Reading
Reading at Adswood Primary School
At Adswood Primary School, we aim for every child to become a confident, fluent reader who reads with understanding and develops a lifelong love of books. Reading is at the heart of our curriculum: it opens doors to learning, develops vocabulary and curiosity, and helps children understand themselves and the world around them.
Our reading curriculum builds progressively on children’s knowledge and skills, from the foundations of language and phonics to fluent reading and deeper comprehension. We have high expectations for all children and recognise the importance of identifying difficulties early and providing the support each child needs to succeed.
Phonics and Early Reading
We prioritise phonics and early reading, using Read Write Inc., a systematic synthetic phonics programme. Early reading provision begins in Nursery, with daily phonics lessons in Reception and Key Stage 1. Children in Key Stage 2 who have not yet secured their phonic knowledge continue to receive phonics teaching.
Children learn to recognise the sounds that letters represent and blend these sounds to read words. They also learn to segment words for spelling and read words containing less familiar or irregular spelling patterns.
Children practise reading with decodable books closely matched to the sounds they have been taught. These books allow them to apply their phonic knowledge successfully and develop accuracy, confidence and fluency. Read Write Inc. Book Bag Books provide further opportunities to practise these skills at home.
Regular assessment helps staff identify gaps in learning, adapt teaching and provide timely, targeted support.
Developing Fluent Readers
As children become increasingly accurate readers, we teach them to read fluently, with appropriate pace, phrasing and expression. This helps them move beyond working out individual words to understanding and enjoying what they read.
In Key Stage 2, daily reading lessons develop fluency, vocabulary and comprehension through carefully selected texts. Teachers build on children’s prior knowledge, explain unfamiliar vocabulary and model how to make sense of texts. Children learn to retrieve information, make inferences supported by evidence, predict, summarise and discuss authors’ choices.
Through Adswood Active Reading, children explore texts together, discuss their ideas and develop strategies they can apply across the curriculum and in their independent reading.
A Love of Reading
We want children to be both inspired to read and inspired by what they read. Our texts introduce a wide range of authors, genres, cultures and experiences. They reflect our school values, support learning across the curriculum and encourage understanding of diversity, protected characteristics and British values.
Teachers share a class book at the end of each school day, giving children opportunities to enjoy rich language and stories beyond those they can read independently.
Our inviting Reading Rocket offers a wide selection of books for children to explore, borrow and enjoy at home. Independent reading, book discussions and celebrations such as World Book Day help make reading a valued part of school life.
Supporting Every Reader
We use ongoing assessment to identify each child’s next steps in phonics, accuracy, fluency and comprehension. Teachers and teaching assistants work together to provide targeted individual or small-group support, including Stockport Early Reading Intervention and Fresh Start where appropriate. Support is reviewed regularly to check its impact and guide future teaching.
The Reading Lead and senior leaders monitor provision across the school to inform improvements in teaching and support.
Reading Together at Home
Parents and carers play an important part in developing confident readers. We encourage families to read regularly together, enjoy stories and talk about books.
You can support your child by:
- Practising the Speed Sounds they have been taught.
- Encouraging them to sound out and blend unfamiliar words.
- Rereading their decodable book to build confidence and fluency.
- Sharing a wider range of books aloud for enjoyment.
- Using the Ruth Miskin resources and videos shared through Seesaw.
- Recording reading at home in their Reading Record.
For helpful videos and guidance on phonics, saying the sounds and reading with your child visit https://www.ruthmiskin.com/parentsandcarers/
Please explore the documents below to find out more about what reading looks like at Adswood Primary School.
