Our Reading Curriculum
Reading is the "Gateway to Learning" and therefore all pupils need to be able to read well to access the full curriculum. The TWHF ENRich Reading curriculum puts developing the basic mechanics of reading at its core. Although word reading and language comprehension are integral to each other, the TWHF ENRich Reading Curriculum is engineered so that the development of both is taught discretely. By explicitly teaching the RICH knowledge and skills of both Word Reading and Language Comprehension, pupils can fully read and understand text at the level required for their age. This will then enable them to cultivate and NOURISH a love of reading and EMBED their reading skills, unlocking learning across the wider curriculum.
To develop RICH knowledge and skills, pupils will be exposed to daily explicit word reading teaching. It is important to ensure a balance of word reading and language comprehension development across the week. In EYFS and Year 1, pupils' word reading development is embedded within the SSP programme. Simultaneously, pupils in EYFS and Year 1 will also have the opportunity to high-quality book talk.
As pupils become phonologically aware, the focus of the teaching of word reading will shift towards developing fluency. When pupils move through the school, daily whole class lessons will ensure pupils' reading accuracy; automaticity (speed) and prosody keeps pace with the level of text required for their age.
To support pupils who fall behind, additional "accelerated" catch up interventions will be put in place. To further develop RICH knowledge and skills, pupils will also be exposed to daily language comprehension teaching. As pupils move away from the SSP programme (in Year 2 and KS2), daily whole class lessons will be delivered. Centred around high-quality extracts and texts (with aspirational vocabulary), pupils will be explicitly taught language comprehension skills and strategies, enabling them to first understand and then explore the level of text they are required to read for their age.
Reading:
Reading is one of the most important skills a child can develop, underpinning their learning, wellbeing and future success. As the gateway to the entire curriculum, reading enables children to access knowledge, explore new ideas and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them. Here are some key reasons why reading matters:
📚 1. Develops Language and Vocabulary
Children who read regularly are exposed to a wider range of words and sentence structures. This helps them become more confident speakers, writers and communicators.
🧠 2. Improves Brain Development
Reading stimulates imagination, memory, concentration and critical thinking. It helps children make connections, solve problems and understand the world around them.
✍️ 3. Supports Academic Achievement
Strong reading skills are the foundation for learning across the curriculum. Children who can read well are better able to access learning in subjects such as science, history and mathematics.
❤️ 4. Builds Empathy and Understanding
Books allow children to experience different perspectives, cultures and emotions. This helps them develop empathy, kindness and a greater understanding of others.
🌟 5. Boosts Confidence and Independence
As children become more fluent readers, they gain confidence in their own abilities. Being able to read independently opens up opportunities for learning and enjoyment.
🎨 6. Encourages Creativity and Imagination
Stories transport children to new worlds, introducing exciting characters, places and ideas. This nurtures creativity and imaginative thinking.
😌 7. Supports Wellbeing
Reading can be a calming and enjoyable activity. Sharing books with family members also helps strengthen relationships and creates positive memories.
🎯 8. Prepares Children for the Future
Reading skills are essential for everyday life, further education and future employment. Strong readers are better equipped to access information, learn new skills and succeed in a rapidly changing world.
Tips for reading at home:
To help develop fluency, listen to your child read frequently. This can mean they re-read the same section of text to build confidence, or read alongside you if they need more support.
Read aloud to your child so they are exposed to a range of genres and have good reading role-models.
Talk about books – ask lots of questions about the book your child is reading.
For example:
- Can you summarise the most important events so far?
- What do you think will happen….?
- Who is your favourite character? Why?
- How do you think ….. is feeling in this part of the story? How do you know?
- Are there any new words you would like to talk about?
- Does this remind you of any other stories/books we have read?
Recommended Reading
RECOMMENDED READS FOR NURSERY AND RECEPTION:
RECOMMENDED READS FOR YEAR 1 AND 2:
RECOMMENDED READS FOR YEAR 3 AND 4:
RECOMMENDED READS FOR YEAR 5 AND 6:
Book Vending Machine
At Zouch Academy, we are incredibly fortunate to have our very own book vending machine! Every time a child reads 100 times at home, they earn a visit to the machine where they can choose a brand-new book to take home and enjoy.
Free online books
Borrowbox
Poetry Archive
Stories for Kids
Storybooks and games | BookTrust
SPAG
Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar provide the foundations for accurate and meaningful spoken and written communication.
At Zouch, Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) is taught daily to ensure children develop the skills needed to become confident and accurate writers. SPaG may be taught as the focus of an English writing lesson or as a short starter activity to revisit, practise and consolidate previously taught skills.
