The Reading and Phonics Curriculum at Lindley CE Infant School
At Lindley CE Infant School, our Reading and Phonics Curriculum is designed to help every child grow, learn, and shine as they develop into fluent, confident, and knowledgeable readers. Guided by our values of Respect, Friendship, and Trust, we provide a high-quality reading and phonics education that inspires children to become the best they can be.
At Lindley CE Infant School, we follow the Twinkl Phonics scheme, which is a fully comprehensive, synthetic phonics teaching programme designed to be used with children from Nursery to Year 2, which has been validated by the Department for Education (2021). Delivered through the stories and adventures of Kit, Sam and the Twinkl Phonics family, the scheme builds and develops the skills and understanding children need to become effective, independent readers and writers.
We use Rhino Readers to support delivery of our Phonics programme. We also use additional decodable books matched to the Rhino Readers and align with our Twinkl Phonics teaching.
From Year 2 onwards, whole class reading sessions follow FREDs Teaching. This structured approach develops vocabulary, fluency and comprehension using engaging, age-appropriate texts. Lessons focus on the six domains of reading (Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explanation, Retrieval, and Sequencing). Teachers explicitly model prosody and comprehension strategies, developing children’s enjoyment and confidence as readers.
Phonics
Twinkl Phonics Parent Information Session
Helpful links:
Twinkl Letter formation Rhymes - use these to support correct formation of letters
Reading
Curriculum Approach for Whole Class Reading at Lindley Infant School Using Fred’s Teaching
At Lindley Infant School we are dedicated to fostering a love for reading and ensuring that all pupils develop strong literacy skills. All Year 2 pupils receive Whole Class Reading lessons, using the Fred's Teaching programme.
This programme builds on the phonetic foundations established earlier and enhances pupils’ reading fluency and comprehension.
Why We Use Fred’s Teaching
1. Evidence-Based Approach: Fred’s Teaching is based on research and effective teaching practices. Developed by educators, it focuses on strategies that have been proven to help pupils make significant progress in their reading.
2. Engaging Resources: The programme provides a variety of high-quality resources, including comprehension activities and reading assessments. These materials are designed to be engaging and interactive, making reading enjoyable for pupils and encouraging their active participation.
3. Comprehensive Skill Development: Fred’s Teaching not only focuses on decoding words but also on developing comprehension and critical thinking skills. Pupils learn to analyse texts, ask questions, and make connections, ensuring they understand and appreciate what they read.
4. Whole-Class Inclusion: This approach allows for a whole-class format, ensuring that all pupils, regardless of their reading levels, can participate and benefit from the lessons. This inclusivity fosters a supportive learning environment where pupils can learn from each other and develop a sense of community.
5. Continuous Progression: Fred’s Teaching provides a clear pathway for continuous reading development. As pupils advance, they encounter increasingly complex texts and concepts, ensuring their skills evolve in a systematic and supportive manner. By using Fred’s Teaching, we aim to cultivate fluent, confident, capable readers. This approach not only enhances literacy skills but also instils a lifelong love of reading in our pupils.
Our 25-26 Reading Ambassadors
Reading Newsletter Spring 2024
Reading Newsletter Summer 2024
Reading Newsletter Spring/Summer 2025
Top tips for reading - handout
End of year expectations for reading
Core Stories
Core stories encourage children to be confident to use the language of stories – their rhythm, rhyme and alliteration. They will use vocabulary and forms of speech that are increasingly influenced by their experiences of reading. Children will describe the main story settings, events, main characters in increasing detail.
Core stories are chosen to reflect our Lindley Infant School curriculum drivers - Emotional Well-being, Culture and diversity and Personal Responsibility.
The Book Shed
Our Book Shed is now open, you will find it behind the MUGA on the top playground. The Book Shed is filled with wonderful texts, please help yourself to a book to enjoy together at home. When you have finished reading it, return it, and borrow another! Reading as a family helps to create a love of reading. Additionally, if you have any books at home you would like to donate to our community Book Shed, there is an orange box under the table in the school entrance.
Kirklees Libraries Free Children's Ebooks
Kirklees online libraries are offering a collection of FREE EBOOKS to support homework topics for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 children. These are special simultaneous use copies, which mean you'll never had to wait to borrow a title.