Reading Statement of Intent 

At St Michael with St John, we believe that reading is the foundation of learning and a key to unlocking success across the curriculum and beyond. We are committed to developing fluent, confident and enthusiastic readers who can access, understand and enjoy a wide range of high-quality texts.

As the majority of our pupils speak English as an additional language, the acquisition of language is central to our reading curriculum. Through the systematic teaching of early reading, rich vocabulary instruction and high-quality texts, we ensure that every child develops the language, knowledge and comprehension skills needed to become successful readers.

Our reading curriculum is carefully sequenced to meet the needs of all pupils from our diverse community. Beginning with the systematic teaching of phonics in the Early Years and Key Stage 1, pupils build secure decoding skills before developing fluency, comprehension, critical thinking and a lifelong love of reading. Through exposure to diverse, ambitious and engaging literature, pupils broaden their vocabulary, deepen their understanding of the world and develop empathy, resilience and curiosity.

Our school values of Nurture, Inspire, Achieve underpin our reading curriculum. We nurture children as they become readers, inspire them through rich and engaging literature and equip them with the skills and confidence to achieve academically, socially and in later life. We expect all pupils, regardless of their starting points, to become confident readers who can apply their reading skills independently across the curriculum.