Intent for English (Reading)

At Newtown Primary School, our reading curriculum is designed in line with the latest Ofsted Framework and the Reading Framework guidance to develop confident, competent, and enthusiastic readers.  Reading is central to all learning and is essential for academic success, cultural capital, and lifelong enjoyment.  

Curriculum Vision: Our intent is to ensure that every pupil becomes a fluent reader who can read with understanding, think critically, and enjoy reading for pleasure.  We aim to create a literacy-rich environment that promotes vocabulary development, comprehension, and a love of reading, ensuring pupils gain the knowledge, skills, and experiences they need to succeed.  

Curriculum Structure (2-Week Cycle):

• Whole Class Lessons (2 sessions at the start of the cycle): Focus on vocabulary acquisition and reading fluency, providing the essential foundations for comprehension and enabling pupils to access challenging texts.  
• Small Group Lessons (5 sessions): Targeting teaching on inference and retrieval skills while other pupils engage in reading for pleasure.  This approach ensures pupils apply reading skills independently and develop a habit of reading widely and often.  
• Individual Reading Sessions (3 sessions): 1:1 reading with a teacher allows for assessment of reading fluency, comprehension, and accuracy, informing future planning and personalised support for each pupil.  

 

Importance of Reading for Pleasure

Reading for pleasure is a key driver in developing confident, motivated readers.  It promotes curiosity, imagination, empathy, and broader vocabulary.  By embedding dedicated independent reading time alongside targeted instruction, we ensure pupils experience reading as an enjoyable and purposeful activity, fostering lifelong reading habits.  

Intended Outcomes: 

• Pupils read fluently, accurately, and with understanding across a wide range of texts.  
• Pupils develop rich vocabulary and a deep understanding of language structures.  
• Pupils can make inferences, retrieve information, and articulate their understanding effectively.  
• Reading is valued throughout the school, and pupils develop a love of reading that will continue beyond their time at Newtown Primary School.  

Examples of classroom reading areas with text linked to our English curriculum and age-related books that children can access during reading for pleasure sessions and to take home

Examples of reading areas around the school that children can use to access a range of books to sit and enjoy