Reading
We are a Read a Lot, Talk a Lot School!
Reading is at the heart of everything we do at Hugh Gaitskell Primary. As a school we aim to install a love of reading and an appreciation of books in all of our children which will follow them throughout their lives. We are committed to ensuring that our children are exposed to a wide variety of high quality and vocabulary rich texts across the curriculum so that our children develop the knowledge of themselves, show empathy towards others, and gain a deeper understanding of the world in which we live.
We encourage our children to find out new information and develop their comprehension skills by reading widely using both fiction and non-fiction texts. Carefully selected books have been mapped out to support subject learning in our curriculum. We want our children to leave us as fluent readers with a range of skills and strategies to enable them to access all books.
We are champions of books: we host children’s authors, run exciting projects, hold competitions, celebrate special book-based dates, and foster positive relationships with our local community and beyond, such as our links with the local library and the British Library.
We are committed as a school to ensure that a love of reading is instilled in every child.
Education Endowment Fund research indicates that reading comprehension approaches deliver an additional six months’ progress. Successful reading comprehension approaches allow activities to be carefully tailored to pupils’ reading capabilities and involve activities and texts that provide an effective, but not overwhelming, challenge.
Click here to see our KS2 Reading Curriculum Texts
Click here to see our Skills Progression Mapping - English
Click here to see our Skills Progression Mapping - Grammar
Click here to see our Speaking and Listening Progression - EYFS - Year 6
Why We Share Reading Newsletters
At our school, reading is at the heart of everything we do. Strong reading skills support children’s learning across all subjects and help to build confidence, imagination and a lifelong love of books.
Our Reading Newsletters are designed to keep parents and carers informed and involved in their child’s reading journey. They provide practical guidance, ideas and updates so that home and school can work together to support every child’s progress.
Reading Newsletter Autumn 2024
Reading Newsletter Spring 2025
HGPS Reading for Pleasure: Author Visit Schedule
At HGPS, we believe that reading for pleasure is a vital part of developing confident, motivated readers. One of the ways we bring books to life is through our Author Visit Schedule, which gives children the exciting opportunity to meet real authors and illustrators throughout the year.
Author visits inspire children to see reading and writing as enjoyable, creative and meaningful. Listening to authors talk about their stories, characters and ideas helps children to develop a deeper love of books, encourages curiosity, and shows them that anyone can be a reader and a writer.
These visits support our Reading for Pleasure approach by:
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Motivating children to read more widely and often
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Introducing them to new authors, genres and styles
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Encouraging discussion, imagination and creativity
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Helping children make personal connections with books
Our Author Visit Schedule ensures that every child has access to enriching literary experiences that nurture a lifelong love of reading.
Reading Spines At HGPS
At HGPS, we use Reading Spines to ensure that all children are introduced to a rich, carefully chosen range of high-quality texts throughout their time at school. Our reading spines include a balance of classic and contemporary books, poetry, non-fiction and diverse voices, chosen to broaden pupils’ experiences and deepen their understanding of the world. By sharing these core texts regularly in class, we help children to develop strong language and comprehension skills, build cultural capital and foster a genuine enjoyment of reading, while ensuring consistency and progression across year groups.