Our Vision for Reading

At Wilbury Primary School, we believe that reading opens the door to lifelong learning, opportunity and success. We are committed to ensuring that every child becomes a fluent, confident and enthusiastic reader who can access the full curriculum and engage meaningfully with the world around them. 

We serve a diverse community and recognise that children arrive at school with different experiences, backgrounds and levels of language development. We believe that every child deserves access to rich language, high-quality texts and excellent reading instruction from the earliest stages of their education. Through ambitious teaching, a carefully sequenced curriculum and a culture that celebrates reading, we ensure that every pupil has the opportunity to thrive. 

Our aim is for all pupils to leave Wilbury able to read accurately, fluently and with deep understanding. We aspire to develop readers who are curious, thoughtful and independent; children who read confidently to learn and who choose to read for pleasure. 

Building Strong Foundations

Strong foundations underpin everything we do in reading. We believe that successful reading begins with secure communication and language development and the systematic teaching of the knowledge and skills needed to become an independent reader. Reading is prioritised from the earliest years and is viewed as the gateway to success across the curriculum. 

Our reading curriculum is designed to develop:

• Strong communication and language skills
• Phonological awareness and decoding skills
• Automatic word recognition and reading fluency
• Rich vocabulary and language comprehension
• Deep understanding of texts
• Positive attitudes towards reading
• Long-term retention and application of reading knowledge and strategies

By securing these foundations, we enable pupils to access increasingly complex texts, participate fully in learning and develop confidence as readers. 

Early Reading and Phonics

Learning to read is our highest priority in the early years and KS1.

At Wilbury, children are taught through a highly systematic and rigorous approach to phonics. Teaching begins as early as possible and follows the carefully sequenced Read Write Inc. programme that enables children to build secure decoding knowledge and develop increasing fluency and confidence. Lessons include clear modelling, strong routines and high levels of participation to ensure pupils rapidly acquire the skills needed for successful reading. 

Assessment plays a central role in our phonics provision. Children are assessed regularly so that teaching remains closely matched to their stage of development and next steps in learning. This allows staff to respond quickly to any gaps in knowledge and organise support effectively. 

We are committed to helping children keep up rather than catch up. Pupils at risk of falling behind receive timely and targeted support from highly trained staff. Additional intervention is carefully planned and monitored to ensure children continue to make progress alongside their peers. Particular attention is given to pupils who speak English as an Additional Language (EAL), pupils with SEND and those who join the school at different points during the year. 

For older pupils who require further support with decoding, structured interventions ensure they continue to develop the skills needed to access age-appropriate texts and become fluent readers. 

As pupils become secure decoders, they successfully transition from learning to read to reading to learn. 

Reading Beyond Phonics

Reading development extends far beyond decoding. As children move through the school, they engage with a carefully designed reading curriculum that systematically develops vocabulary, fluency, comprehension and independence as readers. 

The curriculum enables pupils to encounter increasingly sophisticated texts while developing the knowledge, language and strategies required for successful reading. Teachers explicitly teach vocabulary, revisit key language regularly and ensure pupils have opportunities to use and apply new vocabulary in meaningful contexts. 

Fluency is developed through expert modelling, and guided and independent practice. Teachers demonstrate expressive reading, helping pupils understand how phrasing, punctuation and meaning support comprehension. Through regular practice, children become increasingly accurate, automatic and confident readers. 

Comprehension is taught through explicit modelling, discussion and purposeful questioning. Pupils learn to:

• Retrieve information from texts
• Explain and justify their ideas
• Make predictions and inferences
• Evaluate authors' choices
• Summarise key information
• Respond critically to what they have read

This structured approach ensures progression and high expectations throughout the school. 

Oracy in Reading

Oracy is a key priority at Wilbury Primary School and is woven throughout our reading curriculum. We recognise that talk is essential for developing understanding, extending vocabulary and deepening comprehension.

Through high-quality adult modelling, structured discussion and purposeful partner talk, pupils learn how to articulate their thinking, justify opinions and respond thoughtfully to texts. Vocabulary is explicitly taught and discussed, sentence stems are used where appropriate and teachers maintain high expectations for speaking in full sentences. 

Children regularly participate in:

• Book talk and text discussions
• Prediction and inference activities
• Partner and group discussions
• Oral responses to comprehension questions

These opportunities support all learners, particularly pupils with SEND and those learning English as an Additional Language, enabling them to gain confidence in expressing and refining their ideas while developing as skilled readers. 

Reading for Pleasure and Knowledge

We believe reading should be both highly valued and genuinely enjoyed.

At Wilbury, we work hard to create a strong reading culture where books, stories and literature are celebrated. From the Early Years through to Year 6, pupils experience regular story time, book discussions and opportunities to explore a wide range of high-quality texts. 

