‘Reading opens the world: it shows us other lives, and other ways of living. If you read, you can learn anything, go anywhere, be anyone.’ Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Reading is a powerful tool that builds knowledge - knowledge of ourselves, knowledge of others, and knowledge of the world in which we live. It is the key that unlocks access to all subjects and enables pupils to acquire knowledge across the curriculum. Our reading-based curriculum immerses children in a wide range of literature, including stories, poems and non-fiction, to help them establish an appreciation and love of reading.

Our curriculum focuses on both dimensions of reading: word reading and comprehension, which ensures that our pupils can read easily, fluently and with good understanding. Through reading, children develop a wide vocabulary that they can use to communicate effectively and express their ideas and emotions. They learn to be imaginative, inquisitive and empathetic citizens.

We believe that developing confident, capable and curious readers who are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in all aspects of their lives is essential. Therefore, our aim is to foster a love of literature that will not only give them confidence in their forthcoming secondary education, but will stay with them throughout their lives.

Phonics scheme – Unlocking Letters and Sounds

At Portway Junior School, we understand that phonics is the most effective approach to early reading. We ensure a rigorous and systematic approach to the teaching of phonics by following the Unlocking Letters and Sounds scheme, which has been validated by the Department for Education (DfE). We work closely with our infants school, who also follow the scheme, to assess the phonetical knowledge of our pupils. Daily interventions are delivered to pupils who are not yet secure with phonics to address identified gaps in learning, so pupils can decode words accurately and read fluently.