Reading
"Why is reading so important to us at Holy Family?" Mrs Harris asked.
"Because... Reading is King!" everybody replied.
Reading
Phonics - Read, Write, Inc.
At Holy Family, pupils begin their phonics journey in the first week of Reception using Read Write Inc., a systematic synthetic phonics programme. Children learn sounds in a carefully sequenced order before progressing to increasingly complex sounds as they move through Reception and Key Stage 1.
Pupils are taught to blend sounds to read words and segment words to spell them. Children are grouped according to their stage of learning and are regularly assessed to ensure teaching closely matches their needs.
Fluency is prioritised through regular practice with carefully matched texts. Pupils who require additional support receive targeted intervention to help them keep up and make secure progress.
Progression from Read, Write, Inc. to Reading Skills
As pupils become secure and fluent readers, they develop the comprehension skills needed to understand and respond to increasingly challenging texts. Pupils completing Read Write Inc. progress to comprehension activities which introduce skills such as retrieval and finding evidence within a text.
This provides a strong foundation for the transition into Key Stage 2, where pupils take part in daily whole-class Reading Skills lessons.
Reading Skills
Reading Skills are taught through daily 30-minute whole-class sessions. Pupils encounter high-quality unfamiliar texts across a range of genres, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
Reading skills are explicitly taught and modelled by the class teacher and are closely linked to the National Curriculum reading domains. Pupils learn to retrieve information, explore vocabulary, infer meaning, summarise and explain their understanding using evidence from the text. Visual symbols support pupils in recognising, remembering and independently applying each reading skill.
Accelerated Reader Library
Once pupils progress beyond Read Write Inc. storybooks and become fluent readers, they access our Accelerated Reader library.
Regular Star Reader assessments help identify an appropriate reading range for each pupil, supporting them in selecting books that provide suitable challenge. After completing a book, pupils take a short online comprehension quiz which helps teachers monitor understanding and progress.
Pupils are encouraged to read for at least 20 minutes each evening at home. Accelerated Reader supports pupils in developing fluency and comprehension while encouraging independence and a sustained enjoyment of reading.
Reading for Pleasure
Developing children who choose to read and enjoy reading is central to life at Holy Family. Every classroom has an inviting book corner with carefully selected texts which introduce pupils to a range of authors and genres.
High-quality books also inspire and support writing across our English curriculum, providing rich vocabulary and models for pupils’ own work. Daily story time gives every child the opportunity to share and enjoy books together.
Mobile Library Bus
Every fortnight, librarians from Maidstone Library bring the Mobile Library Bus directly to our school gates. Classes take turns to visit, giving pupils the opportunity to browse and choose books to read for pleasure. The Mobile Library Bus complements our school library provision by providing regular access to new titles, authors and genres, broadening pupils’ reading experiences and encouraging curiosity about books.
Scholastic Book Fair
We regularly host a Scholastic Book Fair, giving pupils the opportunity to explore a wide selection of books and choose titles that capture their interest.
The Book Fair promotes reading for pleasure and independent choice while also helping us to expand and refresh our school library resources for all pupils to enjoy.