Our chosen texts are carefully selected for their literary quality, linguistic richness and ability to broaden children's understanding of the world. Through exposure to diverse authors, cultures, genres and perspectives, pupils develop empathy, curiosity, cultural awareness and a deeper appreciation of literature. 

We value the important role that families play in developing readers and work closely with parents and carers to promote reading beyond the classroom. 

Reading Across the Curriculum

Reading is central to learning in every subject.

We ensure pupils are supported to develop reading knowledge and skills across the curriculum through carefully selected texts and explicit teaching of subject-specific vocabulary. Pupils learn to apply reading strategies in history, geography, science, religious education and other curriculum areas. 

Teachers model how skilled readers approach challenging texts, encouraging discussion and supporting pupils to interpret increasingly complex information. As pupils build their vocabulary and knowledge, they become better equipped to access new learning and achieve success across the curriculum. 

Assessment and Responsive Teaching

Assessment is an integral part of our approach to reading and informs teaching on a daily basis.

Teachers regularly assess pupils' progress in phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Assessment information is used to identify strengths, address misconceptions and determine precise next steps in learning. 

We believe that excellent classroom teaching is the most effective intervention. Teachers adapt explanations, modelling, questioning and support in real time to ensure pupils remain engaged and successful. Rather than relying solely on additional intervention programmes, we place great importance on ensuring high-quality teaching for every child every day. 

Leaders use assessment information, lesson visits, pupil discussions and work scrutiny to evaluate the effectiveness of reading provision and identify priorities for improvement. This ensures our approach remains responsive, ambitious and focused on achieving the very best outcomes for pupils. 

Professional Learning and Collaboration

We recognise that excellent reading outcomes depend upon knowledgeable and highly skilled staff.

Teachers, leaders and support staff engage in ongoing professional development focused on language development, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and reading for pleasure. Through collaboration across Children First Academy Trust, coaching and evidence-informed professional learning, staff continually refine their practice and deepen their expertise. 

This commitment to professional learning ensures that pupils benefit from consistently high-quality reading instruction throughout their time at Wilbury. 

Equity, Inclusion and Participation

Inclusion lies at the heart of our reading provision.

We believe that all children are entitled to an ambitious reading curriculum and that every pupil can become a successful reader with the right support, adaptive teaching and high expectations. 

Teachers ensure that:

• All pupils access the same ambitious curriculum.
• Support is carefully matched to pupils' needs.
• Barriers to learning are identified and removed.
• Pupils with SEND can access reading successfully alongside their peers wherever possible.
• Pupils learning English as an Additional Language receive explicit vocabulary teaching and rich opportunities for purposeful talk.
• Additional support is provided quickly when pupils are at risk of falling behind.
• Every child is encouraged to read, think, discuss and contribute.

We place particular emphasis on language and vocabulary development because we recognise their importance in helping pupils access increasingly complex texts. We are equally committed to ensuring that children encounter texts that reflect their experiences while also broadening their understanding of the wider world. 

At Wilbury Primary School, we are committed to ensuring that every child leaves us as a fluent, confident and enthusiastic reader, equipped with secure reading foundations, a rich vocabulary, a positive reader identity and the confidence to use reading as a tool for learning, enjoyment and future success.

Our vision for Writing

At Wilbury, we believe that all children can achieve and succeed in writing. We have the highest expectations for every pupil and are committed to ensuring that all children develop the skills, knowledge, understanding and confidence needed to become successful writers. 

Many of the community we serve experience high levels of socio-economic disadvantage and we have significant numbers of pupils who speak English as an additional language. We believe that these factors should never limit children’s literacy achievement. Through high-quality teaching, ambitious expectations and carefully designed learning experiences, we ensure that all pupils can access, participate and succeed in writing. Our aim is that every child leaves primary school with secure writing foundations, a deep understanding of composition and grammar, and the confidence to express their voice flexibly in a range of contexts. 

Through an ambitious curriculum, high expectations and a commitment to equity and inclusion, we strive to ensure that every pupil experiences success, develops a positive identity as a writer and leaves our schools well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Curriculum design        

We use the national curriculum and the Literary Curriculum, a ‘Teach Through the Text’ scheme centred around high quality texts, to form the basis of our writing curriculum. 

Our curriculum is mapped to ensure a clear progression of skills from Reception through to Year 6. Each year group builds upon prior learning, revisiting and deepening knowledge of sentence construction, vocabulary, and authorial techniques, supported by our own Sentence Curriculum. 

Grammar teaching is embedded within the planning, and in addition we use ‘Grammar Overview’ documents for each year group to ensure coverage. The expectation is that new grammar is taught discretely, and previously taught grammar is revisited, or retaught as needed until we achieve automaticity.

Teaching and Learning

Teachers model the craft of writing explicitly. The 'I do, we do, you do' approach is used in writing, as it is across our curriculum, to ensure teachers are actively instructing, modelling and refining the children's skills before expecting independent mastery. Pupils practice through a balance of short-burst writing (to hone specific skills) and extended writing pieces (to apply those skills with fluency).

