Welcome to Reading at Green Lane Primary Academy
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” – Joseph Addison
Reading is at the heart of everything we do at Green Lane. We believe that reading is the most important skill our children will learn, because it not only helps them succeed in every subject, but also brings joy, creativity and new possibilities. We want our pupils to become confident, fluent readers who develop a lifelong love of books.
Why We Love Reading
We love reading because it is the key that unlocks learning. Books transport children to different times, places and worlds, helping them experience adventures, understand different viewpoints, and grow in empathy. Reading sparks imagination and feeds curiosity – whether it’s through a gripping story, a fascinating fact book, or a poem that makes us stop and think. At Green Lane, we want every child to discover the pleasure of getting lost in a book.
What Learning Looks Like
Learning to read begins in the Early Years, where children develop the building blocks of phonics, vocabulary and comprehension. They learn how sounds and letters work together and start to read simple books with growing confidence. In Key Stage 1, pupils deepen their phonics knowledge and begin to read more widely, moving from sounding out words to reading with fluency and expression. By Key Stage 2, children are not just reading, but thinking like readers: making predictions, asking questions, clarifying meaning, summarising and drawing on evidence to support their ideas. They explore a wide range of high-quality texts, from classic stories and modern novels to non-fiction, poetry and plays.
Talking, Exploring and Doing
At Green Lane, reading is more than decoding words – it’s about enjoyment and exploration. Pupils share books together, discuss ideas, and recommend stories to each other. Reciprocal reading strategies help children become thoughtful, independent readers. Every class has a daily story time, where pupils can relax and enjoy being read to – building a shared love of reading as a community. Our libraries, book corners and events like World Book Day create a buzz around books.
What Makes Us Special
Reading is woven into daily life at Green Lane. From our systematic phonics programme in EYFS and Year 1, to whole-class reading lessons in Key Stage 2, every child is supported to succeed. Teachers model a love of reading, and our curriculum is rich with carefully chosen texts that inspire and challenge. Our Reading Champions support younger readers by listening to them read every day, giving encouragement and building confidence. Our Reading Ambassadors are a great asset to our school – helping to choose books, recommending favourites to their peers and creating excitement around reading. We place equal importance on teaching the skills of reading and nurturing the enjoyment of it, so that children leave Green Lane as confident readers ready for the next stage of their journey.
We also work closely with families, encouraging parents and carers to share books at home, listen to their children read regularly, and enjoy stories together. This home–school partnership makes a huge difference to children’s progress and helps foster a lifelong love of reading.
How We Know Children Are Succeeding
You’ll see your child’s progress in how they can:
• Read fluently and with understanding.
• Talk about stories, characters and information they have read.
• Use new vocabulary in their own speaking and writing.
• Ask questions and make connections between texts and their own experiences.
• Choose to read for pleasure, showing excitement about books.
Key Documents
The ‘Reading Spines’ document below will give reading recommendations from Nursery to Year 6. These are books that we would encourage children to read and also books that we read to children in school.
Ideas For Reading At Home
| Website | Description |
| Oxford Owl | Access free eBooks for different ages. |
| Book Trust | Booklists by age and reading level, reading tips, literacy activities, and author videos. |
| Words for Life | Learn Nursery rhymes, listen to audio books. |
| Love Reading 4 Kids | Book recommendations and online bookstore. |
| Literacy Trust | Top-quality resources to engage and inspire children. |
| First News | Age-appropriate news stories. |
