At our school, we believe that reading is the gateway to a lifetime of learning and imagination. In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Key Stage 1 (KS1), we strive to create an environment where every child can develop a genuine love for reading while building the skills they need to become confident and fluent readers. From daily reading activities to structured lessons, we are dedicated to supporting each child on their reading journey.

Every day, we set aside time for reading for enjoyment including through teacher led story time at the end of each day. This time allows children to explore a wide range of books, from beloved classics to exciting new titles. Whether it’s diving into an adventure story, discovering fascinating facts in non-fiction, or enjoying a laugh-out-loud picture book, our goal is to spark curiosity and inspire a lifelong passion for books. This daily practice also provides opportunities for children to share their favourite stories with peers, fostering a sense of community and excitement around reading.

In addition to daily reading, we deliver guided reading lessons that focus on developing essential reading skills. During these sessions, children work in small groups with their teacher to practice key skills such as retrieval, fluency and comprehension. Guided reading allows us to tailor our teaching to meet the needs of each group, ensuring that every child makes progress at their own pace. These lessons are designed to help children not only understand what they read but also to read aloud with confidence and expression.

As part of early reading, we place a strong emphasis on phonics, a vital building block for reading success. Through daily phonics sessions, children learn to decode words by breaking them down into sounds and blending those sounds together. This systematic approach helps children develop the skills they need to tackle unfamiliar words and strengthens their overall reading ability. By mastering phonics, our young readers gain the confidence to explore a wide range of texts independently.

We are proud of the progress our EYFS and KS1 children make in their reading and are committed to providing them with the tools and encouragement they need to succeed. At Central, we invite families to join us in fostering a love of reading at home by sharing stories together and visiting the local library. 

Maple- Yasmin for her extra effort in her skipping practice.

Mulberry - Evan for improving his accuracy when skipping.

Pine - Max for enjoying skipping and giving his best effort.

Pear -  George for his excellent effort over the last week.