Reading
At Haslingfield Endowed Primary School, we value reading as a vital life skill. By the time children leave us, they should be confident readers who enjoy a wide range of texts and read regularly for pleasure.
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We carefully select the books used in our reading curriculum, library and classroom book corners to ensure they reflect the diversity of our school community and the wider world. Our aim is for every child to see themselves represented in what they read, while also discovering new perspectives and experiences.
Curriculum Intent
Implementation: EYFS and Year 1
Please see our Early Reading and Phonics section for full details.
Implementation: Year 2
Once children have completed the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme, they take part in three small‑group guided reading sessions each week, following the same structure used in EYFS and Year 1:
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Session 1: Background knowledge, new vocabulary and key concepts
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Session 2: Echo reading and fluency
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Session 3: Comprehension
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This structure helps children deepen understanding, build confidence and apply their reading skills independently.
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Implementation: Key Stage 2
Reading comprehension is taught through daily whole‑class reading lessons. These sessions include:
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Modelled reading by an adult
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Activating prior knowledge and making links with personal experiences, other texts and the wider world
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Prosody – reading with expression and meaning
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Explicit vocabulary teaching
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Focused skill development, including:
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Retrieval
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Inference
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Prediction
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Summarising
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Vocabulary
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Making connections
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Modelled answers to support children’s understanding
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Independent application of the day’s reading skill
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These lessons take place for 20 minutes every day.
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Additional reading provision (EYFS - Year 6)
Across the school, children also benefit from:
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Daily opportunities to read for pleasure
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Small‑group phonics or intervention sessions where needed
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Reading and comprehension interventions
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Story time at least three times a week, where teachers read aloud to the whole class
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Open‑ended discussions about books and stories
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Exposure to a wide range of genres, including poetry, non‑fiction and weekly newspapers to build awareness of local, national and global issues
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Well‑stocked classroom reading areas with age‑appropriate, high‑quality texts
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Reading enrichment
We enhance our reading culture through:
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Peer book recommendations displayed in the school library
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World Book Week celebrations, including a whole‑school book focus, collaborative writing projects, competitions and costumes
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Visits from authors and school book fairs
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Children who need additional practice receive 1:1 reading sessions, and books sent home are carefully matched to each child’s interests and reading fluency.
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