Reading

Reading Curriculum Intent

Through a literacy-rich environment, using high quality texts we are committed to inspire our children to become resilient, ambitious readers and writers through developing their knowledge, skills and passion for language. Enabling them to gain a life-long enjoyment of reading and books, reading accurately, fluently and with understanding.

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”

Frederick Douglass

Our Curriculum

At Hamford, we use a wide range of stories, poems, rhymes, and non-fiction texts that develop pupils’ vocabulary, language comprehension and love of reading.

To promote a love of reading at Hamford, we:

• Use high quality and engaging texts

• Ensure opportunities for children to talk about the texts they read and develop their understanding

• Build upon prior knowledge and teach reading strategies

• Create class libraries (book corners) which are inviting, well-organised and contain a range of quality texts

• Have daily story time sessions (class readers)

• Encourage virtual author visits

• Celebrate reading weekly with awards in our celebration assemblies

• Hold parent workshops

• Work with the Library Service and promote their holiday activities

• Celebrate World Book Day

‘Accelerated Reader’ (AR) is an online programme successfully used across all Key Stage 2 classes. AR is an online programme that aims to foster the habit of independent reading. With a vast collection of books available in our library, the children have ample opportunity to select books that are of interest to them and within their reading ability. AR initially screens pupils according to their reading level, and suggests books that match their reading age and reading interest. Pupils take computerised quizzes on the books they have read and earn AR points for their hard work, which is celebrated each week in assembly.

All children are expected to bring their reading diaries into school daily. They take a book home to read for pleasure that the child has individually selected from the classroom book area. Children who are still learning to decode also take home a book to match their reading level and phonic phase.

Our teachers read to children and model reading aloud during shared reading, changing the tone and intonation in their voice and pausing for punctuation. Our teachers are enthusiastic and engaging readers who encourage a love of reading for pleasure. Through focussed book talk, the skills taught in English lessons are applied to all reading across the curriculum.