Inspecting reading in the new framework, Ofsted Oct
11")

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 Appendix 3

Questions to ask pupils; at Key Stage 1

Texts
Who chose this book? Did you choose it yourself or did someone choose it for you?
Have you read it before today or is it a new book?
Do you know anything about it already?
Do you know any of the characters/people in this story?

Decoding
What do you do if you get stuck on a word?
[Return to a word that the child hesitated on and see how s/he tackles it.]
What part of the word would you look at first?
[Check that the child starts at the beginning.]
Can you show me what you do?
What sound does this letter make? And this one? And this one? [Point from left to right
through the word, not randomly, making sure that you are not covering up the letter.]
What word is that when we put those sounds together?
Say the word for me?

Comprehension
Why do you think X [a character] did that?
Why do you think Y [an event] happened?
What do you think will happen next?

Reading at School/Home
Do you read to someone in school? How often?
Do you read with someone at home?
Do you have a reading record/diary? Please may I see it? [Check how often an adult listens
to the child read? Which adults? Parent/teacher/teaching assistant?]

Reading Preferences
Do you like this book? Why?
What are your favourite (sorts of) books?
What books has your teacher read to the class that you enjoyed?
Do you feel you are a good reader? What’s easy? What’s difficult? How do you think you
could get even better as a reader?
Do you enjoy reading?

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