Reading at Our School

At Chawson, we believe that reading is the key to learning across all subjects. Our aim is to develop confident, fluent readers who enjoy reading for pleasure and learning. We provide a structured reading curriculum, combining phonics, guided reading, and independent reading opportunities.

Latest Reading Newsletter 

• Please see the bottom of this page for our most up-to-date Reading Newsletter

Phonics & Early Reading – Little Wandle

• We follow Little Wandle: Letters and Sounds to teach children to decode words and develop early reading skills.
• Teachers regularly assess reading progress to ensure children are supported at the right level.
• Please click on the link to access parent support from Little Wandle: For parents | Letters and Sounds 
• We also run a phonics Instagram page which you can follow here: ChawsonFirstPhonics (@chawsonfirstphonics) • Instagram photos and videos

Reading Curriculum & Progression

At our school, we believe that reading is the gateway to imagination, knowledge, and lifelong learning. Our reading curriculum is designed not only to build essential literacy skills, but also to foster a deep love of books and stories in every child.

Key Stage 1: Building Foundations & Joy

In Key Stage 1, children are introduced to a rich variety of texts including:

• Fiction that sparks imagination
• Non-fiction that feeds curiosity
• Poetry that plays with rhythm and language

Key Stage 2: Deepening Understanding

As children move into Key Stage 2, they explore more complex texts and genres.

They learn to:

• Make thoughtful inferences
• Expand their vocabulary
• Strengthen their comprehension skills

Children are encouraged to discuss what they read, share opinions, and connect stories to their own lives—building empathy and critical thinking along the way.

Our Reading Goals

By the time children leave us, our aim is for every child to:

• Read fluently and confidently, with expression and understanding
• Engage with texts thoughtfully, asking questions and making connections
• Respond to reading through writing, discussion, and creative activities
• Love reading, choosing books for pleasure and exploring new authors and genres

School Librarians 

• Coming soon! 

Home Reading

• Children are expected to read at home regularly with support from parents.
• We use Boom Reader, an online reading record to track children's reading at home. Click here to find out more: BoomReader | The Leading Digital Reading Platform for Schools

Reading Success: A Year to Celebrate!

We’re delighted to share some wonderful news about our pupils’ reading achievements over the past year. Many parents will be well aware that Reading was an area for improvement identified by Ofsted in November 2024. We have continued to enhance our approach to reading with great effect!

Over the summer I have spent some time analysing Chawson pupil outcomes, comparing them to outcomes nationally. Across every year group, children have shown remarkable progress, confidence, and enthusiasm for reading—and the results speak for themselves!

Reception

Our youngest learners have made a flying start, with 81% achieving the Early Learning Goal in comprehension and 81% in word reading. These strong foundations are setting the stage for lifelong literacy success.

Year 1 & Year 2

• Year 1 pupils impressed with 67% meeting or exceeding expectations in reading, and 77% passing the phonics screening check—a fantastic improvement on our 2024 Phonics data.
• In Year 2, 71% reached expected standards, and 23% achieved greater depth. Among non-SEN pupils, an outstanding 89% met expectations, with 36% going above and beyond. An amazing 87% of children met the standard in the phonics screening, up from 64% when they were in Year 1.  

Year 3 & Year 4

• Year 3 pupils continued the upward trend, with 79% meeting expected standards.
• Year 4 celebrated 76% at expected levels and 33% at greater depth—well above national benchmarks and a testament to their hard work.

A Positive Trajectory 

Reading outcomes have consistently improved year-on-year, From Reception to Year 4, our children are not only meeting expectations—they’re exceeding them.

Thank You! 

These achievements reflect the dedication of our staff, the enthusiasm of our pupils, and the unwavering support from you—our families.

Together, we’re nurturing confident, curious readers who are ready to take on the world.

Let’s keep the momentum going and continue to celebrate every chapter of their learning journey!

Let’s keep turning the pages together (and logging them on Boom reader)!