Intent

At Parkside Community Primary School, our reading curriculum is designed to nurture and inspire young minds toward a bright future by developing confident, fluent, and enthusiastic readers. We aim to equip pupils with the essential skills of decoding, comprehension, and critical thinking through exposure to high-quality, diverse texts that span reading and writing. Our curriculum explicitly teaches reading skills using the VIPERS approach—Vocabulary, Inference, Predicting, Explanation, Retrieval, and Sequencing—to ensure pupils develop a rich and deep understanding of texts. We prioritise vocabulary development, including tier two and tier three words, alongside teaching the etymology and morphology of words to deepen pupils’ language knowledge. We are committed to closing gaps in reading ability by providing scaffolds and tailored support so that every child can access and engage with the curriculum confidently.

Implementation

Our reading curriculum is delivered through a structured and systematic approach that balances decoding and comprehension skills. Early reading is supported by Monster Phonics, ensuring pupils receive phonics books matched to their phase for effective foundational skill development. We use PM Benchmarking to assess pupils’ reading ages regularly, ensuring that home reading books are well matched to their current ability to promote confidence and progression. Pupils benefit from regular one-to-one reading sessions with their class teachers, alongside daily live feedback during lessons to facilitate immediate progress and address misconceptions. We teach explicit strategies for skimming and scanning texts to enhance retrieval skills. Echo reading is used to model fluent reading and support pupils’ oral language development. Scaffolds and differentiated resources ensure inclusivity and engagement for all learners. Our curriculum also encourages home-school partnerships by providing appropriate reading materials for pupils to take home, fostering a love of reading beyond the classroom.

Impact

As a result of our carefully designed reading curriculum, pupils at Parkside Community Primary School develop strong decoding skills and become fluent, confident readers who can comprehend and critically engage with a wide range of texts. Pupils demonstrate a rich vocabulary and a deep understanding of language structure, enabling them to access the wider curriculum with ease. Regular assessment and live feedback ensure that all pupils make measurable progress in reading, with targeted support closing gaps effectively. Our pupils leave primary school well-prepared for the demands of secondary education, equipped with a lifelong love of reading and the skills necessary to succeed academically and beyond.