Reading at North Scarle Primary School

At North Scarle Primary, reading lies at the heart of our curriculum. We view reading as the gateway to the curriculum and know that reading is a key factor contributing to academic success. It is our intent for our children to become confident, fluent, lifelong readers.

Inclusivity: Our personalised reading spine embraces diverse, carefully selected texts that ensure children see themselves in the texts we read and gain an insight into the lives of others.

Enriched: Our enriched reading curriculum allows children to foster a love of reading through our carefully selected class texts. Children are read to daily in the classroom and this protected time is looked forward to by both children and staff each day!

Aspirational: Our consistently high expectations ensure that all children are able to achieve and become fluent readers. Staff are highly trained and skilled to support those who find reading difficult. This support is closely monitored to children catch up quickly.

Inspirational: Our inspiring reading curriculum allows learners to engage with a variety of high-quality fiction, poetry and non-fiction texts.

Phonics and Early Reading

Our pupils learn to read and write effectively and quickly using the Read Write Inc. Phonics programme. Children make a strong start in Reception as we begin teaching phonics straight away. Pupils progress onto whole class reading lessons once they have worked through the programme and can read with accuracy and speed.

Children will take home three books to practise their reading: storybooks – the book they have read three times that week in class; bookbag books – books that are carefully matched to their growing knowledge of sounds and common exception words; and a book for pleasure – chosen by the child to either read or have read to them. For further information on our phonics offer, please see our RWI phonics page.

Whole Class Reading

In our whole class reading sessions, children explore a selection of carefully selected fiction, non-fiction, poetry and picture books. The primary focus during these reading sessions is discussion, vocabulary and fluency. Teachers use strategies in lessons such as echo reading and repeated reading to support children in becoming fluent readers.

Class texts/story time

"If teachers want to ensure maximum achievement in reading and maximum readiness for college, text selection deserves greater attention and intentionality. This does not mean that every book needs to be selected using a 'maximum value for learning' calculation. Some should be; we hope many will. Choosing others sheerly for the pleasure of it or on a lark is fine as long as the overall portfolio of books is intentional and balanced."
Doug Lemov, Reading Reconsidered

At North Scarle Primary, our class texts are read to the children during story time at least four times a week. They have been carefully selected for each class so that by the time the children reach year 6 and beyond, they are ready to access the more complex books expected of them in secondary schools. In addition to our selected texts, teachers can choose to read books based on the children's interests or our wider curriculum content.