At the Blossom Federation, our aim is to inspire a lifelong love of reading and writing, ensuring that every child becomes a confident communicator. We want our pupils to be able to express themselves clearly, think critically, and access the wider curriculum successfully through strong literacy skills. We follow the National Curriculum for English and ensure that reading, writing and spoken language are taught as interconnected skills.

Our literacy curriculum is carefully planned to ensure progression across all year groups. Children are exposed to a wide range of high-quality texts, including:

• Fiction
• Non-fiction
• Poetry
• Traditional tales
• Diverse and inclusive literature

If you would like to know more about this area of the curriculum, please talk to:

    

Roona Chowdhury and Laurion Burrow.

Meet our Literacy Legends!

Responsibilities and aims 2025-2026

• Promote a love of reading throughout the school
• Share engaging and inspiring books in assemblies and displays
• Organise whole-school reading events (e.g. Book Fortnight and World Book Day)
• Support book fairs to improve access to books
• Create inviting spaces where children can enjoy reading

Intent

Our literacy curriculum is designed to:

• Develop fluent, confident readers who understand and enjoy a wide range of texts
• Enable pupils to write clearly, creatively and for a variety of purposes
• Build strong vocabulary and communication skills
• Foster a love of reading for pleasure

Implementation

Reading

We prioritise reading across the school through:

• Daily reading opportunities
• Explicit teaching of comprehension skills
• A strong focus on vocabulary development
• Whole-class reading and guided reading sessions
• We place great importance on developing a love of reading promoting the following:

- Whole school reading spaces, book corners and access to the local library

- Daily story time

- Book-focused curriculum

- Celebrations such as World Book Day

Daily Supported Reading (KS1)

Pupils take part in Daily Supported Reading alongside phonics. They are grouped by PM Benchmark levels and read daily in small groups (4–6) with a trained adult. Sessions are structured to build fluency, independence and enjoyment using texts matched to each child’s level. Pupils are regularly assessed and progress through levels, supported by well-trained staff.

Whole Class Reading (KS2)

In KS2, reading is taught through whole-class texts that challenge all learners and often link to the wider curriculum. Pupils study full texts to explore characters, themes and language in depth, while building vocabulary and comprehension.

Lessons follow a clear structure:

• Teacher modelling
• Shared reading
• Partner reading
• Comprehension tasks

Each week focuses on key reading domains from the National Curriculum.

Content domain reference

2a	give / explain the meaning of words in context
2b	retrieve and record information / identify key details from fiction and non-fiction
2c	summarise main ideas from more than one paragraph
2d	make inferences from the text / explain and justify inferences with evidence from the text
2e	predict what might happen from details stated and implied
2f	identify / explain how information / narrative content is related and contributes to meaning as a whole
2g	identify / explain how meaning is enhanced through choice of words and phrases
2h	make comparisons within the text

In EYFS and KS1, children are expected to read daily for at least 10 minutes with an adult, with comments recorded in their reading journals.

In KS2, children become more independent and may complete their reading records alone or with support, but regular reading and discussion with an adult is still encouraged.

EYFS and KS1 pupils should bring their reading record and books to and from school daily. Records are checked weekly.

KS2 pupils keep a reading log at school and regularly discuss their reading with staff.

Writing

Writing is taught through engaging and purposeful contexts, often linked to high-quality texts. Pupils are taught to:

• Plan, draft, edit and improve their work
• Write for different audiences and purposes
• Use accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling
• Develop stamina and independence as writers

Grammar

Children in Years 1–6 are taught grammar through dedicated lessons based on National Curriculum expectations. They then apply these skills through reading and writing across different genres.

Spelling

In EYFS and KS1, spelling is taught through phonics, common exception words and high-frequency words to build strong reading and writing foundations.

In KS2, pupils follow a structured spelling programme covering National Curriculum spelling rules. Each week, they learn a spelling pattern, practise ten words at home and complete a weekly spelling test.

Pupils also take termly spelling assessments, based on the format of the Key Stage 2 statutory spelling test, to monitor progress and build confidence.

Speaking and Listening (Oracy)

Oracy is central to our literacy approach. Pupils develop skills to:

• Speak clearly and confidently
• Listen and respond thoughtfully
• Participate in discussions and debates
• Use appropriate vocabulary

Impact

Through our literacy curriculum, pupils:

• Achieve age-related expectations in reading and writing
• Develop fluency and independence in reading
• Produce high-quality written work across subjects
• Show enthusiasm and enjoyment for reading
• Write across the curriculum (e.g. history, science)
• Take part in drama and performance
• Engage in creative writing opportunities
• Develop research and presentation skills

Assessment

We assess pupils’ reading and writing regularly to support progress and identify next steps. This ensures that teaching is responsive to pupils’ needs

Assessment includes:

• Teacher assessment
• Phonics screening (Year 1)
• End of Key Stage assessment

English in Early Years

In the Early Years, children develop their reading and writing through talk, play and shared experiences. We focus strongly on speaking and listening, helping children build vocabulary through stories, rhymes and conversations.

Children begin reading through phonics, learning letter sounds and blending them to read words and simple books. Writing develops from mark-making to forming letters, spelling simple words and writing short sentences.

What children are working towards (Early Learning Goals)

By the end of Reception, most children will:

• Listen and understand stories, ask questions and join in conversations
• Speak clearly, sharing ideas in full sentences using new vocabulary
• Understand stories, retell them and talk about what might happen next
• Read words and simple sentences using phonics
• Write recognisable letters, spell simple words and write short sentences

Children also develop their storytelling skills through imaginative play and build the fine motor control needed for writing.

This approach supports children to become confident communicators, readers and writers.