Reading is at the heart of our curriculum. We want every child to become a confident, fluent and enthusiastic reader, equipped with the skills to access learning, discover new ideas and experience the joy that books can bring.

From the very beginning, we immerse children in stories, rich language and high-quality texts, developing vocabulary, comprehension and a genuine love of reading. Children begin by learning to read and, as their fluency and confidence grow, increasingly read to learn. Through carefully chosen books, explicit teaching and regular opportunities to read and be read to, we aim to open doors to knowledge, imagination and a lifelong love of reading.

At Tintagel Primary School, we use Read Write Inc. Phonics as our systematic synthetic phonics programme (SSP) to give children a strong and consistent start to reading.

Children are taught phonics every day in EYFS and Key Stage 1. Through Read Write Inc., they learn to recognise sounds, blend sounds to read words and develop increasing accuracy and fluency. Children read books that are closely matched to the sounds they know, enabling them to practise successfully and build confidence as readers.

Our children are regularly assessed and carefully grouped so that teaching closely matches their stage of reading development. Children who need additional help receive targeted, timely support, so that they can keep up with their peers.

As children become increasingly secure and fluent, the emphasis gradually moves from learning to read to reading to learn, while continuing to develop fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

We recognise that families play a vital role in a child’s reading journey. Throughout the year, we provide opportunities for parents and carers to learn more about how we teach phonics and reading, and how they can support reading at home.

In Year 1, children take the statutory Phonics Screening Check during the summer term.