Reading

Reading

Our reading curriculum prioritises a love of reading through daily story time, rich discussion, and exposure to high-quality texts, while systematically developing phonics, fluency, and comprehension in line with DfE guidance. We ensure fidelity to Read Write Inc for secure decoding, strengthen vocabulary and language through structured talk and build fluent, expressive reading as the bridge to deep understanding and lifelong enjoyment. 

Intent

·       Love of Reading: Foster enthusiasm and a reading-for-pleasure culture through daily story time, rich discussion, and enjoyment of diverse texts.

·       Comprehension and Vocabulary: Develop deep understanding and language through structured talk, vocabulary-rich discussion, and explicit comprehension strategies.

·       Phonics Fidelity: Deliver systematic synthetic phonics with strict adherence to the Read Write Inc programme, supported by fully decodable books and daily practice.

·       Fluency as a Bridge: Develop fluent reading, automatic, accurate decoding with appropriate expression to connect decoding and comprehension, strengthened through purposeful re-reading.

Implementation

Early Phonics (EYFS & Year 1 – Robins)

• Systematic phonics: Fidelity to Read Write Inc ensures structured progression.
• Daily decodable texts: Pupils take home matched books to build fluency and automaticity.
• Storytime every day: Promotes comprehension, vocabulary development, and reading enjoyment.

Whole-Class Reading (Year 2 - 6)

• High-quality texts and teacher modelling: Deep comprehension and cognitive engagement.
• Fluency strategies: Choral, paired and expressive reading.
• Vocabulary instruction: Pre-teaching, word banks, synonyms support Word Reading and Language Comprehension strands.
• Retrieval practice: Daily “Quick 6” and domain challenges assess understanding and strengthen knowledge retention.
• Re-reading for fluency: Scheduled repetition of key texts to build automaticity.
• Talk for comprehension: Structured partner and group discussion to deepen understanding.
• Phonics beyond KS1: Targeted support for older pupils who need decoding intervention.

Teachers assess and adapt teaching for all groups of learners, specifically providing extra targeted support and challenge for SEND, pupil premium and our most vulnerable children. Vocabulary scaffolding, pre-teaching, targeted questioning and strategic pairing ensure all pupils keep pace and close gaps.

Reading for pleasure culture: Whole-school initiatives foster positive attitudes and enjoyment.

·       Our 4-part lesson outline aligns well with research-based best practice: