Reading

Reading at Red Oak

At Red Oak, we place reading at the heart of everything we do. We believe that reading opens doors, builds confidence and allows every child to succeed. Our children see the adults in school as readers and teachers of reading, and we actively cultivate a strong reading-for-pleasure culture across our community.

Early Reading and Phonics

The teaching of reading begins in Nursery, where children are introduced to early sounds and language. From Nursery to Year 2, we use the Read Write Inc. (RWI) phonics programme. Children are assessed every six weeks and grouped according to their phonic knowledge to ensure teaching is precisely matched to need. Reading books are carefully matched to each child’s phonics stage.

Children in Years 3 and 4 who require further phonics support continue with small RWI phonic interventions. In Years 5 and 6, pupils who need additional support are taught in small groups with phonic support.

Across the school, children study an ambitious range of high-quality texts through English lessons and guided reading. These texts build vocabulary, cultural capital and a deep understanding of literature from a wide range of genres and authors.

Teachers read aloud daily to their classes to promote reading for pleasure and expose children to rich language and storytelling. Every classroom has a well-stocked reading area, and our two school libraries provide both structured reading scheme texts and a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books.

We work closely with parents to support reading at home through workshops, share sessions and home reading support materials.

At Red Oak, we truly believe that if you read, you succeed.

Why These Texts?

The texts chosen across Red Oak have been carefully selected to form a coherent and ambitious reading spine that supports both academic and personal development. They reflect a wide range of cultures, voices and experiences so that all children can see themselves represented while also learning about lives beyond their own. Through carefully sequenced texts, pupils develop emotional literacy, empathy and an understanding of different perspectives. Our reading curriculum is aspirational and designed to foster curiosity, deepen vocabulary and provide rich stimulus for high-quality writing across the curriculum. The texts act as a backbone for writing, enabling pupils to draw upon strong models of language, structure and storytelling while building the knowledge and cultural capital needed for future learning.

The core texts studied in English lessons do not limit the breadth of reading our pupils experience. Teachers read aloud to their classes every day from a wide range of high-quality children’s literature. These texts reflect current trends in children’s publishing, embrace well-loved classics and offer a ‘windows and mirrors’ approach so that pupils both recognise themselves and explore the wider world. Class read-alouds are chosen for enjoyment, discussion and vocabulary development, ensuring that reading for pleasure remains central to life at Red Oak.