Preschool (Ages 3–5)
Laying the Foundation for a Lifetime of Reading
At Ikeson Academy, we believe the journey to becoming a lifelong reader begins long before a child can read independently.
The preschool years are not about rushing children into reading.
They are about helping children fall in love with stories, language, books, and learning.
A child who enjoys books today is far more likely to become a confident reader tomorrow.
That is why our preschool reading pathway focuses on nurturing curiosity, imagination, vocabulary, listening, and a joyful relationship with books.
Our goal is simple:
Before children learn to read, we want them to love being read to.
Our Objectives
By the end of Preschool, we hope every child will:
- Love listening to stories.
- Handle books carefully and confidently.
- Understand that books communicate ideas.
- Recognise that print has meaning.
- Build a rich spoken vocabulary.
- Enjoy rhymes, songs, and poems.
- Develop strong listening skills.
- Retell simple stories in their own words.
- Ask questions about what they hear.
- Predict what might happen next in a story.
- Begin recognising letters and their sounds.
- Develop confidence when speaking with others.
- Associate reading with joy rather than pressure.
What We Read
Children need a rich variety of books.
Our Preschool Library includes:
Picture Books
Beautifully illustrated stories that develop imagination, vocabulary, comprehension, and a love of storytelling.
Nursery Rhymes
Rhythm and rhyme strengthen children's awareness of language and prepare them for later reading success.
Traditional Tales
Timeless stories from around the world that introduce patterns, sequencing, and important life lessons.
Christian Stories
Age-appropriate Bible stories that introduce God's love, kindness, courage, forgiveness, creation, and hope.
Poetry
Short, memorable poems that help children appreciate the beauty and rhythm of language.
Informational Books
Simple non-fiction books about animals, plants, transport, weather, space, the human body, occupations, and the world around them.
Children are naturally curious.
Informational books help answer their many questions while expanding their understanding of God's world.
Daily Reading Experiences
Every preschool child should experience books every day.
Our daily reading experiences include:
- Teacher read-aloud sessions
- Story discussions
- Picture walks
- Nursery rhymes and songs
- Shared reading
- Story retelling
- Vocabulary exploration
- Dramatic play inspired by stories
- Quiet independent book browsing
Children should leave each day believing that books are exciting places to visit.
Building Vocabulary
Vocabulary is one of the strongest predictors of later reading success.
We intentionally expose children to rich language through:
- Meaningful conversations
- Storybooks
- Songs
- Poetry
- Role play
- Nature walks
- Science exploration
- Everyday classroom experiences
Children learn words best when they hear them used naturally in meaningful contexts.
We Encourage Conversation
Reading is never one-sided.
After every story, we encourage conversation.
We ask questions such as:
- What happened first?
- What was your favourite part?
- How do you think the character felt?
- What would you have done?
- What surprised you?
- What do you think will happen next?
These conversations strengthen comprehension, reasoning, empathy, and communication.
Developing Phonological Awareness
Before children read words, they learn to hear language.
Through songs, rhymes, games, and playful activities, children begin noticing:
- Rhyming words
- Beginning sounds
- Ending sounds
- Syllables
- Sound patterns
These experiences prepare children for formal reading instruction.
Developing Print Awareness
Children gradually learn that:
- Books have a front and back cover.
- Pages turn from front to back.
- Print carries meaning.
- We read from left to right.
- Words are made of letters.
- Sentences are made of words.
These simple understandings become the building blocks of future reading.
Learning Through Play
Children learn best through joyful exploration.
Books become part of imaginative play.
A story about a bakery may lead to children opening a pretend bakery.
A story about space may inspire rocket building.
A book about insects may lead to outdoor exploration.
Stories should not end when the final page is turned.
They should continue through play, conversation, creativity, and discovery.
Our Partnership with Parents
Parents are a child's first reading teachers.
We encourage families to:
- Read aloud every day.
- Visit libraries and bookstores.
- Let children choose books.
- Read favourite books again and again.
- Talk about stories.
- Ask open-ended questions.
- Let children see adults reading.
- Give books as gifts.
- Make bedtime reading a family tradition.
Ten minutes of joyful reading every day is far more valuable than occasional long sessions.
Consistency builds lifelong habits.
Books We Love
Our Preschool Reading Pathway includes books that are:
- Beautifully written
- Rich in vocabulary
- Developmentally appropriate
- Imaginative
- Humorous
- Diverse
- Character-building
- Wonder-filled
- Worth reading again and again
We choose books that invite children to think, laugh, imagine, wonder, and delight in learning.
Our Hope
When children leave Preschool, our greatest success will not simply be that they recognise letters or begin reading simple words.
Our greatest success will be that they ask,
"Can we read another story?"
Because we believe that a child who leaves Preschool with a love for books has already begun one of the greatest educational journeys of their life.
The reading lessons will continue.
The vocabulary will grow.
The skills will develop.
But the most precious gift has already taken root.
A joyful heart that believes every book holds another adventure waiting to be discovered.
And that is where lifelong reading truly begins.