The Canons CE Primary Overview Reading Curriculum 

Big questions: 

What do we teach? How do we teach it? When do we teach it? Why do we teach it like that? How do we know it is working? How do teachers know what to teach? 

The Reading Framework July 2023 

The national curriculum programmes of study for reading reflect the model, presented as two dimensions: ‘word reading’ and ‘comprehension’. 

 Language comprehension  

Comprehension does not refer to reading itself but, rather, to the way in which we make sense of words, sentences and the wider language we hear or read. Language develops through interaction with others. Inevitably, by the time they start school, some children understand more and know more words than others, because of the quantity and quality of the interactions they have already had with adults and others. Children who begin school with a poor understanding of language will need considerable support to develop their spoken language, if necessary, throughout their school years. 

Decoding (word reading)  

Decoding refers to:  

• reading unfamiliar words (words that have not been decoded before) by saying the sounds corresponding to the letters in the words and then blending the sounds together, either aloud or silently  

• reading familiar words accurately and silently ‘at a glance’ 23, that is, no longer saying the sounds consciously. 

How/when do we teach reading? 

Implementation

Rosenshine principles apply to English lessons: 

1) Review of previous learning 

2) Small steps 

3) Engaging all children/questioning 

4) Modelling 

5) Guided practice 

6) Check understanding 

7) High success rate for understanding 

8) Scaffolding 

9) Independent practice 

10) Regular reviewing 

How do teachers know what to teach? 

• The RWInc scheme is well planned and resourced. Teachers and TAs have Access to the RWInc portal and resources on the Oxford Owl website for lesson planning teaching.  

• The Phonics Lead runs regular training and coaching sessions.  

• The reading curriculum is split into small steps in the learning ladders. Teachers use this to plan for reading groups and English lessons and monitor progress.  

• Regular CPD sessions happen with the English leads to ensure there is a consistent approach and to give updates on recent research etc.   

How do we track progress?  

• Teachers use both formative and summative assessment to inform their teaching.   

• RWInc assessments cover phonics recognition, word reading and fluency and are completed every half term. Teachers and TAs can ask the Phonics lead or members of the reading team to assess children before this if they feel they are ready to progress or alert them about children not making progress.  

• The Phonics lead meets with the reading team and phonics teachers to discuss progress after each half-termly assessment. Spotlight children are identified in each group and children are identified for 1:1 tuition.  

• In KS1, after children have completed the RWInc program, teachers can move children to a different book band when they are ready. They do this through formative assessment and take notes, update learning ladders and use a Bug Club assessment if necessary.  

• In KS2, once children have completed brown band books in yr 3, then they move onto the Accelerated Reader program.  

Termly assessments include:  

• SATs or PIRA test for comprehension (PIRA in EYFS and Y1/3/4/5)  

• Fluency assessment which gives a WPM score  

• Bug Club assessment related to book band  

• Reading the EYFS/Y1/Y2 red words and CE words  

• Phonics assessments  

• Star Reader assessments 

• AR quizzes 

Impact

How do we close the gap/track progress?  

• Alert the inclusion team on CPOMs for direction/support  

• Involve the STS teacher for report  

• Precision teaching  

• Phonics intervention (fast track tuition)  

• Accelerating Reading  

• Regular pupil progress meetings with SLT  

• Regular meetings with reading team to look at data for phonics