Reading
At Kells Lane Primary School, reading is central to our vision of empowering every child to reach their full potential. We cultivate a love of reading through a carefully chosen core book spine and a rich variety of texts that inspire curiosity, empathy, and understanding. This approach supports literacy development and helps children connect with diverse perspectives in a nurturing and inclusive environment.
Our reading curriculum goes beyond skill-building; it fosters confidence, resilience, and a lifelong passion for learning. Story times, access to non-fiction and fiction materials, and exposure to a broad range of authors enrich children’s experiences and promote positive mental well-being. Reading also helps children develop empathy and respect, key values within our school community.
We encourage parents to support reading at home by sharing stories, visiting libraries, and discussing books with their children. Together, we inspire our learners to become confident, curious, and compassionate readers ready to thrive both in school and beyond.
Early Reading and Phonics
Early reading development introduces young children to the fundamental skills of reading and writing, with phonics as a key approach. Phonics teaches children the relationship between letters and sounds (grapheme–phoneme correspondences), helping them decode words, recognise patterns, and develop spelling skills. By blending sounds to read words and segmenting words to spell, children gain confidence and independence in literacy. This structured, systematic approach supports the progression from early listening and speaking skills to fluent reading and accurate writing, laying the foundation for lifelong literacy.
EEF – 7 Top Tips to Support Reading at Home
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Book Recommendations – Picture Books
Book Recommendations -Younger Fiction
Book Recommendations -Illustrated Favourites
Book Recommendations – Popular Authors
Book Recommendations – Popular Series
We teach phonics through the Read, Write Inc. (RWI) programme starting in Early Years through to the end of Key Stage 1. This scheme provides a clear, structured approach to teaching phonics, supporting children to decode words, build fluency, and develop confidence in reading. Children will be taught phonics daily in small groups. Children will then bring home a reading book which is matched to their RWI level of development.
Children in Year 1 throughout the country, take part in a phonics screening check in June. Children in Year 2 will also re-take the check if they did not achieve the required result when in Year 1, or they have not taken the test before.