Reading

70 Reading Quotes for Kids | Tickets to New Worlds

At Upton St Leonards C of E Primary school, after safeguarding, reading is our top priority. The Headteacher priorotises reading, staff foster a love of reading and reading and phonic CPD is prioritised with the aim of all staff being experts in early reading.

Subject Intent:

To increase pupils’ prospects by ensuring that all children are fluent, enthusiastic readers. We are determined to ensure that our pupils can speak, read and write fluently so that they can succeed in future life.

Building foundations for a love of life, a love of learning and a love of one another

To ensure children’s phonic skills are secure as early as possible, as these are essential to developing as a competent, assertive reader.
To provide early reading foundations that enable pupils to be enthusiastic readers with a passion and love for storytelling, literature and vocabulary.
To ensure that all children learn to read and read to learn.
For children to become enthusiastic and motivated readers
To immerse children in a range of genres in order to develop cultural capital and provoke thought (Windows and mirrors)
To encourage a love of literature and enjoyment of reading
Through thorough tracking we ensure that no child is left behind; those few pupils who find learning to read a challenge are supported through rigorous interventions to cater for their needs.

In the video below, our Teaching and Learning Head of School further explains the decision making behind our Reading Curriculum:

Key Documents

1. Reading at USL

2. Curriculum Progression Reading

3. Upton St Leonards Reading Policy

4. USL Action Plan Reading 2023-24

5. Scaffolding in Reading

6. SMSC in Reading

7. British Values in Reading at USL

8. Long Term Planning Documents

USL Whole School Reading Map 2024-25

Reception Reading Curriculum

Reception Reading Curriculum (comprehension)

Y1 Reading Curriculum

Y2 Reading Curriculum

Y3 Reading Curriculum

Y4 Reading Curriculum

Y5 Reading Curriculum

Y6 Reading Curriculum

How we teach reading from Y1 - Y6.

Whole Class Reading Lesson Framework

9. Knowledge Organisers

YEAR 6	Year 5	Year 4
Holes KO (Sep - Oct)	Brightstorm KO (Sep - Oct)	When life gives you Mangoes KO (Sep - Oct)
Can You See Me KO (Nov - Dec)	October October KO (Nov - Dec)	The Legend Of Podkin One Ear KO (Nov - Dec)
Letters From The Lighthouse KO (Jan-Feb)	Nowhere Emporium KO (Jan - Feb)	The Boy at the Back of the Class KO (Jan-Feb)
Clockwork KO (Feb - Apr)	Wonder KO (Feb - Apr)	Stormbreaker KO (Feb - Apr)
Freedom KO (Apr - May)	Journey To Joburg KO (June - July)	The Girl That Stole an Elephant KO (April - May)
Boy In The Tower KO (June - July)	Secret Garden KO (June - July)	Cloudbusting KO (June - July)

Year 3	Year 2	Year 1
Iron Man KO (Sep - Oct)	The Way Home for Wolf KO (Sep - Oct)	Pumpkin Soup KO (Sep - Oct)
Owen And The Soldier KO (Nov - Dec)	Message From The Moon KO (Nov - Dec)	Pattans Pumpkins KO (Nov - Dec)
Pugs Of The Frozen North KO (Jan - Feb)	The Hodgehog KO (Jan - Feb)	Leaf KO (Jan - Feb)
The Miraculous Journey Of Edward Tulane KO (Feb - Apr)	Featherlight KO (Feb - Apr)	One Day On this Blue Planet Rainforest KO (Feb - Apr)
Coming to England KO (Apr - May)	Too Small Tola KO (Apr - May)	Lila and the Secret of Rain KO (Apr - May)
Varjak Paw KO (June -July)	Oliver and the Seawigs KO (June - July)	Ossiri & The Bala Mengro KO (June-July)

Reading Expertise

We are incredibly lucky to have an expert in children's literature in our reading lead - Mrs Wood. Mrs Wood has been asked to speak at local events such as the Cheltenham Reading Festival and the Cheltenham Festival Patron's Dinner. Mrs Wood has also led the 'reading teachers=reading pupils' Gloucester group which is a group of local teachers who come together with the aim of improving their knowledge of children's books so that they can improve outcomes for their pupils. We have also showcased our reading curriculum and lessons to many local schools within the GSP (Gloucester Schools Partnership). We are very fortunate to have a reading lead so driven and passionate about putting books into children's hands.

Reading Rocks Newsletter

Every half-term we send out a reading newsletter to let you know what new books have been released, what books we would strongly recommend and local initiatives aimed at encouraging our children to read more. Please find the most recent 'Reading Rocks' newsletters below.

2020-2021			Summer Newsletter May 2021
2021-2022	Autumn Newsletter Sep 2021	Spring Newsletter Jan 2022	Summer Newsletter May 2022
2022-2023	Autumn Newsletter Sep 2022	Spring Newsletter Jan 2023	Summer Newsletter May 2023
2023-2024	Autumn Newsletter Sep 2023

Whole Class Reading

Reading is taught in 30 minute daily whole class reading lessons using VIPERS question stems.

VIPERS stands for:

Vocabulary

Inference

Prediction

Explain

Retrieve

Sequence/Summary

Please click the link below for further information:

KS2 Reading Vipers

Reading for pleasure

We pride ourselves on being a reading school. We engage our whole school community in reading for pleasure in a variety of ways;

Upton literature Festival- an annual event where children enjoy visiting authors, story tellers, book fairs and local library visits.
Reading teachers = Reading pupils- We currently have 3 KS2 teachers on and 5 KS1 teachers on this fabulous reading group which is run through Cheltenham Literature festival.
Community Book Club- We have a well attended community book club that meets at the school once a half term to discuss and share high quality children’s literature.
Cheltenham Literature Festival – all children have the opportunity to visit the literature festival in the autumn
Reading Rocks Newsletter- half termly newsletter that is circulated to all members of the school community. Full of book ideas, events and top tips to help support reading at home.

Click here to read an example of our Reading Rocks Newsletter

Reading Ambassadors- Year 5 children carry out this important role in the school for two years.
Bedtime Stories- We ran a shared initative in the autumn term where staff and parents shared videos of them reading bedtime stories. It helped highlight the importance of bedtime stories.
Travelling story sack- KS1 take a turn taking home and enjoying the travelling story sacks.

USL Library

Our library was designed with the addition of a beautiful mural painted by contemporary artist Stephanie Cole. It is a tranquil space for children to get lost in a book and is open every lunchtime as well as visited by classes during curriculum time. It was officially opened by Vashti Hardy (Blue Peter children’s book nominee 2020) on Friday 13th March 2020. Our wonderful Reading Ambassadors help to run their library. They will read and review every book that goes onto the shelf.

Useful websites to support our families with reading:

https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading-owl/reading

https://www.booktrust.org.uk/

https://www.booksfortopics.com/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/grownups/making-time-for-books-at-home