At Ribblesdale, we believe that reading is fundamental to all learning. Proficiency in reading, writing and spoken language is vital for pupils’ success, including our SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) and disadvantaged children. Our curriculum provides a range of opportunities to encourage and nurture a love of reading and develop pupils’ substantive and disciplinary knowledge to become independent learners.

For our early readers we have carefully chosen a systematic, synthetic phonics programme which not only teaches the rudimentary skill of reading, but also incorporates opportunities for storytelling, reading for pleasure and the use of technology. Children will begin their reading journey in this narrative-driven, multi-sensory way which can then be built upon as they move through the primary phase.

High quality novels from a diverse range of authors form the basis of the curriculum throughout the primary phase. Reading is embedded across the wider curriculum so links can be made by the children in this truly cross-curricular approach.

We also pride ourselves on the reading for pleasure opportunities that we provide our pupils; this is demonstrated by the ‘100 Book Challenge’. Each phase in primary will have 100 books from a range of authors that the children can borrow from school, read for enjoyment and share with their families.