Reading
“Once you learn to read, you will forever be free.” - Frederick Douglass
At Northdown Primary Academy, we believe that strong reading ability unlocks a lifetime of learning and opportunity. Our ambition for every child is the same: to become a confident, capable reader who enjoys reading. Reading is at the core of everything we do.
In line with the DfE’s Reading Framework, we recognise that reading proficiency consists of two distinct but dependent dimensions:
- Word Recognition: decoding, phonological awareness and sight recognition
- Language Comprehension: Background knowledge, vocabulary, language structures, verbal reasoning, and literacy knowledge
At Northdown, we aim to:
- Develop word recognition
- Develop comprehension of what is read
- Develop an authentic love of reading
How do we achieve this?
Word recognition
At Northdown Primary School, we use RWI as our chosen phonics programme. This rigorous programme systematically teaches pupils to read, building confidence through focused group work. See the phonics tab on this website for more information about RWI.
Across the curriculum, word reading is supported through ensuring accessible fiction and non-fiction texts relating to learning. All children have access to phonics charts in their classrooms to support them in decoding and reading unfamiliar words using their sounds.
To support spelling, we use the RWI Spelling Programme, which further supports and embeds word reading. See the writing tab for more information on how we teach our pupils to spell.
Reading comprehension
We know that good reading comprehension draws on pupils’ linguistic knowledge (including vocabulary and grammar) and their background knowledge of the world, and that fluent word reading enables them to focus on meaning rather than just decoding words.
For this reason, our core and wider curriculum focus on connecting ideas and developing knowledge across a range of subjects.
As well as this, we help pupils build comprehension through:
- Simple View of Reading time: At Northdown Primary Academy, we dedicate specific time to the Simple View of Reading (SVOR) to ensure every child develops both word recognition and language comprehension. This is a dedicated time for pupils to read in class every day at their own individual level. During these sessions, we use Accelerated Reader and Star Tests to ensure children are reading books that match their reading age and appropriately challenge their understanding. Teachers use this time for one-to-one "Pupil Conferencing". This allows staff to review individual reading records, celebrate progress, and provide targeted support to ensure every child stays on track.
- Daily reading lessons:To ensure every child is exposed to a diverse range of literature and authors, our carefully sequenced ‘TKAT Reading Spine’ maps out the books they will hear their teacher read aloud. This spine provides excellent texts that help develop cultural capital through sharing quality books that connect our school community. This is echoed through our sequence of core texts through the Talk for Writing Curriculum.
- Talk Through Stories: In EYFS and Key Stage 1, our pupils engage in daily Talk Through Stories lessons where teachers model quality book talk and develop comprehension.
- Parental support: We provide parents with a list of questions to ask about books being read at home to support reading comprehension - please refer to Reading at Home: A Partnership for Success further down this page.
Fostering a Love of Reading
- Access to High-Quality Books: To foster an authentic love of reading, we ensure every child is surrounded by inspiring literature.
- Book Corners and Boxes: Each classroom features inviting book corners and curated book boxes, providing pupils with immediate access to a choice of high-quality fiction, non-fiction and poetry books.
- School Library: Our school library serves as a central hub for exploration, allowing children to discover new authors and genres that broaden their knowledge of the wider world and promote reading for pleasure.
- Daily Read Aloud: Every day, teachers read aloud from a carefully selected high-quality text during a dedicated read aloud session. Teachers use book talk, prosody and expression to bring poetry and stories to life, making complex vocabulary accessible and engaging for every listener.
- Role models for reading: Our staff are skilled at recommending books, understanding the transformative power of literature to enrich and inspire young lives. They promote reading through role modelling themselves as readers.
- Special Events and Celebrating Reading: Throughout the year, we host special events such as World Book Day, themed book days, and opportunities to visit local book shops to keep the excitement for reading alive.
- Promoting Reading at Home: Reading at home is promoted, celebrated and praised. There is a shared home-school expectation about reading at home. Book bags and reading records are checked and changed daily to help your child progress and thrive as a reader. Daily reading is rewarded.
Promoting progress for Every Child
We carefully track every student's journey to ensure they are making progress from their very first day with us.
- Building the Basics: For those just starting, we use a rigorous phonics program (RWI) to teach decoding and build early confidence. This is alongside ongoing engagement in hearing and enjoying stories together, which helps build early comprehension skills.
- Checking Understanding: As children become more fluent, we use Star Tests to assess reading age and Accelerated Reader to support their reading journey and check how well they understand what they are reading through online quizzes..
- Personal Support: We use one-to-one ‘Pupil Conferencing’ during our SVOR sessions and keep a log of progress on individual trackers. This gives children 1:1 time with their teacher to read. This helps children understand their own progress in reading. We can provide extra help to anyone who needs it.
- Showing What They Know: Every term, pupils have the chance to practice and show off their comprehension skills through assessments, helping teachers ensure everyone is on track.
- Early support: Every learner moves at a different pace. If a child needs help with reading, we give them additional support through more 1:1 reading or through group interventions. We also send home support for parents/carers, such as tips, phonics charts or comprehension prompts.
Our Impact: Growing Confident, Capable and Motivated Readers
Throughout their time at Northdown Primary School, our pupils develop as capable, engaged readers who authentically enjoy reading and reap the benefits of reading. This helps them feel prepared for each new stage of their academic and personal life, opening the doorway for more opportunities and joy.
“When I look back, I am so impressed again with the life-giving power of literature.”
Maya Angelou
Reading at Home: A Partnership for Success
At Northdown Primary Academy, we believe that reading at home is one of the most powerful ways to support your child’s development. Regular practice outside of the classroom builds the stamina required for lifelong learning and reinforces the skills they are developing in school.
Why Reading at Home Matters
Reading with your child daily does more than just improve their ability to decode words; it fosters an authentic love of reading and expands their understanding of the world. It provides a quiet space for children to explore new vocabulary and ideas at their own pace, building the "cultural capital" that connects them to our wider school community.
Our Expectations
To ensure every child makes progress, we ask for your support with the following:
- Book Bags & Records: Children should bring their book bags and reading records to school every day.
- Daily Practice: We encourage parents to support and reward daily reading at home.
- Recording Progress: Please use the reading record to note when your child has read. This helps teachers provide targeted support and data-driven "Pupil Conferencing" to celebrate their journey.
Tips for Reading with Your Child
You don't need to be an expert to help your child grow as a reader. Here are a few ways to make reading time effective and enjoyable:
- Find a Quiet Space: Create a routine where reading is a relaxed, special part of the day.
- Use the Sounds: If your child gets stuck on a word, encourage them to use their phonics sounds to decode it, just as they do with the phonics charts in their classrooms.
- Focus on Meaning: Remind them that reading is about understanding the story, not just saying the words correctly.
Questions to Ask Your Child
To support their reading comprehension, try asking these questions while reading together:
- What do you think might happen next in the story?
- Why do you think the character acted that way?
- Are there any words in this sentence that you haven't heard before?
- Does this book remind you of any other stories we have read?
Helpful Resources for Parents
For further guidance and interactive support, we recommend exploring these reading websites:
- Oxford Owl for Home: Offers free tablet-friendly eBooks and phonics activities.
- BookTrust: Provides book recommendations tailored to your child’s age and interests.
- Words for Life: Created by the National Literacy Trust to provide milestones and fun activities for parents.
