Early reading and phonics

At Hillside Primary School, our Early Reading curriculum is designed to place the needs and aspirations of our pupils at the heart of their learning journey. We deliver a knowledge-rich, ambitious, and inclusive curriculum that empowers every child to master the alphabetic code and develop a lifelong love of literature, helping them to "Be the BEST they can be."
Our intent is underpinned by four key attitudes, ensuring pupils develop the character and resilience to thrive:

• Believe

• Engage

• Succeed

• Try

BELIEVE: Building Confidence and Belonging

• We foster an environment where children believe in their potential by ensuring early success.

• By matching books strictly to phonic knowledge, we build the confidence necessary for children to see themselves as readers.

• We believe that the 'invisible privilege' of being read to must become a 'universal right' for every child at Hillside.

ENGAGE: Curiosity and Connection

• We inspire curiosity through a diverse and ambitious reading spine.

• In EYFS and Key Stage 1, we prioritise daily Storytime to bridge the 'cultural capital' gap, engaging children with complex narratives that motivate them to read independently.

SUCCEED: Precision and Mastery

• Success is rooted in the mastery of the 44 speed sounds.

• We aim for all pupils to meet or exceed national standards, moving from mechanical decoding to the automaticity required for deep comprehension.

TRY: Resilience and Hard Thinking

• We cultivate resilience through 'hard thinking.' Whether tackling a new digraph or navigating a 'resistant text' during Storytime, pupils are encouraged to embrace challenges and learn from the process of decoding.