Reading at Orion Scotts Park

Intent

At Orion Scotts Park, we believe that reading is the gateway to all learning. Our intent is to ensure that every child becomes a fluent, confident reader who reads for both pleasure and purpose. We are committed to:

Providing systematic, high-quality phonics instruction that enables all children to decode accurately and fluently
Closing the gap for disadvantaged pupils and those in the lowest 20% through targeted, intensive support
Developing strong comprehension skills and rich vocabulary that allow children to access the full curriculum
Fostering a love of reading through exposure to high-quality texts, author experiences, and a vibrant reading culture
Building a genuine home-school partnership where reading is valued and practiced daily

Our reading curriculum is designed to be inclusive and ambitious, ensuring that all pupils, including those with SEND and EAL, receive appropriate scaffolding and challenge to become successful readers.

Implementation

Early Reading and Phonics (EYFS & KS1)

Daily systematic phonics teaching follows a structured progression, ensuring children learn to decode confidently. In EYFS and KS1, phonics is taught daily with consistency across classes. Pupils who need additional support receive daily catch-up interventions in KS2 until they are secure.

Targeted support for disadvantaged pupils and the lowest 20%:

Early identification through baseline and continuous assessment
Additional daily phonics sessions and 1:1 tutoring
Weekly progress monitoring with flexible groupings that respond to pupil needs

Developing Fluency and Comprehension

Reading Masters (30 minutes daily, KS1 & KS2): Every class participates in focused sessions that build comprehension strategies, develop vocabulary explicitly, and teach children how to engage deeply with texts.

Accelerated Reader Programme: All pupils are assessed for their reading level and have access to a carefully labelled library where they can independently select books matched to their ability. Pupils read these texts during dedicated school time and complete quizzes that check understanding and track progress, ensuring accountability and motivating pupils to read widely.

Guided and Shared Reading: Teachers model expert reading strategies in small groups, demonstrating how to infer, predict, and retrieve information while supporting pupils' developing comprehension.

Reading for Pleasure

Termly author visits bring books to life, inspiring children through direct contact with writers, storytelling, and creative workshops. Classrooms feature engaging book displays, and regular story time ensures that the joy of reading is embedded in daily routines.

Home- School Partnership

Daily reading records for every child create a strong partnership between home and school. Parents are encouraged to read with their children each day and record this in reading logs, fostering consistent practice and accountability.

Curriculum Integration

Reading is woven across all subjects. Vocabulary is taught explicitly in context, and texts are carefully selected in science, history, and other areas to build subject knowledge while reinforcing reading skills.

Inclusive Practice

Children with SEND and EAL receive differentiated texts, visual supports, and scaffolding to ensure they can access age-appropriate content and make strong progress alongside their peers.

Impact

Measurable Outcomes

Phonics screening results show that the majority of pupils meet the expected standard, with targeted pupils making accelerated progress through intervention
Fluency and comprehension assessments (tracked termly) demonstrate consistent progress across all year groups
Accelerated Reader data shows pupils reading widely at appropriate levels, with quiz results indicating strong comprehension
The gap between disadvantaged pupils, the lowest 20%, and their peers is closing systematically through responsive intervention

Cultural Impact

Orion Scotts Park has developed a thriving reading culture where books are celebrated, reading is valued, and every child sees themselves as a reader. The termly author visits, visible book displays, and daily story times create an environment where reading is not just a skill but a source of joy and discovery.

Long-Term Impact

Our systematic approach ensures that by the time pupils leave Orion Scotts Park, they are fluent, confident readers equipped with the comprehension skills, vocabulary, and love of reading needed to succeed in secondary school and beyond. They read widely, think critically about texts, and view reading as both a powerful tool for learning and a lifelong pleasure.