Subject Leader: Miss Anderson
1. Our Reading Curriculum
At Coalbrookdale and Ironbridge C.E Primary School, Reading is at the heart of all learning and we are committed to helping every child become a confident, fluent reader who loves books. Children begin with Read Write Inc. phonics before moving on to Guided Reading, where they develop key skills using a wide range of high-quality, diverse texts. Our curriculum is carefully sequenced and adapted so all pupils can access it, with a “keep up, not catch up” approach and additional support where needed.
Reading enriches children’s personal development, building curiosity, resilience, empathy and a strong understanding of the wider world. Regular monitoring shows that Reading is a strength across the school and staff receive ongoing training and support to ensure consistent, high-quality teaching. Our aim is to foster a lifelong love of reading in every child.
2. Subject Vision and Intent
At our school, we believe that reading is at the heart of all learning and that every child should develop a lifelong love of books and stories. Through a rich and engaging reading curriculum, children are immersed in a wide range of high-quality texts that ignite imagination, curiosity and joy. All children are supported to become confident, fluent readers who can access every area of the curriculum. We strive for all children to keep up, not catch up.
Their reading journey begins with strong foundations in phonics through Read Write Inc, ensuring that every child gains the skills needed to decode and understand text. As they progress, pupils move on to Guided Reading, where they deepen their comprehension by exploring the different reading domains and answering questions about the stories they encounter.
Over time, the texts, vocabulary and ideas they engage with become more complex, helping them to think critically and develop insight into language and meaning. Children encounter a diverse range of authors and genres through our Reading Spine, which includes traditional, modern and global literature, as well as stories told from reliable and unreliable narrators. In this way, reading not only builds knowledge and understanding but also fosters empathy, respect and a sense of connection to the wider world, preparing pupils to be thoughtful, articulate and compassionate individuals both within and beyond school.
3. Implementation — How the Curriculum Is Delivered
The Reading curriculum is carefully designed and sequenced to build knowledge and skills progressively from Early Years to Year 6. Children begin with Read Write Inc (RWI) phonics, learning to read, decode and blend words, with daily practice through flashcards, guided activities, and storybooks.
Once foundational knowledge is secure, from Year 2 onwards, pupils move into Guided Reading, where each year group systematically develops fundamental reading skills such as retrieval, vocabulary, prediction, sequencing, and inference. As children progress through the school, they tackle more complex skills, including comparing texts, analysing authorial choices, and understanding how different parts of a story contribute to its overall meaning.
Teachers use the RWI and VIPERS scheme and the school’s Reading Spine, class novels and targeted comprehension materials to support these skills. Lessons are carefully adapted to ensure all pupils can access the curriculum, including pre-teaching of texts, page references, shortened passages, vocabulary scaffolds and additional adult support. Staff subject knowledge is kept secure and up to date through ongoing CPD, monitoring, feedback and peer observations, allowing teachers to share best practice and maintain high-quality delivery. Reading is enriched across the school through daily reading sessions, integration of books into the wider curriculum, reading challenges, author visits, storytelling workshops and themed reading events, fostering engagement and a love of literature.
4. Inclusion and SEND
At our school, Reading is for everyone. Our curriculum is both accessible and ambitious, ensuring every child can develop a love of reading and make strong progress. Through Read Write Inc., children are assessed on a 6 weekly cycle and grouped to learn the sounds and skills they need, with our ethos to “keep up, not catch up.” Pupils who need extra help receive fast-track tutoring and tailored support such as pre-teaching of texts, vocabulary scaffolds, shortened passages and additional adult guidance. We celebrate reading for pleasure, sharing books that reflect diverse characters and experiences, and encouraging book talk to build understanding, confidence, and connection. In this way, all pupils, whatever their starting point, experience success, develop a sense of belonging and grow as enthusiastic, capable readers.
5. Personal Development and Cultural Capital
Reading is at the heart of personal growth and development. Through the stories they read, children explore a diverse range of people, places and perspectives, helping them build empathy, curiosity, and understanding of the wider world. As they gain confidence in their reading skills, pupils develop independence and resilience, while opportunities for partner reading and discussion nurture teamwork and communication. Reading also allows children to reflect on moral, cultural, and global themes, deepening their sense of identity and belonging. By becoming skilled, thoughtful readers, pupils are equipped to access the whole curriculum and thrive in life beyond school.
6. Impact — Monitoring, Evidence and Outcomes
The quality of teaching and learning in Reading is closely monitored through lesson visits, book looks, pupil voice, planning reviews and data analysis. Evidence shows that reading is a strength across the school; pupils achieve well and demonstrate good progress at all stages. Children show a genuine enjoyment of reading, both in and out of school. They love listening to class stories, discussing characters and events and sharing books with adults and peers. Pupils also recall texts they have read in previous years, showing strong retention of knowledge and understanding. Recent improvements include greater consistency in planning and teaching and increased opportunities for children to talk about their learning. Our next priority is to strengthen links with the wider community to further promote reading for pleasure and engagement beyond the classroom.
7. Subject Leadership and Development
As Subject Leader for Reading, I work closely with staff to ensure that both Read Write Inc. and Guided Reading are delivered effectively and consistently. I liaise regularly with our RWI advisor, taking part in scheduled development days that keep staff up to date with current guidance, enable team teaching and ensure the programme is delivered with fidelity.
To support Guided Reading, I provide half-termly CPD, focused staff meetings and opportunities for teachers to strengthen subject knowledge and pedagogy. Good practice is shared through lesson visits, feedback, modelling and book looks, helping us maintain a consistent approach across the school. This leadership work directly supports the School Development Plan, particularly our priorities around raising attainment in reading, improving the quality of teaching, and ensuring every child becomes a confident, enthusiastic reader.