Reading

Intent

At St Philip's RC Primary School, reading is at the heart of the curriculum and is viewed as a fundamental life skill. We aim to inspire a lifelong love of reading and ensure every child becomes a confident, fluent and enthusiastic reader. We recognise the transformative power of literacy, particularly in an area of high deprivation, and are committed to removing barriers so that all pupils can achieve their full potential.

Our Reading Vision

• To develop fluent, confident readers who can access all areas of the curriculum.

• To foster a love of literature and reading for pleasure.

• To equip children with the vocabulary, knowledge and cultural capital needed for future success.

• To ensure all children leave primary school able to read fluently, accurately and with understanding.

• To enable pupils to become reflective, empathetic and informed citizens through exposure to rich and diverse texts.

Curriculum Principles

Our reading curriculum is founded on:

• The National Curriculum programmes of study.

• The EYFS Early Learning Goals.

• The Reading Framework (2023).

• Evidence-informed practice from The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading by Christopher Such.

Implementation

Early Reading and Phonics

St Philip's uses Read Write Inc. (RWI), a DfE-validated systematic synthetic phonics programme.

From EYFS

Children:

• Listen to stories daily.

• Learn nursery rhymes and poetry.

• Learn pure sounds.

• Develop oral blending through "Fred Talk".

• Receive daily phonics teaching.

Reading Curriculum

KS1

Daily provision includes:

• Phonics teaching.

• Shared reading.

• Story time.

• Decodable reading books.

• Home reading opportunities.

KS2 Reading Model

Reading is taught through a structured evidence-informed approach (Chris Such) consisting of:

Daily teaching of:

• Tier 2 vocabulary.

• Root words.

• Academic language.

• Subject-specific vocabulary.

Fluency Practice

Children:

• Listen to expert reading models.

• Participate in repeated oral reading.

• Read with partners.

• Practise prosody, pace and accuracy.

• Build automaticity.

Extended Reading

Children:

• Engage with longer texts.

• Develop stamina.

• Build background knowledge.

• Discuss vocabulary and meaning.

• Answer carefully planned questions.

Close Reading

Children:

• Analyse texts deeply.

• Explore themes and authorial intent.

• Consider language choices.

• Compare texts.

• Develop comprehension and critical thinking.

Reading Culture

Whole-Class Reading

• Daily reading sessions from EYFS to Year 6.

• Shared class novels and high-quality texts.

• Opportunities for partner discussion.

• Regular independent reading.

Reading Spine

The St Philip's Reading Spine:

• Provides high-quality core texts.

• Introduces significant authors and genres.

• Supports curriculum topics.

• Enhances cultural capital.

Going for Gold Reading Scheme

A collection of ambitious, age-appropriate books designed to:

• Extend reading beyond the curriculum.

• Build vocabulary.

• Encourage reading for pleasure.

• Develop wider world knowledge.

Home Reading

Children take books home regularly:

• Phonics books matched to ability.

• Sharing books

• Book-banded texts.

• Going for Gold texts once children move beyond book bands.

• SAT Companion materials in Year 6 where appropriate.

Monitoring, Assessment and Staff Development

Reading is monitored through:

• Learning walks.

• Book scrutiny.

• Pupil voice.

• Staff voice.

• Assessment analysis.

Assessment Systems

The school uses:

• Read Write Inc. assessments.

• Reading Plus.

• Smartgrade assessments.

• Benchmark assessments.

• Fluency assessments.

• Stockport Standards moderation.

Staff Development

• Comprehensive induction for new staff.

• Ongoing phonics training.

• Read Write Inc. coaching.

• Reading leadership training.

• Targeted CPD based on identified needs.

Impact

The impact of reading provision can be seen through pupils' progress, engagement and attainment.

Academic Outcomes

Children:

• Become fluent, accurate readers.

• Develop strong decoding skills.

• Access increasingly complex texts.

• Build extensive vocabulary.

• Read with confidence and understanding.

Progress and Achievement

Through regular assessment and intervention:

• Pupils make strong progress from their starting points.

• Gaps are identified and addressed quickly.

• Most pupils complete the RWI programme by the end of Year 2.

Personal Development

Reading contributes to:

• Increased cultural capital.

• Development of empathy and understanding.

• Improved communication skills.

• Greater confidence and independence.

• Stronger outcomes across the wider curriculum.

Impact is evaluated through:

• Reading attainment data.

• Fluency assessments.

• Reading Plus outcomes.

• Pupil interviews.

• Parent feedback.

• External review and moderation.

Enrichment

St Philip's recognises that developing readers goes beyond classroom teaching.

Reading for Pleasure

Children have access to:

• High-quality fiction and non-fiction.

• Poetry collections.

• Reading spine texts.

• Going for Gold books.

• Books promoting British Values and Protected Characteristics.

Reading Aloud

Teachers:

• Read aloud daily.

• Model expressive reading.

• Introduce children to a wide range of authors.

• Promote discussion about books and themes.

School Library

The school library:

• Provides access to diverse, high-quality texts.

• Supports independent reading.

• Is maintained by Year 6 pupil librarians.

• Encourages reading for pleasure across all year groups.

Classroom Reading Areas

Every classroom contains a dedicated reading area with:

• Age-appropriate texts.

• Recommended books.

• A variety of genres.

• Vocabulary resources.

• Opportunities for independent reading.

Library Visits

Children regularly visit:

• Offerton Library.

These visits:

• Encourage wider reading.

• Promote library membership.

• Develop awareness of community resources.

• Broaden reading choices.

Parent Engagement

Parents are involved through:

• Reading records.

• Phonics workshops.

• Reading information evenings.

• Stay and Read sessions.

• Celebrations of reading achievement.

Additional Enrichment.

• Shared story projects.

• Reading challenges.

• Daily story sessions.

• Peer discussions about reading.

• Home-school reading partnerships.

Intended Enrichment Impact

Through these opportunities, pupils develop:

• Positive attitudes towards reading.

• Reading stamina.

• Wider vocabulary.

• Greater cultural awareness.

• Lifelong reading habits.

• A genuine love of books and literature.