Learning to Read at Thringstone
Learning to read is one of the most important things children do at primary school. At Thringstone, we want every child to become a confident, fluent reader who enjoys books and develops a lifelong love of reading.
Our reading curriculum reflects our curriculum drivers of Communication and Culture. Through high-quality texts, children develop the vocabulary, knowledge and confidence to communicate effectively while discovering different people, places, cultures and experiences beyond their own.
Reading begins from the very start of Reception and remains a priority throughout every year of school.
Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised
We teach early reading through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, a systematic synthetic phonics programme used by thousands of schools across England.
From the second week of Reception, children take part in a daily phonics lesson where they learn new sounds, practise blending words and develop confidence as readers and writers.
Lessons are carefully sequenced so that knowledge builds step by step, helping children make strong progress.
Supporting Phonics at Home
We know many parents like to hear how we pronounce each sound so they can support reading at home with confidence.
Below you'll find Little Wandle videos showing the pure sounds taught in Reception, along with our phonics progression document below. Watching these short videos together can help your child practise the correct pronunciation and build confidence.
Phase 2 sounds taught in Reception Autumn 1
Phase 2 sounds taught in Reception Autumn 2
Phase 3 sounds taught in Reception Spring 1
Reading Practice
Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 take part in three Reading Practice sessions each week with an adult.
Each session has a different focus:
- Decoding – reading words accurately using phonics.
- Prosody – reading fluently with expression.
- Comprehension – understanding and talking about what has been read.
Children read fully decodable Little Wandle books matched to their phonics knowledge, helping them build fluency and confidence before moving on.
Reading at Home
Reading at home makes a huge difference.
Each week your child will bring home:
- a reading practice book matched to their phonics stage
- a sharing book to enjoy together.
We encourage families to read regularly, celebrate success and make reading an enjoyable part of everyday life. Talking about stories, characters and new vocabulary is just as important as listening to your child read.
Keeping Every Child on Track
We regularly assess children's phonics knowledge to ensure they are making good progress.
Children who need additional support receive short daily Keep Up sessions, helping them secure learning quickly and keep pace with their classmates.
All staff receive regular training and coaching to ensure phonics is taught consistently and effectively across the school.
Reading in Key Stage 2
As children become fluent readers, the focus shifts from learning to read to reading to learn.
Children take part in structured fluency lessons using a wide range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. They develop accuracy, automaticity and expression alongside vocabulary and comprehension. Teachers model fluent reading, while repeated, echo, choral and paired reading help children build confidence.
Reading is also central to our book-led English curriculum, where high-quality texts inspire discussion, deepen understanding and provide meaningful opportunities for writing.
Additional support is provided for any child who needs further help with decoding, fluency or comprehension.
Reading for Pleasure
We want every child to develop a genuine love of reading.
Each Key Stage 2 class enjoys a carefully chosen book, read aloud regularly by the teacher. This allows children to enjoy rich stories together, encounter new authors and vocabulary, and experience books they may not yet be ready to read independently.
Children also have access to a wide range of high-quality books through classroom reading areas and our school library. We celebrate reading through book recommendations, author studies, World Book Day and other activities that encourage children to discover and share their enjoyment of books.
Our Aim
We want every child to leave Thringstone Primary School as a fluent, confident reader who not only has the skills to succeed but also understands the enjoyment, imagination and opportunities that reading can bring.