• Providing quality texts, valuing all reading sources
• Using reading to support learning across the curriculum
• Having high expectation of all groups of learners
• Fostering reading at home and encouraging community and wider links
• Having a balance of learning skills and reading for pleasure

By enabling children to be successful in their reading it widens their horizon and brings out the best in each and every learner.

As a school we are always looking at ways to continue to improve progress and attainment. Pupils who are competent readers and writers tend to make better progress in all areas of the curriculum. 

Research shows the following key factors improve progress and attainment in reading;

• Access to a range of good quality reading materials
• Regular opportunities to read
• Parental support

In order to improve reading at Highlees we;

• Focus on the teaching of synthetic phonics within the Early Years and Key Stage 1.
• We focus on good quality texts to foster a love of reading.
• Broaden pupils awareness of different authors and genres.
• Timetable regular opportunities for our pupils to read in school. 
• Weekly library slots are given to all year groups to spend time looking at books and researching. 
• Allocate dedicated time for Guided Reading across all year groups.
• Pledge to read to our children daily and expect them to also read at home.
• Develop a love of reading culture throughout the school, taking into account pupil voice.
• Develop reading areas / nooks, around the whole school. 
• Invite visitors in to read with our children. 

We need parental support to further improve the progress our children are making in Reading. We hope you will support this important initiative to our school and your children.

There are number of ways you can support your child with their reading;

• Read with your child every day.
• Encourage your child to read a range of materials in addition to books e.g. comics, cereal boxes, signs, newspapers etc.
• Attend school workshops about reading.
• Volunteer to hear children read in school.