Reading Curriculum

Reading is a priority at a school. Our aim is for our children to have a love of reading and to recognise that we read for a range of purposes. Children will read to by adults regularly as a model of good reading. Children will read to themselves everyday and will be listened to regularly. All children will also develop their understanding of a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts during their time with us. 

We use the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) to help us choose the best children's books. Each unit of work is underpinned by an ambitious, engaging quality text which is relevant to the children's learning needs and backgrounds. We aim to provide children 'windows' into other cultures and experiences to develop cultural capital and appreciation of our diverse world and 'mirrors' to help develop their own interpersonal skills and understanding of themselves as they grow up. 

Progression of Teaching Reading Through School:

Nursery and Reception use the CLPE's Corebooks to help choose books that complement the children's interests and the Early Years Curriculum. This is part of a thematic approach evidenced through the Early Years learning environment. 

For pupils who are in the early stages of Reading, they will learn to read through daily Phonics lessons which is taught through the Read, Write Inc. programme. This takes place from when children join us in Reception and continues until they are able to read fluency, without the need to blend overtly. During Phonics sessions, children will learn to read aloud, retrieve factual information from what they have read and make simple inferences and predictions. It is expected that children will complete this programme by the beginning of Year 2.

From Year 2, children will take part in more formal Guided Reading lessons if they are able to read fluency at the Age Related Standard. A range of fiction and non-fiction texts are chosen to explore using key comprehension skills such as prediction, retrieval, inference and exploring author's intended issues. Our school teaches children to use drama, role-play, empathy and exploring language and ideas to encourage creative and deep responses to reading. Adults act as models of good reading habitats, with children having regular opportunities to read aloud both to their peers and to the class. From Year 3 onwards, children are taught to use their own copy of the text studied to follow what is read in class, find and gather evidence and begin to form and justify their opinions using what they have read more independently. Guided Reading is taught for 45 minutes, three times a week.