English: Reading
Intent Statement
By the time our pupils leave Year 6, they will be fluent, confident and motivated readers who can access and enjoy a wide range of high-quality texts, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry. They will read accurately and with automaticity, drawing on secure phonic knowledge, word recognition, and an understanding of morphology and etymology. Pupils will demonstrate strong comprehension skills by retrieving, inferring and interpreting meaning, summarising key ideas, and analysing how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning, justifying their views with evidence.
Through exposure to rich and diverse texts, pupils will develop a broad vocabulary, cultural understanding and a love of reading. They will make connections within and across texts, linking their reading to the wider curriculum and the world around them. By the end of Year 6, our pupils will see themselves as readers—equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to read widely for both pleasure and purpose.
Policy
The policy for this subject can be found on our main policy section of the website.
National Curriculum
Subject Progression Document
How can I help my child (EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2) in this subject?
You can make a huge difference to your child’s reading development by sharing books together regularly. Reading at home helps children build confidence, improve fluency and develop a love of stories and language.
Try to read with your child for a short time each day. Little and often is best.
When listening to your child read:
give them time to sound out words using their phonics
encourage them to try again if something does not sound right
tell them the word if they become stuck after a short pause
praise their effort and celebrate progress
Talking about books is just as important as reading the words. You could ask:
What has happened in the story?
Who is your favourite character?
How do you think they are feeling?
What do you think might happen next?
Can you find a word you don’t know?
These conversations help develop your child’s understanding as well as their confidence.
Your child will bring home reading books that are carefully matched to their phonics learning. These books may sometimes feel easy, but they are designed to help your child practise reading accurately, smoothly and with expression.
You can also support your child by:
reading stories to them regularly, even after they begin reading independently
visiting the local library together
talking about pictures, characters and events in books
encouraging them to spot familiar sounds and tricky words
helping them to practise the common exception words they are learning in school
Most importantly, help your child see reading as something enjoyable. Sharing books together is one of the best ways to support their learning across the whole curriculum.
Parent/Carer Subject Guide - EYFS and KS1 (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2)
How can I help my child (Years 3, 4, 5 and 6) in this subject?
You play a very important role in helping your child become a confident reader. Even short, regular reading at home makes a big difference.
You can support your child by:
Listening to your child read regularly
Aim for around 10–15 minutes most evenings. Encourage them to read aloud so they can practise reading smoothly and with expression.
Talking about what they are reading
Ask simple questions such as:
What has happened so far?
Why do you think the character did that?
What might happen next?
What does this word mean?
Talking about books helps children understand texts more deeply.
Encouraging your child to work out unfamiliar words
If your child gets stuck:
give them time to try
encourage them to sound it out
look for smaller words inside longer words
re-read the sentence together
Then move on so reading stays enjoyable.
Helping your child learn new vocabulary
If you come across an unfamiliar word:
talk about what it might mean
look it up together
try using the word in another sentence
A strong vocabulary helps children understand what they read.
Reading to your child as well as listening to them read
Children in Key Stage 2 still benefit greatly from being read to. This helps develop their understanding, imagination and enjoyment of books.
Encouraging a love of reading
You can support this by:
visiting the local library
sharing books together
talking about favourite authors and stories
letting your child see adults reading at home
Supporting the school reading routine
Please:
listen to your child read regularly
record reading in their reading record
ensure their reading books are in school each day
return books on Thursday so they can be changed
Even when books feel easy, they are helping your child develop fluency, confidence and understanding.
If you have any questions about your child’s reading, please speak to their class teacher — we are always happy to help support you.