Diamond Wood Community Academy

Reading at Diamond Wood

At Diamond Wood Community Academy, we wholeheartedly believe that reading is fundamental to education.

Proficiency in reading is vital for our pupils’ success, as it develops essential communication skills necessary for their academic journey and future interactions. Pupils who struggle with reading often face challenges across the curriculum, since English serves both as a subject and as the medium for teaching other subjects. Recognising this, we prioritise early reading instruction in line with the Department for Education's agenda. As a school, we are fully committed to raising literacy standards for all our pupils, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to become a proficient reader.

Our Reading Subject Leader

Mrs Price is the Reading Leader in school. However, she is also supported by our overall English Leaders, Mrs Lillie and Mrs Booth.

Reading Programme of Study

The National Curriculum Programme of Study for reading consists of 2 dimensions:

Word reading
Comprehension (both listening and reading)

It is essential that teaching focuses on developing pupils’ competence in both dimensions; different kinds of teaching are needed for each.

Skilled word reading involves both the speedy working out of the pronunciation of unfamiliar printed words (decoding) and the speedy recognition of familiar printed words. Underpinning both is the understanding that the letters on the page represent the sounds in spoken words. This is why phonics should be emphasised in the early teaching of reading to beginners (i.e. unskilled readers) when they start school.

Good comprehension draws from linguistic knowledge (in particular of vocabulary and grammar) and on knowledge of the world. Comprehension skills develop through pupils’ experience of high-quality discussion with the teacher, as well as from reading and discussing a range of stories, poems and non-fiction. All pupils must be encouraged to read widely across both fiction and non-fiction to develop their knowledge of themselves and the world they live in, to establish an appreciation and love of reading, and to gain knowledge across the curriculum. Reading widely and often increases pupils’ vocabulary because they encounter words they would rarely hear or use in everyday speech. Reading also feeds pupils’ imagination and opens up a treasure house of wonder and joy for curious young minds.

National Curriculum

In July 2021 the DfE produced a new framework for teaching reading. To download the full document click here. In 2023, this guidance was updated. To read the updated framework please click here. The aim of the guidance is to support educators in understanding and implementing the foundations of teaching Literacy. The guidance begins by setting out the social, cultural and economic importance of reading before outlining a conceptual model of it. The National Curriculum programmes of study for reading and the Early Years Foundation Stage framework are based on this model, which consists of two dimensions: language comprehension and word reading.

The Simple View of Reading

The Simple View of Reading describes reading as the product of decoding (word reading) and comprehension.

Comprehension does not refer to reading itself, but rather, to the way in which we make sense of words, sentences and the wider language we hear. Children’s spoken language develops naturally. With fairly few exceptions, they learn to understand language without direct teaching as long as someone talks with them.

Spoken language underpins all seven areas of learning and development within the revised 2021 Early Learning Goals. These are the end-of-year expectations for pupils within their Reception year (4-5 years old). The aim is to reduce the language gap between children from language-rich homes and those who are not. The progress of these children depends on adults engaging them in high-quality dialogue and direct teaching. This means that children learn to articulate what they know and understand and develop their knowledge across all areas of learning using the vocabulary they need to support learning. To find out more about reducing the language gap click here.

Decoding (word reading) refers to;

Reading unfamiliar words (words that have not been decoded before) by saying the sounds corresponding to the letters in the words and then blending the sounds together, either aloud or silently.
Reading familiar words accurately and silently 'at a glance' and no longer consciously saying the sounds.

While children's spoken language develops naturally, this is not the case for learning to read. Written language is a cultural invention and most children do not learn to read without direct teaching. For children who begin school with a poor understanding of language, being able to decode words is essential for equality, because their understanding of language, their vocabulary and their knowledge of the world will expand rapidly when they can read for themselves.

Children need both good word reading and good language comprehension to become good readers. To learn more about the Simple View of Reading click here or watch the video below.

Substantive and Disciplinary Concepts: Our Reading Golden Threads

Click on the link below to download this information as a document.

Reading Curriculum: Substantive and Disciplinary Concepts

Our Approach to Teaching Reading

In Nursery, we teach Phase 1 Phonics before introducing children to RWI (Nursery Programme) during the Summer Term to the Nursery 2 cohort (those that will begin their Reception year in the next academic year). Phase 1 develops a child's ability to listen to, make, explore and talk about sounds. Throughout this phase children will develop their speaking and listening skills. This phase is split into 7 aspects that are explored and developed through games.

