English Curriculum

Phonics/Early Reading

Phonics and Early Reading at The Reddings aims to embed strong decoding skills so every child becomes a confident, fluent reader for life. Through the Read Write Inc. programme, children learn speed sounds, blending and segmenting in small, supportive groups matched to their needs. Regular assessment ensures precise teaching and rapid progress. With fully decodable books and rich texts for enjoyment, we nurture motivated readers who value reading for knowledge, imagination and pleasure.

Guided Reading

At The Reddings, our whole class guided reading approach is designed to immerse children in a rich variety of age-appropriate texts, including fiction, non-fiction, scripts, newspaper reports, poems, songs and more. By exposing pupils to diverse genres, voices and structures, we aim to spark curiosity, deepen cultural awareness and nurture a genuine love of reading.

Our teaching focuses on developing reading fluency and strengthening comprehension through the VIPERS skills: Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explanation, Retrieval and Summarising. These skills are explicitly taught and practised so that children learn to think critically, discuss ideas confidently and understand texts at a deeper level.

Reading sessions are inclusive and engaging, enabling all children to access high-quality literature and participate in meaningful discussion. Through this approach, we empower pupils to become confident, thoughtful readers who can apply their skills across the curriculum and beyond.

Writing

Writing at The Reddings aims to develop accurate, confident communicators who can write effectively across a range of genres and contexts. Through rich texts, purposeful grammar teaching and meaningful audiences, children learn how language can be shaped for different purposes. We nurture independence through structured feedback, peer discussion and editing. With personalised support and carefully designed scaffolds, we ensure every child feels capable, empowered and ready to succeed as a writer.