These skills are carefully woven throughout our writing curriculum and are included within each lesson's success criteria. This provides regular opportunities for children to apply their spelling, punctuation and grammar knowledge in meaningful writing contexts, helping them to develop as independent and effective communicators.
We assess SPaG through children's day-to-day application of skills within their writing across the curriculum, as well as through more formal assessments. At the end of Key Stage Two, pupils complete the Year 6 SPaG SATs assessment, which measures their understanding of spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Please see below for our Zouch Grammar Guide and Grammar Progression Map, which explains key terminology with examples and provides useful information to help you support your child's learning at home.
Spelling
At Zouch, we believe that strong spelling skills are fundamental to becoming a confident and successful writer. In Key Stage One, our spelling is supported through the implementation of Little Wandle (please see information on phonics). In Key Stage Two, we follow a carefully-planned spelling progression that is built from the requirements of the National Curriculum, while also revisiting previously taught learning to help children secure their understanding and address any gaps in spelling knowledge.
Children are taught the spelling rules and patterns appropriate to their year group, alongside the relevant Common Exception Words (CEWs). Daily spelling lessons provide regular opportunities for pupils to learn, practise and apply new spelling rules, as well as revisit prior learning to strengthen long-term retention and accuracy.
To support learning between school and home, children are sent weekly spellings based on their current spelling rule or pattern. These are practised at home and tested each week to monitor progress and reinforce learning. In addition, children complete Common Exception Word assessments three times a year, allowing teachers to track progress, identify next steps and provide targeted support where needed.
Through regular teaching, practice and assessment, we aim to develop accurate, confident spellers who can apply their knowledge independently across all areas of the curriculum.
Please see the documents below for further information about our spelling progression, Common Exception Words and year-group expectations, along with guidance on how you can support your child at home.
Links for further helpful resources for spelling, punctuation and grammar:
Grammar - KS1 English - BBC Bitesize
Grammar - KS2 English - BBC Bitesize
Grammar & Punctuation at Primary School | Oxford Owl
Quick and Fun Ways to Help Your Child to Learn about Grammar
Grammar Practice | LearnEnglish Kids
Spelling Frame
Look, Cover, Write, Check- mobile friendly
Games - Arcademics
Educational Grammar and Mechanics Games | Education.com
Handwriting
At Zouch, we believe that strong handwriting skills are essential for children to communicate confidently and effectively. Handwriting is taught explicitly every day through our letter join programme with structured, progressive lessons that build fluency, accuracy and pride in presentation. In EYFS and Year 1, children learn to form letters correctly using print script linked to their phonics programme Little Wandle.
Towards the end of Year 1, they are introduced to precursive handwriting, providing a smooth transition into Year 2, where children begin to learn simple joins.
As children move through Key Stage 2, their handwriting skills continue to develop. In Years 3 and 4, pupils learn to use lead-ins and lead-outs, joining all letters correctly, including horizontal joins. By Year 5 and Year 6, children are expected to write legibly, fluently and at an appropriate speed while maintaining correct letter formation and pencil grip. Our aim is for every child to develop a handwriting style that is both efficient and easy to read, supporting them across all areas of the curriculum.
Every handwriting session begins with a hand warm-up to strengthen and prepare the muscles needed for writing. We also place great importance on correct posture, seating position and pencil grip, ensuring these expectations are reinforced consistently throughout the school day. Children's handwriting is assessed termly, focusing on pencil grip and letter formation. Where additional support is needed, targeted interventions are put in place to ensure children keep up with age-related expectations and continue to make strong progress in their handwriting journey.
How Parents Can Support Handwriting at Home
- Encourage your child to use the correct pencil grip. Triangular pencils or pencil grips can help if needed.
- Ensure your child is sitting comfortably with both feet on the floor and the paper positioned correctly for their dominant hand.
- Develop hand strength through activities such as colouring, drawing, playdough, Lego, threading beads, cutting with scissors and using tweezers.
- Encourage good letter formation by reminding children to start letters in the correct place rather than focusing only on neatness.
- Practise little and often. Five minutes of focused handwriting practice is usually more effective than longer sessions.
- Celebrate effort and improvement to help build confidence and stamina.
- Provide opportunities for purposeful writing, such as shopping lists, birthday cards, diaries or messages to family members.
- Read regularly with your child. Strong reading skills support letter recognition, spelling and overall writing development.
Handwriting is a skill that develops through regular practice both at school and at home. By working together, we can help children develop fluent, legible handwriting that supports them to become confident and successful writers across the curriculum.
Useful Links:
Dough Disco
Teach Handwriting At Home
EYFS & Year 1 Little Wandle
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