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    • Reading

    Reading Strategy at Children's Support Service

    Our Commitment to Reading

    "Reading is the key that unlocks the curriculum and opens doors to future opportunities."

    At CSS, we recognise that many of our students have experienced disrupted education and may have significant gaps in their reading skills. Our reading strategy is designed to meet each student where they are, rebuild their confidence, and equip them with the reading skills they need to access the curriculum and succeed in their next steps.

    We understand that reading difficulties can be a significant barrier to learning and can impact students' self-esteem and engagement. That's why we take a personalised, trauma-informed approach to teaching reading, ensuring every student receives the support they need to make progress.

    Our Reading Vision

    Every student at CSS will:

    • Develop the reading skills they need to access the curriculum across all subjects
    • Experience high-quality texts that engage and inspire them
    • Build confidence in their ability to read and understand a range of texts
    • Develop a love of reading and see it as a valuable life skill
    • Be prepared for the reading demands of their next steps (further education, training or employment)

    Leadership and Accountability

    Reading Leader: Anya Jenkyn

    Deputy Headteacher  responsible for reading: Nadia Ousain Deputy Headteacher

    Governor responsible for Reading: [Insert name - if applicable]

    Our reading strategy is monitored and evaluated regularly by senior leaders and governors to ensure it is having the intended impact on student outcomes.

    Our Approach to Teaching Reading

    Assessment and Personalisation

    Leaders have a comprehensive understanding of the quality of curriculum and teaching across the school  we use robust assessment to identify each student's reading ability and needs when they join us.

    All students complete:

    • A reading age assessment (using standardised assessments)
    • A phonics screening check (if appropriate)
    • A reading fluency and comprehension assessment
    • An assessment of their attitudes towards reading

    This information is used to create a personalised reading plan for each student, which is reviewed to track progress and adapt support.

    Phonics and Early Reading (for students working below age-related expectations)

    For primary-age pupils (and for older pupils where necessary), the curriculum prioritises accurate and fluent word reading, spelling, handwriting and mathematics 

    For students who have not yet secured their phonics knowledge, we provide:

    • Systematic synthetic phonics teaching using ELS
    • Small group or one-to-one phonics interventions for students who need additional support
    • Decodable books matched to students' phonics knowledge
    • Regular phonics assessments to track progress and identify gaps
    • Age-appropriate resources for older students to avoid stigma and maintain engagement

    We recognise that some students may need adapted phonics teaching, particularly those with:

    • Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
    • English as an additional language (EAL)
    • Speech and language difficulties
    • Gaps in their prior education

    For these students, we provide:

    • Visual cues and multi-sensory approaches
    • Smaller steps and more repetition
    • Alternative communication methods where appropriate
    • A distraction-free learning environment

    Developing Reading Fluency and Comprehension

    Teaching of reading is rigorous and sequenced, and develops pupils' fluency, confidence and enjoyment; at all key stages, reading attainment is assessed accurately and gaps are tackled quickly and effectively, so that all pupils can access the whole curriculum Ofsted State-Funded School Inspection Toolkit.

    For students who have secure decoding skills but need to develop fluency and comprehension, we provide:

    Whole-Class Reading Sessions

    • All students are encouraged to participate in reading focused on high-quality texts
    • The teacher models fluent reading with expression and intonation
    • Students are encouraged to follow along with their own copy of the text
    • Skilful questioning and discussion develop vocabulary and comprehension
    • Activities include drama, debate, and written responses to deepen understanding
    • Texts are carefully selected to be challenging yet accessible, and may link to topics in other subjects

    Guided Reading

    • Small group sessions focused on comprehension and discussion
    • Texts matched to students' reading levels
    • Opportunities to practise reading aloud in a supportive environment
    • Explicit teaching of reading strategies (predicting, inferring, summarising, questioning)

    Independent Reading

    • Access to a wide range of high-quality fiction and non-fiction texts
    • Reading for pleasure is actively promoted and celebrated
    • Students maintain reading logs and set personal reading goals

    Vocabulary Development

    The curriculum is designed to extend pupils' language and vocabulary, both spoken and written, and increase their reading competency across all subjects 

    We explicitly teach vocabulary through:

    • Pre-teaching key vocabulary
    • Key vocabulary displayed during lessons
    • Regular opportunities to use new vocabulary in speaking and writing
    • Subject-specific vocabulary teaching across the curriculum
    • Vocabulary assessments to track progress

    Reading Across the Curriculum

    At all key stages, reading attainment is assessed accurately and gaps are tackled quickly and effectively, so that all pupils can access the whole

    All subject teachers are teachers of reading. We ensure that:

    • Subject-specific vocabulary is explicitly taught
    • Reading materials are carefully selected and adapted to be accessible
    • Students receive support to access subject texts (e.g., pre-reading, glossaries, visual supports)
    • Opportunities to read are built into every lesson as far as possible
    • Teachers model reading strategies relevant to their subject

     

    Supporting Students Who Struggle with Reading

    Identifying Students Who Need Additional Support

    We use ongoing assessment to identify students who are:

    • Working significantly below age-related expectations
    • Making slow progress despite quality-first teaching
    • Disengaged from reading or lacking confidence
    • Unable to access the curriculum due to reading difficulties