To ensure consistency and quality of teaching, we have five ‘Key Elements of Writing Lessons’ that all teachers work to:

• The text is used to create engagement and enjoyment, as well as exposure to a range of genres and writing styles 
• There is deliberate practice of a new or not yet embedded writing skill (e.g. grammar knowledge/ sentence structuring / punctuation / editing)
• Models (See below) are used to show children what is expected and to demonstrate how to produce a piece of writing 
• Children are given time to write independently in every lesson. This can be practising sentences, a short piece of instant publishing or working on a longer piece of writing over a series of lessons
• Scaffolds, for example sentence starters, word banks and visuals, are provided in every lesson to allow the lower attaining pupils to write with independence, and the higher attaining pupils to reach for Greater Depth

Modelling is key to our lessons. Teachers use both ‘pure modelling’ (or ‘I do’, where the teacher articulates their thinking during the writing process) and ‘shared writing’ (where the teacher works with the children to write a sentence/passage) in every lesson to support learning and scaffold independent writing tasks. 

In Reception and Year 1 teachers’ planning and teaching for writing is simple and effective – adhering to National Curriculum expectations, guided by The Writing Framework, and ensuring that all children can write simple, correct sentences. While continuing with the ‘Teach Through the Text’ approach, we also follow a sentence curriculum for Reception and Year 1 to build their lessons and progress. Another way we simplify the curriculum for EYFS and KS1 is to take the emphasis off genre writing and to focus on quality sentence structure, with an emphasis on narrative over everything else.

Oracy in Writing lessons

Oracy is a focus across our schools and is embedded in all lessons. By prioritising oral rehearsal, ensuring high standards of modelled spoken language and our high expectations of adult child interactions, we support all children—including those with SEND or those learning English as an additional language—to develop their ability to structure their thoughts before committing them to paper. Vocabulary is explicitly shared at the start of every lesson, paired talk is expected, sentence starters are provided and teachers insist on pupils answering in full sentences. Talk activities are planned into lessons, for example, ranking and sorting activities which require discussion and justification. Within Literacy lessons, year groups are asked to plan in outcomes within each year that rely on oracy skills, for example, poetry performance and debating.

Foundational Skills

​Technical fluency supports creative expression. Consequently, we teach core skills explicitly:

​Spelling: We teach spelling systematically, focusing on patterns and rules to ensure children build confidence and accuracy.

​Handwriting: We teach handwriting explicitly, using the Nelson handwriting programme to structure progression across the school so that children develop fluency, speed and automaticity.  When children achieve this fluency, they are no longer held back by the physical act of writing, allowing them to focus fully on the purpose, audience and structure of their work.

​Grammar and punctuation: New grammar and punctuation is taught initially in isolation, to limit cognitive overload and ensure children have a secure foundational understanding, before being taught in context, to ensure children understand how these mechanics empower their writing rather than viewing them as abstract checklists.

We have a list of ‘non-negotiables’ for children with their writing, relating to spelling, punctuation and grammar. Teachers are expected to always address these if they are wrong in pupils’ work, and older pupils are expected to take responsibility for these non-negotiables themselves. 

Writing across the curriculum

Writing is embedded in wider curricular subjects, particularly in Geography and History. At the end of a unit of work, children from Year 1 onwards, demonstrate their knowledge and skills in a final piece of written work. 

Equity, Inclusion and Participation

Equity and inclusion are at the heart of our approach to teaching and learning in writing. We believe that every pupil is entitled to an ambitious writing curriculum and that, through high expectations and appropriate support, all children can achieve success as writers.

Teachers ensure that:

• All pupils work towards the same ambitious learning goals.
• Adaptive teaching removes barriers to participation, enabling every pupil to access and engage with the writing process.
• Scaffolds are used to support pupils in developing ideas, vocabulary, sentence structure and composition while maintaining high expectations and appropriate challenge.
• Scaffolds are gradually reduced and removed as pupils develop greater confidence, independence and fluency as writers.
• All pupils are encouraged and supported to think, discuss, plan, write, edit and reflect on their writing.
• Differences in starting points are recognised and addressed through responsive teaching, effective assessment and timely intervention.
• Every pupil experiences success and develops confidence, resilience and a positive identity as a writer.

Through this approach, pupils develop confidence, competence and enjoyment in writing. We are committed to ensuring that every child leaves our school as a successful writer, equipped with secure transcriptional and compositional skills, a rich vocabulary, and the confidence to communicate effectively for a range of purposes and audiences throughout their education and beyond.

 

Click here to view the Autumn Writing Curriculum Overview

Click here to view the Spring Writing Curriculum Overview

Click here to view the Summer Writing Curriculum Overview