Our Reading intent statement

At Summer Lane Primary, by the end of year 6, we aim for all learners to be confident, fluent and eager readers. 

We believe that inclusive education means supporting all pupils to learn, contribute and participate in all aspects of school life alongside their peers. In reading, SEND pupils are supported through quality first teaching which encompasses a range of teaching and learning styles to match the needs of all learners. Baseline assessments are completed to ensure children are receiving the right support and regular assessments of all readers provide an accurate measure of which groups, and support, each child should be receiving. Differentiated learning materials, including access to learning aids (visual aids, pre reading and consolidation reading), access to ICT and Technology are also used throughout school. Flexible groupings, small group work and extra targeted reading interventions, through the use of Read, Write Inc., Nessy, Precision Teaching/ Pinny Time flashcards are provided for those readers who need additional support.  In KS1, 1:1 Read Write Inc Tutoring is the tailored scheme that we follow for many of our spotlight readers while in KS2, Read, Write Inc Fresh Start is our chosen intervention. The designated reading lead ensures regular liaison with the SENCo and all staff, throughout school, are encouraged to access CPD of Reading through the Ruth Miskin Portal.

Reading at Summer Lane Primary

The overarching aim for reading at Summer Lane Primary is to promote high standards by equipping pupils with a strong command of the written and spoken word, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for pleasure. 
The National Curriculum for English- which is followed by staff at Summer Lane Primary- aims to ensure that all pupils: 
•    read easily, fluently and with good understanding
•    develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
•    acquire a wide vocabulary through the texts and literature that they are introduced to
•    develop an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading
•    use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas- both written and orally 
•    are competent in the arts of speaking and listening

At Summer Lane Primary, teachers aim to develop pupils’ reading in all subjects to support their acquisition of knowledge. Pupils are taught to read fluently, understand a range of genres and styles (both fiction and non-fiction) and are encouraged to read for pleasure. At Summer Lane, children are encouraged to promote wider reading; each class has regular visits to Barnsley Lightbox library and weekly sessions are timetabled for each class  to visit our school libraries, of which we have two (KS1 and KS2). Here books are chosen to meet the age and stage of development of each key stage. Each library has a Teacher’s Top Reads whereby teachers from Summer Lane have recommended specific books for our children. To encourage a reading for pleasure philosophy, when entering Foundation Stage Two, children are given a tote bag to house their ‘reading for pleasure library book.’ We encourage all our pupils to carefully look after their books and our trained year 6 librarians have an established system for cataloguing books; they are also responsible for the upkeep of our libraries. Each class has a recommended reading list which has been thoughtfully created in order to meet the age and stage of Summer Lane pupils; within each reading corner, every class has these books for children to read with an adult or independently (please see the recommended reading list attachments). 

It is the expectation at Summer Lane that each child will read daily at home and it is encouraged that parents complete a log of each read within their child’s Home Reading Journal. Each Home Reading Journal has 40 reading record pages and a central 8-page full-colour guide for the reader and reading helper. At Summer Lane, we have selected three different editions of the Home Reading Journal for the differing ages and stages of development of our learners. Within each journal are the common exception words as well as the National Curriculum Word Lists for each key stage. We encourage our families to use these journals as a working document. Practitioners check the journals, for each child, on a weekly basis. This method of recording allows staff and families to communicate in order to benefit each learner.  

Within reading lessons, pupils are taught, and encouraged, to develop the stamina and skills to read at length. Through thoughtful selection of class texts, teachers aim to increase pupils’ store of words in general; simultaneously, they also make links between known and new vocabulary and discuss the shades of meaning in similar words. Through the teaching of V.I.P.E.R.S (Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explain, Retrieval and Sequence (KS1)/Summarise (KS2), reading is taught on a daily basis, with a focus on comprehension, so that pupils understand the meanings of words they meet in their reading.
National Curriculum programmes of study for reading at key stages 1 and 2 consist of two dimensions: 
•    word reading
•    comprehension (both listening and reading)

In order to develop pupils’ competence in both dimensions; the early reading at Summer Lane is essential. 

Early Reading: Phonics

At Summer Lane, we follow the Read Write Inc. systematic phonics programme,. Please see the separate 'Phonics' page for more information on this. 

Useful websites:

The Lightbox Barnsley: https://www.barnsley.gov.uk/services/libraries/find-a-library/library-at-the-lightbox/ 

Whole School Reading Texts

This document shows the texts that we use in Reading from Nursery to Year 6. Please refer to our 'Recommended Reads' below and to our Writing Long Term Plan for further texts used in school.

Reading End Points - Nursery to Year 6

Summer Lane Recommended Reading Lists

Each class has a list of 10 'Recommended Reads' which are read during story time or whole class reading. These books are displayed in our book areas and children are encouraged to read and enjoy them again. 

Further reading list recommendations from Books for Topics