These 7 aspects are;

Aspect 1 – General Sound Discrimination – Environmental

The aim of this aspect is to raise children’s awareness of the sounds around them and to develop their listening skills. Activities suggested may include going on a listening walk, drumming on different items outside and comparing the sounds, playing a sounds lotto game and making shakers.

Aspect 2 – General Sound Discrimination – Instrumental Sounds

This aspect aims to develop children’s awareness of sounds made by various instruments and noise makers. Activities include comparing and matching sound makers, playing instruments alongside a story and making loud and quiet sounds.

Aspect 3 – General Sound Discrimination – Body Percussion

The aim of this aspect is to develop children’s awareness of sounds and rhythms. Activities include singing songs and action rhymes, listening to music and developing a sounds vocabulary.

Aspect 4 – Rhythm and Rhyme

This aspect aims to develop children’s appreciation and experiences of rhythm and rhyme in speech. Activities include rhyming stories, rhyming bingo, clapping out the syllables in words and odd one out.

Aspect 5 – Alliteration

The focus is on initial sounds of words, with activities including I-Spy type games and matching objects which begin with the same sound.

Aspect 6 – Voice Sounds

The aim is to distinguish between different vocal sounds and to begin oral blending and segmenting. Activities may include Metal Mike, where children feed pictures of objects into a toy robot’s mouth and the teacher sounds out the name of the object in a robot voice – /c/-/u/-/p/ cup, with the children joining in.

Aspect 7 – Oral Blending and Segmenting

In this aspect, the main aim is to develop oral blending and segmenting skills. To practise oral blending, the teacher could say some sounds, such as /c/-/u/-/p/ and see whether the children can pick out a cup from a group of objects. For segmenting practise, the teacher could hold up an object such as a sock and ask the children which sounds they can hear in the word sock.

We follow the Read, Write Inc scheme for our chosen approach to teaching phonics. We have also implemented elements of 'Hooked on Books' to support the teaching and learning of language and reading comprehension.

Read, Write Inc Phonics

In Read Write Inc. Phonics pupils;

Decode letter-sound correspondences quickly and effortlessly, using their phonic knowledge and skills
- Read common exception words on sight
- Understand what they read
- Read aloud with fluency and expression
- Write confidently, with a strong focus on vocabulary and grammar
- Spell quickly and easily by segmenting the sounds in words
- Acquire good handwriting

All of the above is done through our daily Speed Sound and Story Book Lessons, as well as support from families with children's home reading time.

To find out about Read, Write Inc and how it is implemented within school please here to view our policy.

Daily Phonics Lessons

Pupils will have a daily RWI phonics lesson until they reach the point that they no longer need them. In Reception, these lessons last for one hour each day as they also include pupil's focused writing lesson. Pupils have a 40 minute phonics lesson. Our Nursery pupils also have daily phonics key worker sessions. At this stage, the focus is primarily on developing speaking and listening skills. Speaking and listening are an important set of literacy skills that will create the foundation to a lot of children's further learning. If their key workers feel the children are ready to begin being introduced to letter sounds, they will do so using the RWI programme. Nursery staff have attended separate, bespoke training from RWI to support them with this.

RWI Phonics - Speed Sound Lessons

The first 15 minutes of any RWI phonics lesson is dedicated to learning the sounds that children need to know. Once they recognise them, the children also have Word Time included so that they can practise reading decodable words.

To find out more about Speed Sound Lessons click here and look at the relevant sections.

Hooked on Books - Reading Rainbow

Designed by Jane Considine, the Reading Rainbow is a visual of all the necessary primary reading domains and competencies. Teachers use the Reading Rainbow to carefully track what they have taught and what might still need to be focused upon. Following the updated guidance from the DfE Reading Framework 2023, these lenses are no longer introduced to the children. They are simply used as a supportive tool for planning, allowing teachers to carefully track content coverage. Where appropriate, teachers introduce and model comprehension strategies 'in the moment' of reading. They are then given multiple opportunities and support to apply the strategies.

Click here to find out about each of the lenses.

RWI Phonics - Story Book Lessons

After their speed sounds section of the lesson, children will be introduced or reintroduced to a story book which includes words which the children will either know by sight or are able to decode.

To find out more about the Story Book Lessons click here and look at the relevant section.

