Reading
At Woodlands, we believe that reading is the gateway that makes all other learning possible. We strive to foster a genuine love of reading for pleasure and information by ensuring our pupils read widely and often. Our curriculum is designed to move children from early decoding to becoming fluent, independent readers who can engage deeply with challenging texts.
Diverse Reading Approaches: We use whole class reading (VIPERS) to explicitly model comprehension strategies and expose children to rich vocabulary. Small group Text Talk sessions allow for targeted practice with decodable books to build fluency and prosody.
Independent Growth: From Year 2, we implement Accelerated Reader, a system that helps children find ‘just right’ books suited to their ability while providing instant feedback through comprehension quizzes.
A Reading Culture: Every class enjoys a daily class story, prioritizing time for teachers to read aloud to pupils. We have invested heavily in high-quality texts and a redesigned school library to ensure our children have access to an enriching variety of literature.
Impact: Our pupils are talking more confidently about books, frequently recommending their favourite authors and genres to their peers.