Reading

Subject Lead: Mrs Prinold

The Nature of Reading

English holds a central place in both education and society. A high-quality English education enables pupils to speak and write fluently, so they can clearly express their thoughts and emotions. Equally, through reading and listening, pupils learn to understand others and the world around them.

Reading allows children to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially, and spiritually. Literature plays a key role in this development by opening minds, inspiring imagination, and fostering empathy. Through reading, children gain knowledge and build on what they already know. All language skills—speaking, listening, reading, and writing—are essential to fully participating in society. Children who do not learn to speak, read, and write fluently are at risk of being disadvantaged in later life.

Curriculum Intent

We are passionate about delivering excellence in the teaching of phonics and early reading. Our children arrive at school with varying levels of exposure to books and language. It is our goal to ensure all children become fluent, confident readers.

We aim to:

• Foster a lifelong love of reading

• Build a rich and expressive vocabulary

• Encourage grammatically correct spoken language as a foundation for writing

• Provide access to a wide range of meaningful and engaging texts from the earliest stage

To support this, we have created a reading spine that includes both classic literature and essential contemporary texts. Through stories, we want children to:

• Enter new worlds beyond their own experience

• Develop curiosity, imagination, and critical thinking

• Hear the conventions of Standard English

• Appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage

Curriculum Implementation

To make our vision a reality, we ensure:

• All staff receive regular professional development, equipping them with the subject knowledge required to teach reading effectively

• Oral language development is a priority – listening and speaking skills are closely linked to both reading comprehension and writing

• Phonics is taught as the main strategy for early reading, using the Floppy’s Phonics programme

• Reading fluency and understanding are built through high-quality, sequenced lessons

• Texts are chosen carefully to expose children to rich vocabulary, grammar, and a variety of linguistic structures

• Through shared and guided reading, children are taught to:

  • Infer meaning

  • Make predictions

  • Retrieve key information

• Children are encouraged to critically reflect on texts, respond sensitively, and explain their understanding through discussion

• We provide time and opportunity for children to read widely and often, both in school and at home, for pleasure and information

Please click the links below to access key Reading documents: