Reading is embedded within the whole school curriculum at Southam St James and takes place in all lessons, as well as through class story time. High quality texts are used as a stimulus to develop speaking and listening, reading, and writing skills. In addition, children take part in whole class daily reading lessons where fluency, extended and close reading are focussed on. All teachers have received training by Chris Such and have begun implementing this structure from years 2 to 6 from Summer 2024.

We are committed to enabling children to become motivated and independent readers. We ensure that children are encouraged to read a range of genres every year; this includes class novels, books linked to topics, free reading books and whole class reading texts.  While children are learning to read, we teach using Little Wandle and books that are matched to their phonics stage and later onto a reading book band match to their level. Once children are confident readers, they move onto carefully selected banded reading books. Every child also takes part in a whole-school gold reading challenge. The challenge includes a carefully curated list of 50 recommended read books for that year group, all available in the class libraries for children to borrow and read at home. The goal is for each child to read (or listen to) at least 20 books from the list by the end of the school year.

Throughout the year, we plan in several events to promote and foster a love of reading. We invite parents into school at different opportunities, which allows them to be fully involved in our reading journey. These sessions vary from parent workshops, coming into read with children and being invited in to share their reading successes.