Our Reading Curriculum

At Gosfield Community Primary School, we are passionate about developing confident, fluent readers who love books. Our reading curriculum is carefully structured to build strong foundations in phonics and reading fluency, before progressing to whole-class reading sessions that challenge and inspire our pupils.

Our Approach to Teaching Reading

Reception and Year 1: Building Strong Foundations

In Reception and Year 1, we use Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised to teach systematic synthetic phonics. This evidence-based programme ensures that all pupils learn to decode accurately and fluently, giving them the essential skills they need to become confident readers.

Year 2: Consolidating and Building Fluency

In Year 2, pupils continue to develop their reading skills through:

• Little Wandle Phase 5 Review – consolidating phonics knowledge and applying it to more complex texts
• Little Wandle Fluency (Books 1-5) – developing reading fluency, expression and comprehension through carefully selected texts

This ensures that all pupils secure the strong foundations they need to access the full curriculum and become confident, independent readers.

Year 3: Developing Reading Fluency

In Year 3, pupils continue to build their reading fluency through Little Wandle Fluency sessions.

Years 4, 5 and 6: Whole-Class Reading and Reading for Pleasure

Our whole-class reading sessions are built around high-quality, challenging texts that inspire and engage our pupils. During these sessions:

• The teacher reads aloud, modelling fluency, intonation and expression
• Pupils follow the text with their own copy
• We use skilful questioning and discussion to develop vocabulary and comprehension
• Pupils engage in a range of activities that deepen their understanding of the text
• All pupils access the same learning objective, with differentiated support where needed

This approach ensures that all pupils are regularly immersed in high-quality children's literature and develop strong comprehension skills alongside a genuine love of reading.

Our Reading Spine

We have carefully created our reading spine to ensure every child experiences a rich and diverse range of high-quality literature. Each class reads a minimum of 5 key novels covering:

• Classics – introducing pupils to timeless literature
• Modern fiction – engaging with contemporary stories and authors
• Stories that promote equality and diversity – celebrating difference and building understanding
• Well-being – supporting emotional literacy and mental health
• Sustainability – connecting to our commitment to environmental responsibility and global citizenship

Through our thoughtfully curated reading spine, we ensure that all pupils see themselves reflected in the books they read and develop empathy, understanding and awareness of the world around them.