Reading
Intent
At Manor Drive Primary Academy, where we believe ‘Every Child is a Reader’, we are committed to immersing children in a vocabulary-rich environment in which they become proficient readers and writers. From Reception, children are taught high quality Phonics, using Sounds Write, providing a foundation for reading and writing. We recognise reading as a fundamental skill that underpins success across the curriculum and is essential for personal, social, and academic development. Our aim is to:
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Provide daily, high-quality phonics instruction in EYFS and KS1, ensuring secure foundations in early reading.
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Teach children to read from an early age by applying their phonics knowledge to carefully selected decodable texts.
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Support children who require additional help through targeted interventions, ensuring no child is left behind.
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Use high-quality books as a springboard for writing, broadening vocabulary, and embedding grammar in meaningful contexts.
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Foster fluent readers with a passion for books by dedicating time each school day to independent reading and listening to engaging stories.
Implementation
At Manor Drive Primary Academy, we deliver our reading curriculum through a structured, text-rich approach. In Reception and Year One reading is taught alongside phonics. Children learn to read using decodable books that incorporate sounds they have previously learnt in the phonics progression. In Year Two to Year Six, Reading is taught using the Literacy Tree’s Reading Roots and Leaves curriculum. This framework enables us to implement high-quality teaching of reading skills while embedding a love of literature across all year groups. Through this structured programme, we aim to develop students' fluency, comprehension, and critical thinking abilities. Key features of our implementation include:
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Systematic phonics programme: From Reception, students engage with a range of texts and decodable books that align with their phonics progression, allowing them to apply learnt sounds in context.
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Daily Reading Sessions: Daily reading sessions incorporate shared reading, guided practice, and independent exploration. Dedicated time for a whole class story within the school day, promotes a love of books and stories for the children.
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Accessible books: Books displayed in classrooms and dedicated spaces in corridors foster an independent approach to exploring and reading new enticing books. Children are encouraged to change their books regularly and consistent communication with parents, support teachers in monitoring the choice of books.
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Curriculum Design: The Literacy Tree uses rich, engaging texts as the centrepiece of its approach. Each text is carefully selected to align with curriculum objectives, cultural relevance, and student interests.
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Writing Through Reading: Using Literacy Tree’s methodology, students engage in purposeful writing activities inspired by the texts they study, such as diary entries, persuasive letters, or creative narratives.
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Parental Engagement: Parents are encouraged to support their children with reading at home. Children in EYFS and KS1 have a reading diary, whilst children in KS2 have a more individual reading journal that they can take ownership of for themselves. We offer workshops, resources and guidance to ensure parents and families are supported as well as possible in reading at home.
Assessment and progress monitoring
We employ regular formative assessments, such as reading logs, comprehension activities, and oral reading fluency checks, to monitor student progress. Summative assessments, including standardised tests, ensure students meet or exceed age-appropriate expectations.
Impact
At Manor Drive Primary Academy, we foster a love for reading and equip students with critical literacy skills, empowering them to excel academically and thrive beyond the classroom.
The impact of reading at Manor Drive Primary Academy is evident where:
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Pupils demonstrate notable progress in reading fluency, comprehension, and critical analysis.
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Pupils enjoy being immersed in literature.
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Reluctant readers and those requiring additional support have shown increased confidence and engagement with reading.
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Pupils are able to access a range of curriculum areas, analysing texts with a better understanding of the world around them.
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Evidence is gathered through book/reading folder scrutiny, pupil voice and discussions with staff.
Phonics
Intent
At Manor Drive Primary Academy, we are committed to immersing children in a vocabulary-rich environment in which they become proficient readers and writers. Through the Sounds-Write programme, we aim to equip pupils with the skills to read and write with confidence, enabling them to access the full breadth of the curriculum and fostering a lifelong love of reading.
The Sounds-Write programme provides a rigorous, structured, and systematic approach to phonics, designed to meet the diverse needs of all learners, including those with SEND and EAL.
Our aim is to:
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Develop a mastery of phonics, focusing on segmenting, blending and phoneme manipulation.
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Build on prior knowledge by systematically progressing from simple to complex code, using a consistent approach that helps pupils retain and apply their skills and knowledge effectively.
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Promote early reading fluency and comprehension by offering regular opportunities to read a variety of accessible and engaging texts.
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Foster confident and independent spellers who can apply their phonics knowledge and skills.
Implementation
Our phonics curriculum is a consistent, systematic and structured approach which ensures every child receives high-quality phonics instruction. Key features of our implementation include:
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Daily Phonics Sessions: Reception and Key Stage One pupils take part in daily, high-quality phonics lessons. Each lesson includes learning new content, revisiting previously taught phonics, and applying knowledge through reading and writing activities.
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Quality First Teaching: All staff are trained in the Sounds-Write approach, ensuring confident and effective delivery of lessons. Ongoing professional development is provided to maintain high standards.
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Progressive Curriculum Design: Lessons follow the Sounds-Write sequence, moving systematically from simple to complex code. Knowledge is revisited and consolidated regularly, enabling pupils to build on prior learning and retain skills over time.
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Integrated Reading Practice: Pupils are given regular opportunities to apply their phonics knowledge to reading and writing, using decodable texts matched to their current level of understanding.
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Parental Engagement: Parents are encouraged to support their children with reading at home. We offer workshops, resources and guidance to ensure they are supported with this.
Assessment
Regular assessments in line with the Sounds Write programme identify pupils who need additional support. Targeted interventions are in place to ensure all pupils make strong progress. Pupils are equipped with the skills and knowledge required to sit the Phonics Screening Check at the end of Year One.
Impact
At Manor Drive Primary Academy, our phonics approach equips pupils with the essential knowledge and skills needed to become confident readers and writers, supporting their success across all areas of the curriculum. The impact of the Sounds Write programme is evident where:
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Pupils have a secure phonemic awareness and can decode words accurately and fluently.
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Pupils make strong and consistent progress demonstrated in regular assessments.
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Targeted support ensures that all pupils, including those with SEN or EAL, achieve success in phonics.
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Pupils apply their phonics skills across the curriculum, reading a range of texts and writing with accuracy and independence.
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Pupils have a secure foundation for reading and writing as they progress through education.
