Reading

“The overarching aim for English in the national curriculum is to promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written language, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment.” (DfE 2013)

Intent

Emerson Valley School prioritises reading at the core of its curriculum, aiming to immerse students in quality texts and diverse authors. The goal is to foster a love for reading, encouraging frequent and varied reading for both enjoyment and learning. By the time they leave, students will be fluent, confident readers prepared for secondary education and lifelong learning.

Implementation

The curriculum includes high-quality texts to enhance learning across subjects. Children participate in daily Guided Reading sessions, using the VIPERS approach (Vocabulary, Infer, Predict, Explain, Retrieve) to develop reading skills. They are introduced to quality authors through daily story times, and a weekly lesson is dedicated to fostering a love of reading. Reading is further promoted through events like World Book Day and visits from authors and illustrators.

Impact

Pupils will have a good knowledge of a range of authors and genres including classics and poetry and read widely and often with fluency, comprehension and enjoyment. Children of all abilities will be competent readers who have the necessary reading skills to achieve well at school and are able to transfer and apply these throughout the wider curriculum and when they move up to Secondary education.