English Reading
Newington Green Primary School – Reading Page
Our Approach to Reading
Newington Green Primary School is proud to be part of the Growth Learning Collective (GLC). Our reading curriculum reflects the GLC’s belief that learning should spark joy, curiosity and empower every child to thrive in the world.
Our Vision for Reading
Reading sits at the heart of learning at Newington Green. We passionately believe that reading is the key to learning, allowing pupils to confidently access and engage with the wider school curriculum. Being an enthusiastic, engaged and proficient reader enables a child to unlock opportunities and improves life chances in so many vital areas.
Our aim is for every child to leave our school as:
- A fluent, confident reader
- A critical thinker who can question, infer and evaluate
- A curious learner, inspired by books and ideas
- A lifelong reader, connected to the world of stories, knowledge and imagination
We recognise that reading is both a technical skill and a pleasurable habit and both are nurtured deliberately at our school.
Our curriculum is designed so children build secure foundations in the early years, deepen their analytical skills through KS2 and develop a genuine love of reading that enriches their wellbeing, emotional development and academic success.
High-Quality Phonics and Early Reading (Nursery to Year 2)
At Newington Green, we follow Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS); a DfE-validated phonics programme that ensures every child learns to read quickly, confidently and accurately. ELS provides a consistent structure that reduces cognitive load and supports all children to "keep up" rather than "catch up".
Nursery
Within our nursery, teachers and practitioners focus on children becoming confident listeners and communicators. Through stories, poetry, music and sound-play, children develop awareness of rhyme, rhythm and environmental sounds. Oral blending is modelled throughout the day (e.g. “Can you get your c-oa-t?”), giving children essential pre-reading skills.
From Spring 1, children meeting the age-related expectations in Communication and Language and Literacy, will begin learning a single letter sound each week, giving them exposure to all the Phase 2 GPCs, before they enter reception.
Reception
From the first week of Reception, children take part in daily phonics lessons following a clear progression. They learn:
- Single-letter sounds
- Digraphs (“sh”), trigraphs (“igh”) and quadgraphs (“eigh”)
- Blending to read
- Segmenting to spell
- Application of phonics in writing, reading and play
ELS also emphasises language development and Reception staff build vocabulary purposefully across all areas of learning.
Year 1
Daily phonics continues, enabling children to deepen their understanding of the alphabetic code and read fluently with increasing independence. Lessons are designed to secure overlearning so children know precisely what to do and how to be successful.
By Spring 2, pupils are fully prepared for the Phonics Screening Check and outcomes at Newington Green are consistently in line or above National outcomes.
Year 2 and Beyond
Children revisit essential GPCs in Autumn term, to secure accuracy. As they become fluent decoders, they transition into Whole Class Guided Reading, where comprehension becomes the central focus.
ELS interventions and decodable reading books continue for any child who needs additional support in KS2.
Reading Across the School: Years 2 – 6
From Year 2 onwards, reading is taught through daily Whole Class Guided Reading using high-quality texts that challenge, inspire and broaden horizons. Texts are chosen to be both mirrors, reflecting pupils’ own identities and lives, and windows offering insight into different cultures, histories and perspectives. This approach allows all pupils to engage with rich language and ambitious ideas, regardless of their decoding ability.
Lessons include:
- Clarifying new, ambitious vocabulary
- Summarising key events
- Making inferences using evidence
- Predicting using background knowledge
- Analysing an author’s choices
- Reading aloud for fluency and expression
- Discussing interpretations with partners and the class
Creating a Culture of Reading for Pleasure
At Newington Green, reading for pleasure is not an add-on; it is a central pillar of school life. Research shows that reading for pleasure is strongly linked to academic success, mental wellbeing and emotional resilience and we place high importance on nurturing enjoyment from the earliest years.
We promote a rich reading culture through:
- Daily story time in every year group
- A vibrant, pupil-led library
- Well-designed book corners in every classroom
- Regular visits to local libraries
- Book fairs and author visits
- “Star Reader” celebrations
- Special reading events (e.g. World Book Day, parent reading sessions)
- Staff who read widely and model a love of books
Home Reading
We value the crucial role families play in supporting reading. Each week, every child takes home: A decodable phonics book (matched exactly to their taught GPCs) and a free-choice, sharing book which we encourage families to enjoy together. We encourage children to read at home for 10–20 minutes daily, whether with an adult or independently.
Book Trust’s top tips for reading at home: https://www.booktrust.org.uk/resources/find-resources/reading-tips/
BBC Bitesize’s reading at home tips: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zbxby9q
Assessment and Progress Tracking
We monitor reading closely to ensure rapid progress and timely support.
Assessment tools include:
- Half-termly ELS assessments (REC and Year 1)
- Year 1 Phonics Screening Check
- NTS standardised assessments (Years 1–6)
- Salford Reading Ages
- Teacher assessment during reading lessons
- Termly fluency checks
This information feeds into pupil progress reviews and informs personalised support, ensuring no child falls behind.