Reading at Eaves

English Coordinator: Mrs Leavesley and Mrs Clarke

“Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else’s shoes for a while.” - Malorie Blackman.

“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world” - Malala Yousafzai

Our Vision for Reading at Eaves

At Eaves, we want every child to become a confident, fluent and enthusiastic reader who enjoys books and uses reading to discover the world. Reading is the golden thread running through our curriculum, opening doors to knowledge, imagination and independent learning. Our ambition is for every child, whatever their starting point, to develop a lifelong love of reading.

A Progressive Approach

We build strong foundations through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised in Reception and Key Stage 1. Daily phonics, carefully matched decodable books and additional support help children develop accuracy and confidence. Alongside this, stories, rhymes and sharing books nurture enjoyment and understanding.

From Year 2 to Year 6, Ready Steady Read Together develops fluency, vocabulary and comprehension through carefully sequenced, high-quality texts. Teachers model expressive reading and support children to explore meaning, make predictions and explain their thinking.

Oracy in Reading and Writing Sessions

Talking about books helps children deepen their understanding and develop ideas. Discussion, questioning and drama encourage them to explore language and share interpretations. In writing sessions, structured talk and vocabulary exploration help children organise and express their ideas before writing, connecting the language they read with the language they use.

Enrichment

We broaden children’s experiences through diverse authors, genres and texts. Our No Outsiders books provide opportunities to explore equality, difference and belonging. We also encourage families to enjoy books together and extend our reading culture into the community, including Chester Lane Library.

Wider Reading

Reading supports learning across every subject, helping children build knowledge and follow their curiosity. Once their phonics is secure, children access Renaissance Accelerated Reader, choosing library books suited to their ability and interests and completing quizzes that help teachers monitor understanding. We encourage reading for pleasure, knowledge and information, both at school and at home.

Confident readers. Curious minds. A lifelong love of books. Reading the Eaves Way.