At Norton CEVC Primary School, reading sits at the heart of everything we do. One of our key Curriculum Drivers is to develop every child as an Avid Reader. We want our children to see reading not simply as a school skill, but as a source of enjoyment, wonder and discovery that enriches their lives long after they leave us.

We believe that learning to read is one of the most important gifts we can give our children, opening doors to knowledge, imagination and opportunity. Our aim is for every child to leave Norton as a confident, fluent and enthusiastic reader who chooses to read for pleasure as well as for learning.

This journey begins in the Early Years, where children are immersed in a language-rich environment filled with stories, rhymes, songs and conversations. From the very start, we nurture children's curiosity and enjoyment of books, helping them to develop positive reading habits that will stay with them throughout their lives.

In Reception and Year 1, children enjoy sharing and discussing books every day, both with adults and with their peers. Listening to stories, talking about characters and exploring new vocabulary helps children develop both their understanding of language and their love of reading.

We recognise the importance of children making a strong start in learning to read. To support this, we teach phonics and early reading through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, a Department for Education validated phonics programme. Through daily phonics lessons, children learn the sounds that letters represent and how to use this knowledge to read and write words with increasing confidence and accuracy.

Children are taught to:

• recognise and say letter sounds confidently;
• blend sounds together to read words;
• break words into sounds to support spelling;
• read common exception words;
• develop fluency and expression when reading aloud;
• apply their phonics knowledge in their reading and writing.

Alongside their daily phonics lessons, children take part in regular Little Wandle Reading Practice Sessions. During these sessions, they read books that are carefully matched to the sounds they have already learned. This helps them to build confidence, develop fluency and experience success as readers.

We regularly assess children's progress to ensure that every child receives the support they need. If a child needs a little extra help, timely support and intervention are put in place so that they can keep up with their learning and continue to make good progress.

As children's reading skills develop, they are encouraged to think more deeply about what they read through discussion, questioning and comprehension activities. Reading for pleasure remains a key priority throughout the school. We provide access to a wide range of high-quality books and celebrate reading in many ways, including class book recommendations, reading challenges and celebration assemblies.

We value the important role that families play in developing young readers. By working together and sharing books regularly at home, we can help every child develop the confidence, skills and enthusiasm needed to become the Avid Readers we aspire for them to be.