Impact

Our children develop a strong command of the written word, underpinned by their detailed knowledge and skills of the English language, ultimately resulting in good outcomes. The core knowledge and skills our children possess enables them to access our wider curriculum with confidence and enthusiasm; across this wider context they continue to embed and consolidate their English knowledge and skills.

Reading Intent

A Lift Schools reader is a knowledgeable and confident reader who reads with volition and joy. 

Reading is a priority at Four Dwellings Primary. We recognise that reading will be a defining factor in a child’s progress. We believe that every child should be taught how to read in a strategic and systematic way so that they can develop the ability to read with fluency, accuracy and automaticity. We know that every child can achieve academic success, using reading as a gateway to the curriculum, regardless of their background.

Our intention is to provide our children with a breadth of texts that reflect the realities of their lives, identities, religions background. We intend to provide appropriately challenging texts that can engage and inspire them to develop a genuine love of reading. We strive for our children to broaden their vocabulary and language skills through reading, which will support the development of their writing, along with how confidently they access all areas of our curriculum.

At Four Dwellings, Reading for pleasure is of huge importance. We believe that in addition to teaching pupils how to read, they should also be entitled and encouraged to explore literature for themselves in order to develop a reader’s identity. At Four Dwellings, we acknowledge that reading for pleasure gives children the opportunity to use their imagination to explore new ideas and visit new places. Reading purely for enjoyment has also been proven to improve empathy and well-being. Likewise to reading as a taught curriculum element, it is another key indicator of a child’s future success.

Implementation

At Four Dwellings, we immerse all pupils in positive reading experiences across the entirety of the curriculum. Through this, they find enjoyment in reading and their learning. Our reading journey begins with Read, Write, Inc. Phonics as soon our pupils start at our school. Beyond phonics, we teach all reading domains so that the pupils are equipped with the skills to regularly access new and challenging texts. 

At Four Dwellings Primary, our curriculum vehicle for reading aligns with that of our English curriculum: Ark Mastery. Through this, pupils have the opportunity to explore a core text in depth each half-term, discovering key links between reading and writing and how they complement and support one another. Non-fiction texts are linked to and based on relevant topics and themes that occur within the reading spine; this supports acquisition of new vocabulary and background knowledge. Our teaching of reading is based on three core strands: fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. 

We teach reading through:

• Ark Mastery lessons

• Read, Write, Inc. Phonics

• Reading for pleasure

• Accelerated Reader

• Reading Gladiators

• Home reading

Impact

Our pupils leave Four Dwellings Primary as fluent, confident and passionate readers. The broad range of vocabulary and fluency knowledge our pupils adopt supports them in their continuing educational journey and beyond and we know our pupils feel enthusiastic to continue their exploration of literature. Having this breadth of knowledge, they can feel confident and well-equipped for the world they will venture into, where their experience as a reader will continue to thrive and flourish.

Subject Documentation

Updated September 2024