At Chapelford Village Primary School, we believe that reading is at the heart of everything we do. Being able to read fluently and accurately opens doors to every area of learning and gives children greater opportunities as they move through school and beyond. Our aim is for every child to be a confident reader before they leave us for high school.

We also understand that families lead very busy lives, juggling work, clubs and other commitments. However, research consistently shows that just 5–10 minutes of reading or sharing a story every day can make a huge difference. Children who read regularly at home develop stronger vocabulary, improved comprehension and greater confidence in learning. Most importantly, it helps foster a lifelong love of reading.

To support reading for pleasure and encourage regular reading at home, we are excited to introduce our new Reading Rewards system. Following staff and pupil voice, the English team have redesigned the scheme so that all children can work towards rewards at their own pace, celebrating effort and consistency rather than speed.

How Reading Rewards Work

Children earn rewards as they build up the number of times they read at home:

  • 10 Reads – A bookmark of their choice
  • 20 Reads – A Reading Award certificate
  • 40 Reads – VIP Library Time
    Children can choose a friend to visit the school library for a special reading session and select a book to share back in their classroom.
  • 60 Reads – A Golden Reading Token
    This is a huge achievement and will be celebrated in school, including recognition in celebration assembly.

Once children reach 60 reads, they return to the start of the reading journey and begin working towards their next golden token.

To help children track their progress, teachers will add 10, 20, 40 (and beyond!) stickers into reading records so progress is visible and motivating. Each class also has a book-themed Reading Road, which acts as a clear visual aid to help children track their progress and move themselves along as they read, allowing them to see just how close they are to their next reward.

Celebrating Success

We are thrilled to announce that four children have already earned their Golden Reading Token, including one child from Reception – an incredible achievement! We hope this is just the beginning and look forward to celebrating many more reading milestones.

Across school, classrooms are stocked with high-quality, engaging texts from a wide range of genres and reading is woven into our curriculum in exciting and meaningful ways. This new reward system is another step in strengthening our partnership with families to support children’s reading journeys.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. Together, we can help every child discover the joy of reading and the opportunities it brings.

 

Reading Rewards