At Cottingley Village Primary School, we are committed to ensuring that every child develops the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to become a successful reader and writer. Early reading is taught through the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme, which provides a structured and engaging approach to learning phonics.

From Reception onwards, children are supported to develop secure decoding and spelling skills through daily teaching and practice. As their confidence grows, they are encouraged to apply these skills across the curriculum, enabling them to access learning, communicate effectively and develop a lifelong love of reading and writing.

Regular training materials available online ensure that staff are equipped to teach with the expertise and skills required to promote excellent progress, as well as a love of reading.

In KS2, when children have completed the Little Wandle programme, they develop deeper reading skills using the Big Cat reading scheme which seamlessly follows on from in EY and KS1, providing the children with a range of exciting and up-to-date fiction and non-fiction texts. 

Reading is also taught within English lessons - teaching word reading, prosody, text analysis and comprehension. Discrete Weekly Reading sessions, both whole class and small groups, are taught regularly each week alongside this.

Every classroom has an inviting book corner that encourages a love for reading and the children are able to access this daily. The children are also given access to the school library, with an up-to-date selection of books which provide quality reading materials for all children to promote reading for enjoyment.