Reading
Subject Intent:
At Woodvale, our vision is 'Everyone Thriving' and our reading curriculum aims to foster our 3 curriculum drivers: oracy, cultural richness, and social intelligence. At the heart of our approach is a belief that reading is truly a tool for life, and it is through books and our language-rich classrooms that we teach the essential reading skills that our children will need to thrive in their own lives. We want our children to read a wide range of texts, gain knowledge of the wider world and apply their skills to the wider curriculum.
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Developing oracy is a fundamental driver in our curriculum. Within phonics lessons children are taught to articulate individual phonemes correctly and clearly. They are taught to blend these phonemes to read words correctly and as their knowledge progresses to read words and sentences fluently. Through reading lessons, students engage in purposeful discussions, making predictions, inferences and deductions, articulating their opinions clearly and justifying their answers using information both from the text and their background knowledge of the wider world. Talk is encouraged, practised, refined and improved. Our children are expected to speak and read aloud with accuracy, clear projection and appropriate intonation to engage and entertain their audience. Our lessons encourage dialogue, with children articulating their ideas and listening to the ideas of others. The books chosen for reading lessons enable rich discussions and opportunities for children to widen their vocabulary. By using a growing vocabulary and explaining their thinking, children develop confidence in expressing themselves, honing their communication skills, and fostering a strong foundation for lifelong learning. |
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Diversity is another of our curriculum drivers. We believe that through reading a diverse range of literature children will develop their understanding of a range of lived experiences nationally, internationally and across different time periods. Through the reading curriculum children will have the opportunity to study a range of authors and texts: modern, historical, from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. Giving children the opportunity to read and discuss a range of perspectives will foster inclusivity and respect for cultural diversity. |
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Developing social intelligence is a key aspect of our reading curriculum. Children will study non-fiction texts allowing them to develop their understanding of the world and, where appropriate, the context of fiction texts they read. The range of narrative and poetry texts gives children opportunity to develop empathy for characters in the books they read. Children are supported to discuss big concepts within their reading, discussion and written work such as the ideas of friendship, belonging and acceptance. They are engaged in co-operative group learning tasks including group discussions. Through these activities children develop essential social skills such as respecting diverse viewpoints and sharing their ideas. |
Subject Implementation:-
First and foremost, our aim is for all children at Woodvale to develop a life-long love of reading. We passionately believe in the importance of exposing our children to the wonders of the written word. Reading is truly a tool for life, and it is through books and our language-rich classrooms that we teach the essential reading skills that our children will need to thrive in their own lives.
Our children are entitled to a reading curriculum that enables them to:
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Develop a life-long love of reading
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Confidently read a wide range of texts with appropriate pronunciation, fluency and expression
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Appreciate the purpose and value of books and story-telling
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Gain knowledge of the world
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Apply their reading skills to the wider curriculum
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Support and develop their writing skills
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Be prepared for the opportunities and demands of Secondary Education.
At Woodvale Primary Academy, we believe that reading is one of the most important skills a child can learn. Our aim is for every child to develop a lifelong love of reading and the confidence to use reading as a tool for learning, enjoyment and future success.
From Nursery to Year 6, children are immersed in a rich reading culture. They enjoy high-quality books, listen to stories every day and develop the skills needed to become fluent, confident readers. Our carefully planned curriculum helps children progress from learning early sounds and letters to reading and discussing increasingly complex texts with understanding and enjoyment.
We teach reading through a combination of:
- A systematic phonics programme (Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised)
- Daily reading opportunities
- Whole-class reading lessons
- Teacher read-aloud sessions
- Reading for pleasure experiences
- Individual reading support and assessment
As children move through the school, they develop their fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills, enabling them to think deeply about what they read and apply their reading skills across the wider curriculum.
Reading for pleasure is at the heart of our approach. We want children to see themselves as readers and to enjoy exploring a wide range of books, authors, genres and cultures. Through class readers, libraries, reading buddies, book discussions and regular opportunities to choose books, we encourage children to develop positive reading habits that will stay with them throughout their lives.
We value the partnership between home and school and encourage children to read at home regularly. By working together, we can help every child become a successful, confident and enthusiastic reader.
By the time pupils leave Woodvale, they will:
- Read fluently, accurately and with understanding.
- Discuss and respond thoughtfully to a wide range of texts.
- Use reading skills confidently across the curriculum.
- Appreciate a diverse range of authors, genres and cultures.
- Read independently for both purpose and pleasure.
- Be fully prepared for the reading demands of secondary education and beyond.
At Woodvale, we don't just teach children how to read; we help them become readers for life.
Pupil Voice:-
'It's good when our teacher reads us a book - then we can read it ourselves.' - Reception
'I just love reading. I've made a big improvement in my phonics. It's so much fun to read stories so you can learn new things'. - Year 1.
'Reading is good because you learn things and gain knowledge from books. It gets exciting when you turn the pages of a new book' Year 2.
'I love learning new words. It's not just new words but new things about the world. We get to read all the book, all by ourselves. - Year 3.
'We learn about different things in our reading, such as the country and the food where the story is set. It helps our understanding. Talk for Reading helps us to understand how to be a writer and lets us show how we feel' - Year 4.
'Reading gives you messages and life stories, like being confident and supporting your friends. They will benefit you as you get older' - Year 5.
'Everyone is enthusiastic in reading lessons, having lots of conversations about the book. It gives me more ideas' - Year 6.