Intent
At Heathcote Primary School, we recognise that reading is fundamental to our students’ academic success and personal development. Post a strong acquisition of phonics, our intent is to cultivate a deep appreciation for reading, empowering children to explore diverse perspectives and engage meaningfully with the world around them. Our reading curriculum is designed not only to enhance literacy skills but also to foster a lifelong passion for reading.
We employ a multi-faceted approach to reading instruction. Our program includes a synthetic phonics scheme for those who are still building their confidence, alongside daily taught reading sessions, cross-curricular reading related to current topics, and a commitment to hearing high-quality texts read aloud every day. These components work together to create enthusiastic, fluent, and critical readers who thrive on the joy of discovering new stories and information.
We understand that motivation plays a crucial role in developing reading habits. By encouraging regular reading at home and fostering a culture of reading for pleasure, we enhance fluency, stamina, and overall enjoyment. We also recognise the essential partnership with parents and carers, equipping them with the tools and confidence to support their children's reading journeys.
Implementation
Our reading program is a cornerstone of our curriculum, designed to cultivate strong, independent readers equipped with the skills necessary for comprehension and critical thinking. Each week, pupils engage in explicit reading lessons for 30 minutes, five times a week. These lessons focus on developing skills aligned with the VIPERS framework—vocabulary, inference, prediction, explanation, retrieval, and sequencing/summarizing. Each class is assigned a single class text to read in its entirety over the half term or term, supplemented by a diverse array of non-fiction, graphic novels, poetry, magazines, and newspapers. This shared-reading approach, informed by research from Reading Reconsidered and the Education Endowment Foundation, enhances collaborative learning and comprehension.
Our carefully curated selection of texts is intentionally designed to be culturally rich and engaging, striking a balance between fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, both modern and from our literary heritage. This selection aims to inspire a genuine love for reading while introducing pupils to texts they might not independently choose. Wherever possible, texts are linked to our thematic curriculum, enriching learning across subjects.
Each Key Stage 2 reading lesson follows a structured format:
Quick Retrieval Task: Lessons begin with a retrieval task that reinforces prior knowledge through carefully crafted questions. This practice activates students' memory and ensures a solid understanding of the text, preventing superficial reading.
Explicit Vocabulary Instruction: Each lesson includes a dedicated segment for explicit vocabulary teaching. Teachers select tier-2 vocabulary from the texts or thematically relevant words, facilitating a deeper understanding and application of language. Pupils engage in activities that encourage them to use new vocabulary in writing, promoting independence and fluency.
Shared Reading: During this phase, teachers model reading fluency and expression while pupils follow along. Techniques such as choral, paired, or echo reading are employed to enhance engagement and phonemic awareness.
Skill Application Tasks: Following shared reading, teachers design tasks that focus on applying reading skills to comprehension questions. Independent tasks may include:
- Comprehension exercises
- Hot-seating
- Drama activities
- Role on the wall
- Debates
- Vocabulary games
- Conscience Alley
Implementation Beyond the Classroom
To monitor reading progress, we utilize the Oxford Reading Tree Levels alongside termly GL Assessments. This data helps identify our lowest 20% of readers, who are encouraged to read to an adult at school at least three times a week.
We recognise the critical role parents and carers play in fostering positive reading habits. Pupils have access to our library and are encouraged to take books home, where parents are invited to participate in reading activities or support daily independent reading. Each child maintains a home reading diary to log their reading activities. We set a homework expectation of reading at least four times a week, with a target of seven. Teachers review these diaries every Friday, using this time to track progress and engage with parents as needed.
Additionally, each classroom features a dedicated reading area, and all pupils are given daily opportunities to explore, exchange, and enjoy books from our book corners and library. This environment nurtures a vibrant reading culture, making reading an integral part of daily life at Heathcote Primary School.
In Key Stage 2, children will experience a transformative journey in developing both their reading abilities and a lifelong love of reading. They will gain the confidence, resilience, and independence needed to read with increasing fluency, while honing their reading skills. These attributes will foster a sense of pride and achievement in their reading progress, encouraging them to continue as lifelong readers.
Children will develop a genuine passion for reading, exploring a wide range of genres and topics to discover their personal preferences. This exploration will help them form lasting connections with books and authors, while cultivating curiosity and engagement with reading.
By being provided with books that are appropriately matched to their phonic knowledge and reading fluency, children will have the opportunity to build a solid foundation in their literacy skills. As they progress through the book bands, children will make measurable advancements, with every child supported to make progress from their starting point, ensuring that they are always reading at an appropriate level for their age and ability.
Children will also engage with a broad spectrum of genres and authors, further enhancing their understanding of different writing styles, perspectives, and cultural experiences. This exposure to a variety of texts will deepen their comprehension and ability to answer questions, including making inferences and drawing connections across different texts.
Importantly, children will develop the ability to understand what is read to them, demonstrating their comprehension through insightful responses and by making connections between texts. This skill is essential for their continued academic development, as it enables them to apply their reading skills across other areas of the curriculum.
For children with SEND, we focus on developing tailored reading strategies that cater to their individual needs, ensuring they build essential literacy skills and are empowered to apply these skills across the curriculum. By receiving the necessary support and encouragement, they will be well-prepared for future educational challenges and the next stage of their learning journey.
Impact
Instil a lifelong love of reading by introducing children to a rich variety of literature, including fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, poetry, and drama.
Enhance vocabulary development, allowing children to navigate and manipulate language effectively.
Encourage reflective and critical thinking about texts, helping children to connect with what they read and articulate their thoughts.
Provide diverse reading materials that reflect various cultures and styles, promoting empathy and understanding.
Support the development of comprehension skills, ensuring children can read for different purposes and contexts.
Utilise engaging methods such as drama and role-play to bring texts to life and deepen comprehension.
Through our dedicated efforts, we aspire for all children to meet or exceed age-related expectations in reading by the end of their primary education.
Our aim is to ensure that all children will make significant progress, not just as readers, but as confident, independent learners ready for the challenges of the next phase in their education.