Hooked on Books - Book Talk

Book Talk is a whole class and a targeted group approach to teaching language comprehension, ensuring all individuals are accountable. This leads to supporting pupils with their reading comprehension.

Pupils read and engage with various text types and develop their language and reading comprehension skills as they become 'Book Detectives' with a clear purpose for reading in mind. The Reading Rainbow lenses provide the focus within each lesson as well as 'Book Talk' bonus words which are introduced to scaffold and challenge children's answers to comprehension questions.

To find out more about Book Talk click here.

RWI Phonics - Home Reading

At the end of each teaching cycle within all ability groups, teachers will send home books that match the children's reading abilities. These books will follow the same theme as the one the children have been reading in school. Books will never be sent home before adults read through it at least once first with the pupils.

To find out more about Home Reading books click here and look at the relevant section.

Hooked on Books - Independence

At Diamond Wood Community Academy, we want our pupils to develop a deep love of reading. We aim for them to become 'Responsible Readers'. We want them to choose to read books because it is a developing hobby. We ask them to pledge at least 10 minutes per day to engage with their home reading book to work on their decoding skills. This may be with a family member at home or on their own if no one is available every day to read with.

To find out more about our Responsible Readers initiative click here.

Responsible Reading in Action...

High Frequency Words and Common Exception Words

At Diamond Wood Community Academy, we recognise the critical importance of teaching high-frequency words (HFWs) and common exception words (CEWs) to ensure our pupils become fluent readers.

High-frequency words are the most frequently occurring words in the English language, such as "the," "and," or "is." They often do not follow regular phonetic patterns and are taught as sight words.

Common Exception Words are words that deviate from common spelling patterns and phonics rules but are frequently used. Examples include "said," "come," or "you." CEWs are usually encountered in early reading books and are taught as sight words.

Some common exception words are high-frequency words, but not all high-frequency words are common exception words.

Click here to look at an overview of how HFWs and CEWs are taught at our school.

Reading Lessons beyond Phonics

Once children have completed the phonics programme and acquired a solid foundation in decoding skills, it is essential to transition to reading lessons that broaden their reading capabilities. This transition supports children's progression from decoding to comprehension and fluency. The main areas of focus within reading lessons are;

Vocabulary Instruction
Reading with Fluency
Developing Comprehension Strategies
Reading for Pleasure

The weekly timetable for these lessons is outlined below. This timetable is followed on a continuous cycle until the text has been completed.

To find out more about our approach to teaching reading once pupils complete their phonics programme please click here.

Additional Curriculum Documentation

Click here to view our Whole School Reading Progression Map.

Protected Daily Storytime

Our bespoke 'Storytime Sessions' are a fundamental component of our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Key Stage 1 (KS1) curriculum. Designed to foster a love of reading, enhance language development, and boost comprehension skills, these sessions ensure that every pupil participates in at least one dedicated storytime session daily. The approach is supported by best practices outlined in Ofsted’s “Telling the Story” English report, the Department for Education (DfE) Reading Framework, and evidence from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).

Our storytime sessions incorporate a mix of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, recognising the crucial role each genre plays in developing a well-rounded literary foundation:

Fiction: Primarily used for storytime key texts, fiction captivates imaginations and fosters empathy through character exploration. This approach supports recommendations from the Ofsted English report on the significance of rich storytelling.
Non-Fiction: The subject key texts include various genres, emphasising the importance of non-fiction for building factual knowledge and critical thinking skills. Exposure to non-fiction promotes curiosity and inquiry, in line with the DfE Reading Framework.
Poetry: Dedicated sessions during our bespoke 'Reading Hour' enhance appreciation of language and rhythm, fostering phonemic awareness and expressive language use.

KS1 Timetable Structure

Our storytime sessions in Key Stage 1 follow a structured three-week timetable that allows for an immersive and focused reading experience. The timetable maximises engagement through carefully planned storytime sessions on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, while Wednesdays feature shorter sessions due to our KS1 Curriculum Club, and Fridays are dedicated to a 'Reading Hour' focused on poetry. An exemplar timetable for KS1 is shown below.

EYFS Timetable Structure

The EYFS timetable is designed to be more flexible while still including three planned storytime sessions with clear focuses, as well as time to share books from both the 'Recommended for You' box and the 'Recommended by You' box. Repeating sessions when useful reinforces learning, allowing for deeper understanding and engagement over the half-term.

