Reading
Our Aims
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To foster a lifelong love of reading
Ensure all pupils experience reading as enjoyable, meaningful, and motivating, so they view books as a source of pleasure, curiosity, and opportunity beyond school. -
To develop confident, independent readers
Equip pupils with the skills they need to read independently across the curriculum, supporting academic success and lifelong learning. -
To secure strong early reading foundations for every child
Provide a structured, systematic approach to phonics and early reading so that all pupils, regardless of starting point, develop fluency, accuracy, and confidence. -
To ensure inclusive access to high-quality, diverse texts
Offer a rich range of literature that reflects different cultures, experiences, and perspectives, enabling children to broaden their understanding of the world and see themselves represented in what they read. -
To strengthen comprehension through explicit teaching
Teach vocabulary, retrieval, prediction, and inference explicitly, enabling pupils to understand texts deeply, articulate their thinking, and justify ideas using evidence -
To promote rich discussion and reflective thinking
Create regular opportunities for pupils to talk about texts, share interpretations, and develop confidence in expressing and refining their ideas. -
To build reading fluency, understanding, and critical engagement
Support pupils in reading smoothly, understanding what they read, and engaging critically with texts by reading between the lines and considering deeper meanings. -
To embed reading at the heart of school life
Establish a strong reading culture in classrooms and beyond, with enthusiastic role models and consistent practices that reinforce the importance of reading every day.
Together, these aims reflect our commitment to equity, inclusion, high expectations, and enjoyment, ensuring every child at Central becomes a capable, confident, and enthusiastic reader.
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Our Strategy
At Central, we actively promote a love of reading as a cornerstone of every student’s learning journey. Through a growing range of rich and diverse books, we encourage pupils to explore new ideas, develop their imagination, and build confidence in their literacy skills. Our staff model enthusiasm for reading and provide tailored support to help every child discover texts that inspire and challenge them. By fostering a positive reading culture both in and out of the classroom, we aim to nurture lifelong readers who see books as a source of enjoyment, knowledge, and opportunity.
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Reading is at the heart of building strong foundations for every child at Central. We recognise that secure early reading skills are essential for success across the curriculum, so we provide a structured, supportive approach that develops fluency, comprehension, and confidence from the very beginning. Through carefully planned phonics teaching, regular practice, and exposure to high-quality texts, pupils gain the knowledge and skills they need to become independent readers. By embedding reading into daily learning, we ensure that all children establish the strong foundations necessary to thrive both academically and beyond the classroom.
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Throughout the school, reading is taught in a way that exposes children to a rich and varied range of texts, helping them to broaden their experiences and develop a deeper understanding of the world. Pupils are given regular opportunities to discuss what they have read with their peers, allowing them to share ideas, ask questions, and build their confidence in articulating their thoughts. We place a strong emphasis on vocabulary, teaching both the explicit meanings of words and how they are used within the context of a text. Developing a secure understanding of what has been read is essential, and we prioritise this through daily retrieval practice, enabling pupils to recall, reflect on, and embed their learning. This consistent approach supports children in becoming thoughtful, confident readers who can engage with texts at a deeper level.
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The reading curriculum is carefully designed to enhance children’s ability to make predictions and inferences based on what they have read, with these skills taught explicitly across all year groups. Pupils are guided to use evidence from the text, along with their own knowledge and understanding, to anticipate what might happen next and to read between the lines to uncover deeper meaning. Through structured teaching, modelling, and regular practice, children develop the confidence to justify their ideas and engage critically with a range of texts, strengthening both their comprehension and overall reading ability.