Welcome to Reading at Lightmoor
Intent
At Lightmoor Village Primary School, our intent is to develop a whole‑school love of reading and ensure every child becomes a fluent, confident reader. Reading underpins all learning, and we provide a wide range of high‑quality fiction and non‑fiction texts to build strong vocabulary, comprehension, and communication skills. Our curriculum drivers—Celebrating Diversity and Endless Possibilities—ensure children experience texts that reflect different cultures, communities, and viewpoints. Early reading is prioritised from EYFS, where carefully chosen books enrich themes, support language development, and spark imagination. We intend for all pupils to make progress and achieve their full potential regardless of need, therefore we adapt our teaching of reading to meet these needs. By promoting the strong link between reading and writing and celebrating a love of literature, we aim to inspire every child to read widely and continue their passion for books throughout their futures.
Implementation
At Lightmoor Village Primary School, we teach early reading through the fast paced and engaging Read Write Inc. phonics programme. Children are assessed half termly to ensure they are securely learning and applying new sounds, and targeted 1:1 interventions are put in place immediately to close any gaps.
In both KS1 and KS2, we provide regular opportunities for children to read with adults, read aloud, independently and with partners, in reading lessons and across the wider curriculum. Reading is also promoted at home, with all families encouraged to enjoy books together from EYFS to Year 6. This is closely monitored by class teachers, and additional reading opportunities are provided within school for children who require this.
In Year 2 and KS2, pupils take part in whole-class reading lessons where specific reading skills—such as inference, prediction, explanation and retrieval—are explicitly taught using VIPERS. This structured approach builds strong comprehension skills and supports teachers in assessing understanding. Throughout all reading lessons, children engage with diverse and inclusive texts, ensuring they encounter a range of cultures, perspectives and experiences that reflect both the wider world and our school community. Many of the texts have a cross‑curricular focus, enabling pupils to retrieve key knowledge from subjects such as Geography and Science while developing their reading skills. Throughout the school day, children hear texts modelled by expert class teachers to support the development of fluency.
From Year 2 upwards, pupils complete termly reading assessments, and reading ages are monitored regularly to identify children who may need additional support. Across the school, pupils who require extra practice have regular additional reads with an adult to help build fluency and confidence.
Impact
At Lightmoor Village Primary School, our pupils benefit from a broad and balanced reading curriculum that enables them to develop strong reading skills and a lifelong love of books. By the end of Key Stage 1, our aim is for all children to read fluently and confidently, allowing them to fully access the wider curriculum in Key Stage 2 and beyond. Our systematic approach through the Read Write Inc. phonics programme ensures that pupils quickly secure essential decoding skills. This high-quality teaching and consistency leads to excellent outcomes, reflected in our strong Year 1 Phonics Screening results year after year. Clear end points in every year group support teachers in identifying progress, addressing gaps swiftly, and ensuring pupils are on track to meet age-related expectations (or above). By the end of Key Stage 2, we have a high expectation that children will achieve national expectations or above, preparing them well for the next stage of their education.
Please see the Phonics Curriculum Page for more information on how our phonics teaching provides children with the building blocks to become a fluent, confident reader.
Once children complete the RWI phonics programme (usually at the end of Year 1/Start of Year 2) they then take part in daily whole class/small group guided reading sessions. Using the carefully chosen Literacy Shed Plus texts as a vehicle, children develop their ‘Reading VIPER’ skills (which are underpinned by the National Curriculum).
Home Reading/Support
- Children hugely benefit from reading at least 4 times a week (to an adult).
- Children read with an adult weekly in Key Stage 1 in school.
- Phonics sounds practise where necessary.
"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." – Joseph Addison
English Lead: Miss Edwards
Reading Progression Grids (Reception to Year 6)