    Interventions and Additional Support

    For students who need extra help, we provide:

    • Targeted phonics interventions for students with gaps in their phonics knowledge
    • Reading fluency interventions (e.g., paired reading, echo reading, repeated reading)
    • Comprehension interventions focusing on specific reading strategies
    • Vocabulary interventions to build word knowledge
    • One-to-one reading support from trained teaching assistants or mentors
    • Assistive technology (e.g., text-to-speech software, audiobooks) for students with significant reading difficulties
    • Alternative approaches for students with SEND who struggle to access traditional phonics teaching (e.g., whole-word reading, functional reading, symbol reading)

    Staff provide enough teaching and practice for all pupils to become fluent in word reading, spelling, handwriting and number facts. For older pupils, including those in key stage 2 and beyond who have not yet secured the strong foundations they need to access the curriculum, assessment accurately identifies any gaps in pupils' foundational knowledge in communication and language, reading, writing and mathematics, and ongoing, targeted teaching and practice are prioritised so that pupils quickly catch up 

    Supporting Students with SEND

    We recognise that some students with SEND may need adapted approaches to reading. We work closely with:

    • Our SENCO to identify appropriate strategies
    • External specialists (e.g., educational psychologists, speech and language therapists)
    • Families to ensure consistency between home and school

    Adaptations may include:

    • Multi-sensory approaches to phonics
    • Visual supports and communication aids
    • Breaking learning into smaller steps with more repetition
    • Age-appropriate resources to maintain dignity and engagement
    • Focus on functional reading skills for students with complex needs
    • Alternative communication methods (e.g., symbols, pictures, signing)

     

    Promoting a Love of Reading

    We believe that reading should be enjoyable, and we actively promote reading for pleasure through:

    • Daily story time in our primary settings, where teachers read aloud high-quality texts
    • Author visits and virtual author events
    • Book recommendations from staff and students
    • Reading challenges and competitions
    • Access to a well-stocked library with a diverse range of texts
    • Celebrating reading achievements in assemblies and on displays
    • World Book Day and other reading events
    • Opportunities to discuss books with peers and adults

    Assessment and Tracking Progress

    At all key stages, reading attainment is assessed accurately and gaps are tackled quickly and effectively, so that all pupils can access the whole curriculum Ofsted State-Funded School Inspection Toolkit.

    We assess reading through:

    • Baseline assessments when students join CSS
    • Termly standardised reading assessments to track progress in reading age where required
    • Ongoing formative assessment in lessons (questioning, observation, written responses)
    • Phonics assessments for students working on early reading skills
    • Reading fluency assessments (words per minute, accuracy, expression)
    • Comprehension assessments linked to age-related expectations
    • Student voice - gathering views on reading confidence and enjoyment

    Progress is monitored by:

    • Class teachers (weekly)
    • The Reading Leader (half-termly)
    • Senior leaders (termly)
    • Management Committee (termly)

    Leaders prioritise 'keeping up' rather than 'catching up', quickly dealing with any identified gaps in pupils' knowledge Ofsted State-Funded School Inspection Toolkit. When assessments identify gaps or slow progress, we act quickly to provide additional support.

    Preparing Students for Statutory Assessments

    For students who will be taking statutory assessments (e.g., KS2 SATs, GCSEs), we ensure they are well-prepared by:

    • Teaching reading skills through high-quality texts and questioning
    • Analysing past papers to identify the types of questions asked
    • Explicitly teaching how to answer different question types
    • Providing practice opportunities with exam-style questions
    • Building confidence through regular low-stakes assessments
    • Ensuring students understand the format and expectations of the assessments

    We do not teach to the test. Our focus is on developing genuine reading skills that will serve students throughout their lives, while ensuring they are confident and prepared for any assessments they need to take.

     

    How Parents/Carers Can Support Reading at Home

    Reading at home makes a significant difference to students' progress. Here's how you can help:

    For Students Learning to Read:

    • Listen to your child read their school reading book daily (even just 5-10 minutes makes a difference)
    • Praise effort and progress, not just accuracy
    • Talk about the pictures and story to develop comprehension
    • Re-read favourite books to build confidence and fluency
    • Play word games and practise phonics sounds

    For More Confident Readers:

    • Continue to listen to your child read, and discuss what they're reading
    • Read aloud to your child - this exposes them to more complex vocabulary and stories
    • Visit the library together and let them choose books that interest them
    • Model reading yourself - let your child see you reading for pleasure
    • Talk about books, films, and TV shows to develop comprehension skills
    • Encourage reading in different formats (books, magazines, comics, online articles)

    General Tips:

    • Create a calm, comfortable reading space at home
    • Make reading part of your daily routine (e.g., bedtime stories)
    • Don't worry if your child wants to re-read the same book - this builds confidence
    • If your child is reluctant to read, try audiobooks, graphic novels, or books about their interests
    • Celebrate reading achievements, no matter how small

    Need support? Contact our Reading Leader [insert name and contact] for advice, book recommendations, or to borrow books from school or

    Resources for Families

    Free Online Resources:

    Local Libraries:

    • [Insert details of local libraries and how to join]
    • Many libraries offer free events, reading groups, and homework clubs

    Our Reading Policy

     

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