Hurst Hill Reading Curriculum – Intent Statement

At Hurst Hill, our intent is to ensure every child becomes a fluent, confident and enthusiastic reader who is equipped with the knowledge, skills and passion needed to thrive both academically and personally. We believe that reading is the gateway to learning: it builds vocabulary, deepens understanding of the world and nurtures imagination, empathy and critical thinking.

Our reading curriculum is carefully designed to provide equity of opportunity for all pupils. Through high-quality texts, systematic teaching and purposeful practice, pupils develop the ability to decode, read with fluency, comprehend deeply and appreciate a wide range of literature. We aim for every child to leave Hurst Hill having experienced a rich, diverse and intellectually stimulating collection of texts across all year groups.

We are committed to:

Developing Skilled, Fluent Readers

We provide a strong foundation in early reading through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised and build fluency through the Little Wandle Fluency programme and high-quality whole-class reading lessons. Our teaching focuses on accuracy, automaticity and prosody to support deep comprehension.

Ensuring High-Quality Text Exposure

Our curriculum is built around carefully selected core texts—including novels, picture books, poetry, non-fiction and culturally diverse literature—that broaden pupils’ horizons and strengthen vocabulary. Each text is chosen to challenge, inspire and support the development of essential reading skills.

Fostering a Love of Reading

We place reading for pleasure at the heart of school life. Daily read‑aloud sessions, rich book corners, library use, reading recommendations and shared reading experiences help children develop positive reading identities and lifelong enjoyment of books.

Teaching the Full Range of Comprehension Skills

Through explicit modelling and high-quality discussion, children learn to retrieve information, infer meaning, predict, summarise, analyse vocabulary, comment on text features and evaluate authorial choices. Our approach supports children to build robust mental models of what they read.

Embedding Oracy and Discussion

We believe reading and talk are inseparable. Structured talk, vocabulary exploration and purposeful discussion deepen understanding and enable pupils to articulate ideas confidently.

Providing Targeted Support and Assessment-Informed Instruction

Regular assessment—including phonics screening, fluency checks, Accelerated Reader and comprehension assessments—ensures teaching is responsive and tailored. Interventions are timely and precise, supporting every child to make strong progress.

Connecting Reading with the Wider Curriculum

We pair fiction with non-fiction and make meaningful links across subjects, helping pupils build background knowledge that strengthens comprehension and supports learning across the curriculum.

At Hurst Hill, our intent is clear: we want every child to become a capable, motivated reader who sees reading as a doorway to knowledge, possibility and joy.