Storytime Session Breakdown

Each storytime text is explored through structured sessions across three weeks, designed to deepen understanding while fostering enjoyment. The sessions are as follows:

Recommended for You Sessions

On the selected days, children engage with texts chosen specifically for them based on their interests and developmental needs. These texts complement the storytime key texts, allowing children to explore different themes and genres while promoting their individual reading preferences.

Recommended by You Sessions

On the selected days, pupils select books from their peers’ suggestions, fostering a collaborative reading culture. This not only empowers pupils by giving them a voice in their reading choices but also encourages them to share their thoughts and opinions on various texts, enhancing their critical thinking and communication skills.

Weekly Reading Hour

Every Friday, Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 participate in a dedicated Reading Hour that focuses mainly on poetry. This session is designed to cultivate a love of poetry and enhance pupils' appreciation for language through various engaging activities. The Reading Hour session inputs are structured as explained below. The cycle repeats throughout the half term focusing on the chosen poems.

Week 1: Introduction to the Poet
In the first week, teachers introduce the poem of the half term and provide background information about the poet. This session involves a read-aloud of the poem, allowing pupils to listen and enjoy the rhythmic and lyrical qualities of the text. Discussion points may include the poet's style, the themes presented in the poem, and how the language evokes emotions. This immersive experience sets the tone for a deeper exploration of poetry in the following weeks.

Week 2: Creating a Poem Map for the Chosen Poem
During the second week, pupils create a shared "poem map" to visually represent the poem’s structure, key phrases, and themes. This mapping strategy helps pupils break down the poem into manageable parts, enhancing their understanding and retention. Pupils are encouraged to recite the poem using the poem map, incorporating actions to express the meaning and emotions conveyed in the text. This interactive approach not only reinforces language skills but also fosters collaboration and creativity among classmates.

Week 3: Collaborative New Poem Creation
In the final week, the focus shifts to collaborative creation, where the class works together to develop a similar but different poem inspired by the one focused upon. Using the poem mapping strategy from the previous week, pupils brainstorm ideas and collaboratively construct their poem, discussing choices related to structure, vocabulary, and imagery. This session allows pupils to apply their understanding of poetic elements in a supportive environment, promoting confidence in their creative expression.

Following the initial input, the remainder of the Reading Hour provides time for a series of carousel activities designed to further engage pupils in reading and enhance their literacy skills. These activities include:

Reading with the Teacher: Pupils engage in guided or one to one reading sessions with the teacher, allowing for targeted support tailored to each pupil's reading level.

Reading with an Educational Teaching Assistant (ETA): Similar to the previous activity, pupils read with an ETA who assists them in their reading journey. Adults will record relevant notes in each pupil’s reading records, tracking progress and identifying areas for further development.

Assessing and Using the Class Reading Area: Pupils have the opportunity to explore the class reading area, assessing various texts and selecting books that interest them. This encourages independent reading habits and fosters a sense of ownership over their reading choices.

Accessing Teacher Recommended Reads: Pupils gather on the carpet to explore the "Recommended for You" basket, which contains books selected by the teacher. This allows pupils to discover new texts that align with their interests and promotes discussion about the stories.

Creating Their Own Poem Maps: Finally, pupils can create their own poem maps inspired by the poems they’ve focused on or their own original creations. This hands-on activity reinforces their understanding of poetic structure and encourages creative expression.

While the above structure is more formal for Key Stage 1, our Reception classes also participate in a Reading Hour that shares similar objectives but is adapted to fit their developmental needs. In EYFS, the Reading Hour is integrated with ongoing continuous provision, both indoors and outdoors, allowing for a more flexible and exploratory approach.

Our Woodland Library

Here at Diamond Wood Community Academy, we are really proud of our Woodland Library. It was redeveloped and opened by the Mayor of Kirklees in 2019. Since then, it has continued to be enhanced and it is a well loved area within school by our pupils, staff and everyone else who visits.

Classes participate in dedicated library sessions every two weeks, lasting 30 to 45 minutes, to complement the three-week storytime timetable.

Browsing and Sharing: Pupils browse the library collection and share discoveries, enhancing peer-to-peer learning.
Book Selection: Pupils choose one book to take home, fostering ownership of their reading choices and supporting independent reading.
Storytime and Voting: The session concludes with a storytime, where pupils vote on a book to be read aloud, promoting democratic engagement and inclusivity.

