Reading
Reading is given the highest priority in the Greenhill curriculum, as it is an essential life skill. It is the ability to read and understand, which opens up learning for children, and the development of children’s vocabulary is a vital tool in learning and understanding the full curriculum.
Reading teaching is embedded in a systematic and progressive reading curriculum. Phonics and reading teaching enables children to know when and how to use key reading skills. Phonics is taught consistently from Nursery onwards. We follow the Little Wandle Letters & Sounds programme in Reception and Year 1, and children continue to access phonics teaching for as long as they need to, so that they can become effective readers, regardless of their starting point. Once children progress beyond phonics we use the Collins Big Cat reading scheme. This scheme provides the children phonically matched, exciting, modern and vibrant books to develop fluency and comprehension. Alongside this scheme Greenhill has also invested in 'Reading Plus'. This website allows development of fluency, comprehension and vocabulary alongside the reading scheme.
Reading Skills lessons are delivered from Year 3 onwards and support our 'Talk Matters' curriculum. Teachers act as reading guides to facilitate quality 'book talk' to develop comprehension and understanding.
Children develop a love of reading, enabling them to discover new facts and to learn at school, but also open up whole new worlds of ideas, stories and opportunities. We aim to give parents the confidence and skills to get the most out of reading with their children, and for reading together to become an enjoyable and treasured aspect of family life.
By the end of their primary education, our aim is that all our pupils are able to read fluently, and with confidence, so they are well-equipped for their future.