At VSI, we value the importance of allowing our children to flourish and become independent, confident readers. Reading is fully embedded across the curriculum and is a key skill to ensure that we create ‘limitless learners’. Reading is imperative to leading a successful, fulfilling life, where children develop into accomplished readers.

Our Reading Curriculum is designed with a focus on the enjoyment of reading. Pupils read a range of books that challenge, excite and interest them. We have deliberately chosen texts and authors that reflect their identities, show them the lives of others and let them develop their imaginations by glimpsing other worlds (Dr Rudine Sims Bishop). We know that to enjoy books and be successful readers, children need accuracy in decoding, fluency and comprehension of a wide vocabulary. Our Reading lessons build on the strong start children have in phonics and ensures an upward trajectory through teaching vocabulary, inference, prediction and the ability to comment thoughtfully on what they have read. They become increasingly confident using reading as a tool for learning about topics that interest them. Over time, our children are confident to express their own preferences for stories and authors and can make more informed decisions about what interests them as a reader.

We teach Phonics using ‘Unlocking Letters and Sounds’ as the first stepping stone on the children’s journey of reading. Children from EYFS-Year 2 have access to Phonics sessions daily (until Spring 1 - for most Year 2 pupils) At VSI, in EYFS, the children learn to master the ‘Early Reading’ skills, through a myriad of provisions and teaching offered to the children on a daily basis.

When children start in our Nursery, they get the opportunity to take a book home from our open library to share at home with an adult. In Reception, the children are given a reading book to take home. This is matched to their current phonetic knowledge. We expect children to read their book at least 2 times and be fluent when reading, before they change it. At home, children are expected to read with an adult 5 times a week, to ensure that they are practising their skills on a daily basis. Children will be read with, by an adult, once a week at school.

In Year 1 and 2, children are given books matched to their phonetic ability (up to Phase 5 – Orange band), then the books are based on their comprehension ability. Children are read with once every two weeks and they are encouraged to change their book when they have read it through at least twice and are fluent when reading. Some children will be read with an adult more than this, if they need more additional practice.

In KS1, children build upon their skills and knowledge learnt in their Early Years Provision. September 2024 will see the introduction of ‘Whole Class Reading’ to Year 1 and Year 2, where children immerse themselves into a huge range of diverse, progressive books every week. They will have a detailed understanding of the author, genre, perspective and intentions of these books, through 15 minute daily sessions, as well as beginning to unpack these with their newly learnt comprehension skills.