Reading at Sir Francis Hill

'If you don't like to read, you haven't found the right book.'

J.K. Rowling

At Sir Francis Hill we believe reading to be the gateway to learning anything about everything. Reading is fundamental in helping children find and convey information. All staff within our school are aware that reading not only benefits children's education, but can foster a child's social and cognitive development, well-being, and mental health, which is why reading is a key part of our children's daily routine. 

Reading is an essential life skill that should be developed at a very young age. At Sir Francis Hill we use a synthetic phonics programme called Read Write Inc. Read Write Inc is a phonics complete literacy programme which helps all children learn to read fluently and at speed so they can focus on developing their skills in comprehension, vocabulary, and spelling. Alongside phonics, teaching staff throughout EYFS and Key Stage 1 engage children in rich conversations and discussions daily to promote the love of books and reading. Throughout Key Stage 2 children take part in regular Reciprocal Reading sessions. Within sessions children learn how to use skills such as summarising, questioning, clarifying, and predicting to build on and develop these conversations further.  

We are lucky enough to have an excellent library facility, which can be accessed by all throughout the school day . 

After reading their chosen books, children enjoy taking online quizzes through Accelerated Reader  (quizzes can now be accessed both at home and school, allowing parents to gain a deeper insight into their children's reading ability). 

Lexia Core 5 is also available for all children to build foundational reading skills through personalised learning and again can be accessed both at home and school. 

Take a look at the links below to see more.