Reading Subject Leader: Mrs Ellie Fleming

SLT Link Leader: Mrs Sue Dunn

Teaching children to read is a priority at The Willows. As well as recognising reading as being an important life skill, we want our children to become lifelong readers who read for pleasure as well as for academic success. We believe that stories and texts are how we explore and make sense of the world beyond our own experience.

Our Reading Curriculum

Our reading curriculum is built upon evidence-based research to ensure that it is engaging, rich and ambitious for our children. The CUSP reading curriculum allows us to ensure that there is a cohesive and systematic approach to reading across the school, where pupils have access to a deep and broad literature study, which is encompassed by a high quality, shared reading experience. Our curriculum is designed with an appropriate proportionality of reading strategies and foci and also contains a robust progression of skills.  

A carefully mapped literature spine is a key element of our reading curriculum, which enables children to be immersed in a range of reading experiences, authors, texts and themes. Supplementary texts that are bespoke to the curriculum allow pupils to further broaden their experiences and offer wider issues for children to read about e.g., relevant social issues, heritage, female role models. 

Links to the wider curriculum have been made if they are meaningful, valuable or purposeful.  

Year 1 Reading Spine

Year 2 Reading Spine

Year 3 Reading Spine

Year 4 Reading Spine

Year 5 Reading Spine

Year 6 Reading Spine

Reading Curriculum Overview

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Phonics - Read Write Inc.  

We use Read Write Inc, a systematic synthetic phonics programme, to teach children a method of learning letter sounds they can blend into reading and writing words. Through daily phonics lessons, children can read and re-read books closely matched to their phonological stage. Re-reading helps to build their fluency and develop their understanding of the story.  Regular assessment ensures that children are grouped at the correct challenge point whilst also identifying those needing extra support.