Reading and Phonics

At Spring Lane, our reading curriculum inspires children to become confident, curious, and thoughtful readers. Through a wide range of high-quality texts, diverse voices, and engaging contexts, we nurture a love of reading and develop aspirational thinkers who read with purpose and insight. Children are taught to read fluently and with understanding, developing their ability to infer, question, and evaluate. As expert learners, they are encouraged to approach texts critically and independently, building resilience as they encounter increasingly complex material. Our curriculum immerses pupils in rich vocabulary and a variety of genres, empowering them to make connections across texts, themes, and cultures. We foster caring citizens by introducing literature that explores different perspectives and lived experiences, encouraging empathy and social awareness. The reading curriculum is comprised of fiction and non-fiction texts, giving pupils the language and confidence to explore identity, express emotions, and engage with the world through reading that informs, inspires, and transforms.

At Spring Lane, our children begin their reading journey through the Read Write Inc. (RWI) phonics programme, where they learn to decode and develop early reading fluency. This solid foundation equips them with the essential skills they need to access a wide range of texts as they move on to whole-class or group comprehension sessions. Reading is taught primarily through a whole-class model, ensuring that every child is exposed to high-quality texts, rich vocabulary, and teacher-led discussions. This approach allows all pupils to be challenged, to read regularly with adult support, and to engage in deep, inclusive conversations about literature. By encountering a wide range of characters, cultures, and themes, children see themselves reflected in what they read and learn to appreciate diverse experiences beyond their own. 

We believe that reading is more than decoding words. Our reading lessons make skills explicit - such as inferring, retrieving, predicting, and summarising -drawing from the National Curriculum. These skills are taught in focused, one-hour reading sessions once per week, as well as three shorter sessions each week (a minimum of two in Key Stage One). Children are always made aware of the specific skill being taught, helping them to become metacognitive and reflective readers.

All reading lessons are thoughtfully resourced to support children at all levels. This ensures that every child can access the learning and make progress, including those learning English as an additional language. Our use of carefully selected texts - featuring global stories, inclusive narratives, and varied genres - helps build the background knowledge and empathy needed to read with depth and meaning.

Throughout our reading curriculum, collaborative approaches such as paired reading, group discussions, book talk, and drama are used to encourage pupils to share ideas, listen respectfully, and value different viewpoints. This fosters a strong sense of community, mutual respect, and collective success and enjoyment. We actively encourage children to share what they have learnt through the reading curriculum - whether through discussion, presentation, or creative response - so they can inspire others, spark curiosity, and foster a love of reading across our school community.

Phonics – Read Write Inc. (RWI)

Read Write Inc. is a systematic phonics programme designed to teach children to decode words, develop fluency, and build confidence in reading.

How do we teach phonics?

• Daily lessons where children learn new sounds and practice blending.
• Children are grouped by phonics ability for targeted teaching.
• Decodable books matched to their phonics level build fluency and comprehension.
• Regular assessments ensure children are making progress and support is tailored to their needs.

Why RWI?

• Builds a solid foundation in phonics for all learners.
• Encourages a love of reading with engaging texts.
• Provides structure for children to succeed in early reading.

Accelerated Reader (AR)

Accelerated Reader is a programme that supports independent reading by helping children choose appropriately challenging books and tracking their comprehension through quizzes.

Pupils take a Star Reading test to determine their reading range.

They select books from our library within their range (ZPD). After reading, they take quizzes to assess understanding and earn points, motivating further reading.

Why AR?

• Encourages reading for pleasure and fosters a love for books.
• Tracks progress and comprehension, allowing teachers to support individual learning goals.
• Exposes children to a wide variety of texts, broadening their literary experience.

The impact of our reading curriculum is seen in children who read with confidence, curiosity, and critical awareness. They engage with texts not just to understand, but to question, reflect, and connect ideas - developing into lifelong readers who see reading as a gateway to knowledge, empathy, and personal growth. Our pupils recognise the power of reading to shape their thinking, expand their worldview, and help them navigate an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

Through exposure to a broad range of high-quality texts - including diverse authors, cultures, and perspectives - children build emotional literacy, cultural awareness, and a deep appreciation for the richness of human experience. Reading becomes more than a skill; it becomes a tool for understanding identity, relationships, and global issues - equipping pupils with the insight and compassion needed to thrive in the 21st century.

Children develop fluency and comprehension that allow them to read with both accuracy and expression. As they progress through school, they become increasingly independent readers, capable of navigating a variety of genres and sources, both in print and digital form. They learn to think critically by retrieving information, interpreting meaning, evaluating authorial intent, and making connections across texts and disciplines.

Our consistent, inclusive approach ensures all children, including those with SEND or limited exposure to reading outside of school, develop strong foundations and a love of reading. Whether through whole-class discussions, book talk, or collaborative inquiry, pupils learn to listen, respond, and articulate their thinking with confidence.

They leave Spring Lane not only as skilled readers, but as thoughtful individuals who are equipped to participate in modern society - ready to learn, lead, and contribute to the world around them.

Pupils’ reading knowledge and skills are assessed using the following:

• Retrieval and fluency practice embedded daily, reinforcing key vocabulary and comprehension skills.
• Assessment for learning through questioning, discussion, and live feedback in every session.
• Pupil voice to understand how children perceive themselves as readers and how they apply reading skills beyond the classroom.
• Summative reading tasks aligned with content domains, national assessments and key reading skills, moderated for consistency and progress across cohorts.