English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School

Intent

The intent of the reading curriculum in our primary school is to foster a lifelong love of reading, develop strong literacy skills, and ensure every child is equipped with the ability to read fluently and with understanding. We aim to provide a diverse range of texts that engage students’ imaginations, broaden their knowledge, and deepen their understanding of the world around them. By developing phonemic awareness, vocabulary, comprehension strategies, and a passion for reading, we strive to ensure that all children become confident and capable readers by the end of primary school.

Impact

The impact of our reading curriculum will be evident in the students’ growing confidence and competence in reading. We expect that, by the end of primary school, all children will:

Read fluently and with increasing expression.

Understand and interpret a wide variety of texts, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

Apply comprehension strategies effectively to grasp meaning from what they read.

Enjoy reading both for learning and pleasure, developing a habit of reading beyond the classroom.

Build a broad vocabulary and improve their writing as a result of regular exposure to rich language and varied texts. Ultimately, we want to see our students succeed in their reading and be prepared for the next stages of their academic journey, with the skills and confidence to tackle more complex texts in secondary school.

Implementation

To implement this, we will:

Provide a structured approach to phonics, ensuring early readers develop solid decoding skills and confidence in recognizing words.

Deliver a wide range of high-quality texts across subjects that cater to the diverse interests and needs of our students.

Use guided reading sessions to provide tailored support to small groups of children, focusing on building specific skills in comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary.

Encourage independent reading through daily reading time and providing a variety of books in classroom libraries that are accessible and appealing to all children.

Engage students with regular reading comprehension activities, such as group discussions, book reviews, and written responses to texts.

Promote a positive reading culture through school-wide events like book fairs, author visits, and reading challenges.