Our library sessions are just as important to us as a lesson within the classroom would be and teaching and learning is monitored regularly to ensure high-quality teaching at all times.

The environment and table top displays are carefully planned out to reflect pupils interests of current topics. Our Reading Leader, Mrs Price updates them each half term to reflect the upcoming new core values, key themes and year group topics. Areas for pupils to look at texts which link to previously taught topics are also created to encourage children to keep learning and remembering what they have previously being taught.

Classroom Reading Areas

At our school, we believe that fostering a love for reading from an early age is crucial to our pupils' development. That's why every classroom has a dedicated reading area, which our pupils can access as often as possible. These reading areas are designed to be inviting and comfortable spaces that encourage children to explore a wide range of books, nurturing their curiosity and imagination. Regular access to these areas supports early literacy skills, enhances vocabulary, and helps develop a lifelong love for reading. By immersing children in a print-rich environment, we aim to build their confidence in reading, which is foundational to all other areas of learning.

Click here to see more specific information about our classroom reading areas.

Opportunities to Read Outside

We are passionate about creating enriching environments that inspire a love for reading in our pupils. For our KS1 pupils, we have a special outdoor Secret Reading Garden that they can access during playtimes and lunchtimes. This tranquil space offers a unique opportunity for children to enjoy reading in a peaceful, natural setting, fostering both their literacy skills and their connection with nature. The Secret Reading Garden is a cherished spot where pupils can escape into the world of books, sparking their imaginations and enhancing their love for stories.

For our EYFS children, we ensure that reading opportunities are seamlessly integrated into their outdoor provision. Reading is available at all times in our carefully designed outdoor areas, allowing our youngest learners to engage with books in a way that feels natural and enjoyable. By incorporating reading into their outdoor play, we support their early literacy development while encouraging exploration, creativity, and a deep appreciation for the world around them.

Creating a School-Wide Culture of Reading

At our school, we are committed to creating a vibrant and stimulating reading environment that extends beyond the classroom and into every corner of our school. We believe that the entire school environment should celebrate and promote a love for reading, making it an integral part of our pupils' daily experience.

Throughout the school, we showcase a variety of displays that highlight the importance of reading. Children's storyboxes and story spoons, created as part of our exciting competitions, are prominently displayed, celebrating their creativity and storytelling skills. These displays not only honour the hard work of our pupils but also inspire their peers to engage with stories in new and imaginative ways.

In addition to these creative displays, we have made books available throughout the school, with ‘book nooks’ and table top displays placed strategically in corridors and communal areas. These inviting spaces encourage pupils to pick up a book and read, even outside of the classroom. Whether it's a quick glance during a transition between classes or a quiet moment spent exploring a new story, these areas foster a culture of curiosity and continuous learning.

Moreover, we display key texts in a central corridor, ensuring that they are visible to all pupils as they walk by. This not only keeps these important books top of mind but also sparks conversations among pupils about the stories they are reading. By embedding reading into the very fabric of our school, we aim to cultivate a community of readers who are excited to explore the world through books.

Meet Our Pupil Leadership Team: Reading Leaders

We are thrilled to continue our Reading Leaders initiative this year, building on the success of last year. Our Reading Leaders play a vital role in promoting a love for reading across the school, and we are excited to see their impact continue to grow.

Selected through a recruitment process during the Autumn 1 term, our Reading Leaders are dedicated pupils who are passionate about reading and eager to share that passion with their peers. They are responsible for maintaining the library and reading areas around the school, listening to others read, recommending books, and helping to run competitions and book fairs. These activities not only encourage a love for reading but also help us to fundraise for more books to enrich our school’s library.

Our Reading Leaders have a dedicated space set up in the corridor outside the SLT office, complete with their own desk and a reading journal. Here, they can make notes of recommended reads, plan activities, and organise their efforts to promote reading throughout the school.

Be sure to check back at the end of this half term to meet our Reading Leaders for 2024-2025 and see all the fantastic things they have been doing to keep our school’s reading culture thriving.

What OFSTED said about our teaching of Reading when they last visited...

Support for Parents and Carers

To download a copy of this poster click here.

Download Document

Watch video tutorials on http://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/parents/ to help you to understand more about Read Write Inc. Phonics and how to help your child read and write at home.