Reading and the wider curriculum

At Ashchurch Primary School we want to take every opportunity to teach children to become life-long readers. We believe that reading is the passport to the wider curriculum so one of our aims is to build and support a strong reading culture throughout the different subject areas and beyond.

One of the ways in which we are doing this is by encouraging teachers to develop reading in an area of particular interest, whether that is specific to a curriculum area or something that we believe will benefit our children. For example, in Navigators, an area has been specifically set aside to promote reading around gardening-a subject that one of the teachers particularly enjoys, and that the children love participating in every Tuesday afternoon. Books have been sourced and provided that link into gardening such as the National Trust: Out and About Bird Spotter - A children's guide to over 100 different birds, National Trust: Out and About Minibeast Explorer: A children's guide to over 60 different minibeasts, Botanicum Activity Book (Welcome To The Museum), What's that Flower?: The Simplest ID Guide Ever. As well as these, there are books written by Dara McAnulty, a young person with autism who published his first book at just age 16. Being the youngest author ever to win several awards such as the Wainwright prize and the RSPB medal, Wild Child: Journey Through Nature and Diary Of A Young Naturalist, are superb books that provide links into the subject area, as well as providing an inspirational role model to the children of Ashchurch. Furthermore, there are links with our recommended interactive book lists for Year Five and Year Six with the inclusion of the popular Beetle Boy trilogy on the display too!

The children have really enjoyed using the books during gardening time, as well asking to read them during their independent reading time. This has provided another way of promoting reading through high quality texts, giving them opportunities to apply word-reading skills and comprehension in a purposeful and meaningful way.

Another area in which teachers have shown an interest in developing and promoting reading is in engaging children with concepts such as mindfulness and wellbeing through books.  This concept is becoming increasingly important in terms of nurturing the mental health of our children post-pandemic.

We have also been looking at providing picture books and short stories in French, to compliment the Language sessions that are being taught in KS2.

In this way, staff are encouraged to share their love of reading in ways that enhance the curriculum, providing greater links with the wider world, giving opportunity and motivating children to encounter new and exciting texts in all sorts of different ways.