Reading and Phonics

At West Kirby School and College, we are committed to developing confident, capable and enthusiastic readers. Reading lies at the heart of our curriculum and is central to pupils’ communication, independence and lifelong learning.

Our reading provision is carefully designed to meet pupils at their individual stage of development, ensuring that every learner can access an appropriate reading pathway—from early phonics and decoding through to fluency, comprehension and reading for pleasure.

Reading for Pleasure is at the heart of our reading culture. We aim to create lifelong readers by providing engaging reading environments, high-quality texts and meaningful opportunities to enjoy books.

Pupils have access to dedicated primary and secondary libraries, inviting reading spaces, reading corridors and an outdoor literacy garden. Our school librarian regularly updates stock, promotes new books and supports pupils in selecting texts that match their interests.

Throughout the year, pupils participate in Literacy Week, World Book Day celebrations, our annual Literacy Festival, author and poet visits, storytelling events, reading competitions and community reading projects. Pupils also visit local libraries and West Kirby Bookshop, where they explore new books and develop their reading interests.

Strong partnerships with families are central to our approach. We offer reading workshops, Reading for Pleasure events and regular communication to support parents and carers in developing positive reading habits at home.

Our Reading Spines are carefully curated collections of high-quality texts that inspire, challenge and engage pupils across both primary and secondary phases.

Texts are selected using:

• Nationally recommended reading lists
• Recommendations from local English leader networks
• Professional reading communities
• Pupil voice and book voting opportunities

Our Reading Spines include:

• Diverse cultures, experiences and perspectives
• Protected characteristics and inclusive representation
• Contemporary and classic literature
• A wide range of genres and authors
• Age-appropriate poetry collections
• Books that reflect pupils' interests and experiences

The Reading Spine is continually reviewed and developed to ensure pupils experience a rich and varied literary journey throughout their time at West Kirby School and College.

See Reading Spines below
 

We deliver synthetic phonics through the Read Write Inc. (RWI) programmes, following Department for Education guidance.

Read Write Inc. Phonics

• Pupils in Years 1–4 who require phonics support access RWI Phonics.

Read Write Inc. Fresh Start

• Pupils in Year 5 and above who require continued phonics intervention access RWI Fresh Start.

Sessions are delivered on a 1:1 basis by trained members of the Reading Team, allowing teaching to be personalised to individual strengths and needs. Progress is formally assessed every six weeks, enabling staff to adapt support and communicate progress to teachers, parents and carers.

Shared Reading is a key feature of our reading curriculum.

Primary
Every primary pupil participates in a daily 20-minute storytime session led by a teacher or Higher Level Teaching Assistant using texts from the Primary Reading Spine.

• During these sessions, staff:
• Model fluent and expressive reading
• Introduce and discuss new vocabulary
• Develop comprehension skills
• Encourage prediction, questioning and summarising
• Promote discussion and reflection

Secondary
Secondary pupils participate in Shared Reading three times per week. Form tutors read aloud from carefully selected texts from the Secondary Reading Spine.

These sessions support:

• Vocabulary development
• Listening and attention skills
• Reading fluency
• Comprehension and inference
• Discussion and critical thinking
• Exposure to diverse authors, genres and viewpoints

Pupils with secure phonics knowledge participate in regular independent reading sessions. From September, this will take place through Read at Form Time (RAFT).

Pupils select books using Accelerated Reader and read independently at school and home. This approach develops reading stamina, independence and reading confidence while ensuring pupils access appropriately challenging texts.

Accelerated Reader is used across the school to support independent reading and monitor reading development.

Star Reader Assessment
All pupils complete a Star Reader assessment annually. This provides a reading age, comprehension information and a ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) range.
The ZPD identifies books that provide appropriate challenge while maintaining motivation and reading success.

Accelerated Reader
All library books are banded according to Accelerated Reader levels. Pupils choose books within their ZPD range and complete online quizzes after reading.
Quiz results provide valuable information about:
Reading comprehension
Reading engagement
Progress over time
Reading habits
The Reading Team regularly monitors this data and work with pupils to support progress and develop positive reading behaviours.
 

Reading Plus is used as an additional intervention for pupils requiring support with reading fluency, comprehension and vocabulary.

The adaptive programme provides personalised learning pathways that help pupils:

• Improve comprehension
• Build reading stamina
• Increase vocabulary knowledge
• Develop confidence as readers
• Access increasingly complex texts

The Reading Team monitors progress and uses assessment information to identify pupils who would benefit from this support. 

Poetry is an important and celebrated part of our reading curriculum.
Each class studies at least one dedicated poetry unit every year, and poetry is also woven into daily storytime by including poetry collections in each year group’s reading spine.

Pupils are encouraged to engage with poetry creatively through:

• Poetry competitions throughout the year
• Our annual Literacy Festival
• Visits from professional poets
• Interactive poetry workshops

These experiences help pupils develop confidence in language, performance and creative expression. Recent highlights include primary pupils attending a poetry event with the poet laureate, Frank Cottrell Boyce.. 

West Kirby School and College is committed to identifying and supporting pupils' literacy needs.
A Level 5 Dyslexia-trained member of the Reading Team completes Dyslexia Portfolio assessments on identify pupils who may display dyslexic tendencies and to build a detailed profile of strengths and areas for development.

Although the assessment does not provide a formal diagnosis, it identifies areas that may require support, including:

• Phonological awareness
• Reading accuracy
• Spelling
• Working memory
• Processing speed

Following assessment, staff and families receive practical recommendations to support learning both in school and at home.

Diagnostic Reading Analysis
The Reading Team also uses Diagnostic Reading Analysis to gain a detailed understanding of a pupil's reading strengths and areas for development. This assessment provides information about decoding, fluency, comprehension and reading behaviours, enabling targeted support and effective intervention planning.

Visual Stress Screening
Trained members of the Reading Team complete visual stress assessments using Crossbow Education resources where appropriate. Findings are shared with teachers, parents and carers to inform classroom support and access arrangements.
 

Phonics Screening Check

Pupils in Year 1 complete the statutory Phonics Screening Check, which assesses their ability to apply phonics knowledge to read real and pseudo words.

Key Stage 2 Reading SATs

Pupils working at age-related expectations in Year 6 complete the Key Stage 2 Reading SATs, assessing key reading domains including retrieval, inference, vocabulary, summarising and authorial choice.
Parents and carers can access support materials and example questions to help develop reading skills at home.