At Caroline Haslett, we believe that reading is the gateway to endless learning and exciting adventures. A love of books opens up new worlds, and we are committed to nurturing this passion in every child. We know that fostering a love of reading is one of the most powerful ways to expand a child’s horizons, and we make it a priority to encourage this from the very start.

We want every child at Caroline Haslett to develop a lifelong love of reading, along with the skills and fluency needed to succeed academically. This is promoted throughout the school via regular library visits, class stories and novels, including our Master Reader books, and a variety of special events such as World Book Day celebrations, book fairs, and other activities designed to make reading fun. We also encourage children to share reading experiences at home. To further support our reading culture, we’ve introduced a new playground library shed, giving children access to books even while outside.

By the time our children leave at the end of Year 6, we want them to read with fluency, confidence, and passion. Our goal is for them to have developed strong reading skills that deepen their understanding, preparing them for success in Key Stage 3 and beyond.

We approach reading instruction with enthusiasm, passion, and a wide range of opportunities to explore different types of texts. We are dedicated to sparking each child’s interest in books, making sure no opportunity is missed. Teachers model reading for pleasure by reading aloud regularly, using high-quality texts to demonstrate the joy of storytelling. They introduce children to a variety of genres, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, diaries and reports, ensuring that children encounter a rich tapestry of writing. We also aim to reflect our school values through our selection of books, promoting diversity, equality and inclusivity.

In addition to reading, our English curriculum draws clear connections between reading and writing. We encourage children to read like writers and to write with their readers in mind.

Once phonics instruction is complete, all children at Caroline Haslett participate in daily Master Reader sessions with their class teacher. These sessions are designed to help children refine their skills and become confident, capable readers, ready to embark on their next chapter of learning.