Reading & Phonics

Brandesburton Primary School Reading

Intent

At Brandesburton Primary School, reading is at the heart of our curriculum. We are committed to ensuring that every child becomes a fluent, confident, and enthusiastic reader. We recognise that reading is the key to accessing the wider curriculum and that children who read widely and often develop stronger vocabulary, deeper understanding, and greater cultural capital.

Our aim is to:

· Develop a love of reading for all pupils

· Ensure children can read fluently, accurately, and with understanding

· Provide access to a rich and varied range of high-quality texts

· Remove barriers so that all children, regardless of background or starting point, can succeed

 

Implementation

Early Reading (Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1) Children in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 follow the Read Write Inc (RWI) programme. This systematic, synthetic phonics approach ensures that children:

· Learn to recognise sounds and blend them to read words

· Develop accurate pronunciation and fluency

· Read books that are closely matched to their phonics knowledge

This consistent approach enables children to quickly build secure early reading skills. Regular assessment ensures that teaching is closely matched to each child’s stage of development.

For children who require additional support, the Read Write Inc. programme continues into Key Stage 2, ensuring no child is left behind.

Reading Comprehension (Key Stage 2 and beyond)

When a child has completed the RWI programme and has been assessment to have the necessary comprehension skills, children participate in structured whole-class reading sessions. These are built around high-quality, vocabulary-rich texts and are designed to:

· Develop comprehension skills such as inference, prediction, summarising, and retrieval

· Expose children to a wide range of authors, genres, and themes

· Build background knowledge and deepen understanding

Lessons follow a clear and progressive structure, allowing children to build on prior learning and develop increasingly sophisticated reading skills.

Reading for Pleasure

We actively promote a culture of reading for enjoyment. This includes:

· Daily opportunities to read independently and with others

· Carefully designed reading environments in every classroom, offering a wide selection of high-quality books

Teachers model reading and promote discussion, helping children to develop preferences and opinions about texts.

Home Reading

We recognise the vital role that families play in supporting reading development. Reading at home is:

· Actively encouraged and regularly monitored

· Celebrated and rewarded within school

We promote the importance of sharing books at home, recognising that one-to-one reading experiences help to build confidence, enjoyment, and a lifelong love of reading.

 

Impact

The impact of our reading curriculum is that pupils:

· Become fluent, confident readers who can access all areas of learning

· Develop a secure understanding of a wide range of texts

· Demonstrate a love of reading and read for pleasure

· Make strong progress from their individual starting points

Through consistent, high-quality teaching and a strong reading culture, children leave Brandesburton Primary School equipped with the skills and enthusiasm needed for the next stage of their education.