English - Reading

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Intent

We are determined that:

  • Every pupil will learn to read, regardless of their background, needs or abilities.

  • All pupils, including the weakest readers, make sufficient progress to meet or exceed age related expectations.

  • Children are able to develop vocabulary, language comprehension, and a love of reading through stories, poems, rhymes and non-fiction.

  • Children are familiar with, and enjoy listening to, a wide range of stories, poems, rhymes and non-fiction.

  • The Phonics Programme (Read Write Inc.) matches or exceeds the expectations of the national curriculum and the Early Learning Goals.

  • All staff have clear expectations of pupils’ phonics progress term by term, from EYFS to Year 6 as appropriate. Pupils are provided with phonics support in KS2 according to need with as focus on application.

  • The sequence of reading books shows cumulative progression in phonics knowledge that is matched closely to the school’s phonics programme. Children have access to phonetically decodable books through Read Write Inc. Accelerated Reader is used in KS2 but Read Write Inc books are allocated to match the needs of individual learners.

  • Teachers will give pupils sufficient practice in reading and re-reading books (repeated reading) that match the grapheme-phoneme correspondences they know, both in school and at home.

  • Reading, including the teaching of systematic, synthetic phonics, is taught from the beginning of Early Years.

  • Ongoing assessment of pupils’ phonics progress is sufficiently frequent and detailed to identify any pupil who is falling behind the programme’s pace. If they do fall behind, targeted support is given.

  • All staff have regular training in the teaching of phonics and reading to ensure confidence and competence.

  • The Re-think Reading scheme is used to systematically improve children’s ability to read and respond to texts fluently and will match the reading skills concisely and consistently.

  • Children are exposed to a breadth of high-quality texts during the writing teaching sequences which includes text analysis and deconstruction with rich opportunities for collaborative, and independent writing.

  • Children are exposed to vocabulary in the wider curriculum to enhance knowledge and secure a rich language culture. Reading Wise is used as a tool to assess and revisit prior taught vocabulary.

  • Children are regularly read to, and with to expose children to a rich reading experience with links made to the wider curriculum, culture and diversity.

Our implementation is set out in our reading progression document.
 

Intent for Developing Children’s Love of Reading

We give all children the opportunity to enter the magical worlds that books open up to them. We promote reading for pleasure as part of our reading and wider curriculum.

We aim to ensure that:

  • Children are encouraged to develop their own love of genres and authors and to review their books objectively.

  • Children gain a deep love of literature across a range of genres, cultures and styles and that this is considered through classroom reading corners, library areas and access to high quality texts including through Accelerated Reader and the reading spine.

  • We have a reading culture where children are exposed to a range of high-quality texts in a variety of contexts and have opportunities to browse literature, as well as structured reading activities.

  • Children build preferences in reading and choose to read a variety of texts.

  • Children recognise individual authors and styles of reading that they enjoy.

  • Children engage in book discussion in a range of contexts, alongside both adults and peers, linking to reading skills that they are familiar with.

  • Children are given the opportunity to share and recommend a range of books.

  • Children have experiences with the local library service to further develop their thinking and love for reading.

Implementation

Well-chosen and engaging curriculum texts and for reading for pleasure links

Links made across the curriculum using high quality texts and genres (e.g. newspaper reports, non-fiction texts)

  • Class reading corners are purposeful with links made to curriculum areas

  • High quality whole class stories are used daily through the reading spine progression

  • Focus on maintaining high quality, interesting and well-matched books in the library (AR links)

Well maintained, inviting libraries across the school, maintained by staff and pupils

  • Promotion of reading during World Book Day and involvement of parents to share a love of books

  • Sharing books in assembly and among classes, year groups, phases and whole school

  • Class visits to the local library / assemblies from the library service

  • Outside classroom for lunchtime and break time reading – outdoor reading areas

  • Parental engagement and involvement – reading at home

  • Wear a word used to enhance the rich language culture across the school

  • Accelerated Reader display in KS2 encourages reading and allows children to see their own progress and achievements in reading – linked to assembly with certificates of achievement

  • Learning environments demonstrate the importance of reading to us as a school and are used to encourage children to read

 

Impact

As a result, we have a community of enthusiastic readers who enjoy showcasing their ever-developing

skills. They are confident to take risks in their reading and love to discuss and share their ideas through the use of Oracy. Reading at home has also flourished as children love the books that they are reading and enjoy sharing these beyond school, and demonstrate an understanding through use of quizzes. A rich language culture is evident across the school and children can talk confidently about the triangulation of Oracy, Vocabulary and Reading. Children develop a love for reading across a range of subject areas and make links to culture and diversity through texts read.

Revised January 2024

Subject Documents Date  
Statement of Curriculum Reading 2024 17th Mar 2024 Download
Reading Progression Map 2024 17th Mar 2024 Download
Progression - Phonics 30th Aug 2023 Download
Reading Spine 30th Aug 2023 Download
Reading through Play in the EYFS 30th Aug 2023 Download