At our school, we believe that reading is at the heart of learning and is essential to children’s success across the curriculum. Our reading curriculum begins in Key Stage 1, where it works closely alongside our Phonics programme to ensure that children develop the essential skills needed to become confident and independent readers. As children progress into Key Stage 2, our reading curriculum develops further, with a clear focus on the three fundamental reading skills of vocabulary, fluency and comprehension.

Children in Key Stage 1 take part in a 15-minute Guided Reading lesson every day, while children in Key Stage 2 receive a 30-minute daily Guided Reading lesson. During these sessions, children are exposed to a wide variety of high-quality texts, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry. These carefully selected texts are used to broaden children’s experiences, enrich their vocabulary, develop their understanding and, most importantly, encourage a lifelong love of reading and learning.

Once children have completed the Phonics programme, they are allocated a book band level that is matched carefully to their reading ability. Children take these books home to read regularly with a parent or guardian, providing an important opportunity to practise and consolidate the skills they develop in school. We ask parents and carers to support this process by listening to their child read and signing their reading diary, helping us to maintain a strong partnership between home and school.

We also recognise the importance of children simply experiencing the joy of being read to. Every class has its own class reader, which is shared with the children during the final ten minutes of every school day. This special time allows children to enjoy stories together, encounter books they may not otherwise choose themselves and experience the excitement of following a story over time.

Reading for pleasure is also an important part of school life. We are fortunate to have a well-stocked school library, which is available for children to access throughout the school day. Children are encouraged to choose books that interest and excite them, giving them ownership over their reading choices. Our library provides a welcoming space where children can explore new authors and genres, recommend books to one another and enjoy sharing stories with friends and classmates. Please see the recommended reads section on our website to see 50 books that we recommend for each year group. 

As a school, we have also embraced the National Year of Reading, using it as an opportunity to further enrich and celebrate our reading curriculum. Through additional reading experiences, activities and opportunities across the school, we aim to create a vibrant reading culture in which books are valued, discussed and enjoyed. Our ultimate goal is for every child to leave our school as a confident, enthusiastic reader who understands the power and pleasure that reading can bring.