Reading

Fostering a Love for Reading and Comprehension

At Barrowford Primary School, we understand the importance of teaching children the essential skill of learning to read while nurturing a lifelong love for books. Reading is at the heart of our school, both figuratively and literally, with our library located in the school hall—the central hub of our community. This vibrant space is a place where children can explore a wide range of reading materials, including magazines, leaflets, novels, poetry, plays, and online texts. It’s a welcoming environment filled with cosy bean bags, encouraging children to find a quiet corner and lose themselves in a good book. We also encourage pupils to take books home and explore other texts that spark their curiosity. To extend their reading experiences beyond school, we regularly visit Barrowford Library and participate in their engaging reading challenges.

The journey to becoming confident readers begins with daily systematic phonics sessions, where we use the Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS) programme. These lessons focus on sound-spelling relationships and equip children with the skills needed to decode words. Through a variety of engaging activities, children build their word recognition and develop strategies for tackling unfamiliar words. Each child is provided with a list of words to practice and a book to share with an adult at home, supporting their reading journey collaboratively.

Every day, children take part in Reading for Enjoyment sessions designed to spark their love of reading and develop their comprehension skills. During these sessions, pupils are encouraged to read independently, explore a range of texts, and engage in meaningful activities that expand their understanding and choices in books. They also participate in small-group guided reading sessions with an adult, where they apply key skills, discuss texts, and share their thoughts about the books they are reading. As children become fluent readers, they transition to daily whole-class guided reading sessions, delving deeper into comprehension and critical thinking.

To further instill a love of reading, each class ends the day with a shared story time. This special routine allows children to unwind and enjoy the magic of storytelling together, creating a calm and engaging end to their school day. At Barrowford Primary School, we aim to create both the will to read and the skill to read, ensuring every child feels confident and inspired to explore the world of books. With reading truly at the heart of our school, we are dedicated to empowering our children with the tools and enthusiasm to become lifelong readers.

Our school promotes ‘Reading Enjoyment’

Children can pick books of their choice from a range of reading schemes which include:

Reading Buddy

ELS

• ELS- Essential Phonic Readers
• Essential Blending Books

Oxford Reading Tree

• Alien Adventures
• Hero Academy
• Hero Academy- Non Fiction
• Word Sparks
• Little Blending Books for Letters and Sounds
• Project X Phonics
• Traditional Tales
• Floppy’s Phonics Fiction
• Floppy’s Phonics Practice
• Explore
• Story Sparks
• In Fact
• Origins
• Greatest Stories
• Chucklers
• Infact
• Origins