Our approach to teaching reading at Beech Hill
Reading may seem simple—“just reading,” right?—but in truth, it’s one of the most complex and remarkable skills a child will ever learn. At Beech Hill, we are committed to helping every child become a confident, fluent reader through a curriculum grounded in research and refined by experience.
Curriculum intent, implementation, impact
The Simple View of Reading: The theory behind our practice
At Beech Hill, our reading curriculum is anchored in the Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer, 1986), a research-backed model that defines reading comprehension as the product of two essential components:
- Decoding – the ability to translate written words into spoken sounds
- Language Comprehension – the ability to understand spoken and written language
This relationship is captured in a simple formula:
Decoding (D) × Language Comprehension (LC) = Reading Comprehension (RC)
In other words, children must be secure in both decoding and comprehension to become skilled readers. If either element is weak, reading breaks down.
We also recognise the crucial role of reading fluency in this process. As Tim Rasinski describes (see diagram below), fluency—the ability to read with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression—serves as the bridge between decoding and comprehension.
When children read fluently, they free up cognitive resources to focus on meaning-making. That means:
- A child may decode fluently, but without comprehension, they won’t grasp the full meaning of the text.
- A child may have strong language skills, but without accurate decoding, reading remains a struggle.
How we teach reading in our classrooms
Our daily practice is designed to develop all three components of skilled reading: decoding, fluency, and language comprehension.
- Decoding is taught through high-quality phonics instruction.
- Fluency is built through regular, deliberate practice—re-reading, teacher modelling, poetry, and performance-based tasks like reader’s theatre.
- Language Comprehension is developed through rich, vocabulary-driven instruction and explicit teaching of key comprehension skills:
- Vocabulary – understanding and using new words
- Inference – reading between the lines
- Comprehension Monitoring – recognising when something doesn’t make sense
- Text Structure – knowing how different kinds of texts work
- Background Knowledge – connecting new ideas with what we already know
- Situation Models – building mental images to support understanding
In every classroom, you’ll see children actively reading, thinking, talking, and writing about a wide variety of texts—from stories to information texts, poems to plays. We make reading meaningful and relevant, so that children not only learn how to read—but also why it matters.
Why reading matters
Reading is more than a skill—it’s a gateway to learning, imagination, and personal growth. It activates multiple areas of the brain, builds empathy, deepens knowledge, and empowers children to take on the wider curriculum with confidence.
At Beech Hill, we take reading seriously because we know what’s at stake. We want our children to leave us as fluent, thoughtful readers who read with purpose, pleasure, and understanding.
That’s why we’re constantly refining our approach, guided by research and driven by a core belief: every child deserves the chance not just to read, but to love reading.
Rocket Phonics: Our approach to early reading
At Beech Hill, we use Rocket Phonics, a DfE-validated, systematic synthetic phonics programme designed to give children a strong start in reading. Rocket Phonics follows a clearly sequenced and rigorous progression, supporting children to confidently decode words through daily, structured lessons.
Rocket Phonics builds strong decoding skills through systematic phonics. When combined with repeated reading and expressive practice, it develops fluency—supporting the Simple View of Reading’s balance between decoding and comprehension.
Please visit our Phonics page for more details on how Rocket Phonics is implemented at Beech Hill.
Reading in Year 1
Based on one text throughout the week, all children participate in the following reading activities...
- Learn a new sound or an alternative spelling (e.g. ay, ai, a-e)
- Practice reading ‘phonic’ words, including root and syllabic words; boot, check, shade, boy; yell-ow, point-pointed
- Learn a new word with uncommon sound spellings: the, said, my, are, call, could (High Frequency Words)
- Checking the meaning of words
- Read the story
First read – story familiarity and sounding words.
Second time – to develop comprehension skills.
Third time – to develop fluency, expression and reading with punctuation.
- story discussion/debates
- asking and answering questions
- reading words at speed
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Our reading texts and how we choose them |
Our reading texts are carefully selected in alignment with Doug Lemov’s Reading Reconsidered framework to support children in engaging deeply with challenging texts and build advanced reading skills. Doug Lemov emphasizes that children need access to five distinct types of texts—each complex beyond the lexical level—that challenge readers in unique ways and build the skills necessary to navigate reading with confidence. These text types include archaic, non-linear, narratively complex, symbolic/figurative and resistance, each demanding a higher level of comprehension and critical analysis than typical texts.
Reading spine (PDF)
Class Book Clubs
To further nurture a love of reading, book clubs are held in each class from Year 1 to Year 6, meeting four times a week. These sessions give children frequent opportunities to discuss stories, share recommendations, and explore new authors in a fun and supportive environment.
Book club spine (PDF)
Reading for enjoyment in the classroom
All classrooms have inviting book areas where, from a very early age, children are encouraged to scan and choose their favourite stories or texts that interest them. In addition to this, children regularly read stories together in class.
Reading at home and parental involvement
Children are encouraged to engage in regular reading sessions with their parents and to diligently document their reading progress in their home reading journals. These journals also serve as a valuable communication tool, allowing parents to provide insights and reflections on their child’s reading development.
Parent bookmarks – FS and Year 1
School and classroom libraries
Once a week all children visit and borrow a book of their choice from the school’s library as well as regularly take ‘home’ reading books from the class library and/or ‘levelled’ book boxes.
Assessing reading progress at Beech Hill
Once children can confidently comprehend a range of texts (usually by the end of the Autumn term in Year 2), they begin taking termly reading comprehension assessments. These help teachers identify individual learning targets and address any gaps in understanding or application.
In addition, teachers use Professor Tim Rasinski’s Fluency Rubric as a diagnostic tool. This supports the ongoing development of reading fluency and helps identify pupils who may need further support—ensuring that the bridge between decoding and comprehension remains strong
Statutory Reading Assessments: Year 1 and Year 6
There are two national reading assessments that all children are required to take. The results of these are shared with parents:
- Year 1 – Phonics Screening Check
This assesses how well children can decode words using their phonics knowledge. Please visit our Phonics page for more information on the Phonics Screening. - Year 6 – Reading Comprehension Test
Taken in May as part of the end-of-Key-Stage 2 SATs, this test includes a range of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry texts. It is designed to assess children's understanding of complex texts and their ability to interpret and analyse what they read. Please visit here for more information.