At Tower Hill Primary School, we place a strong emphasis on developing confident, enthusiastic readers. Reading is promoted daily through dedicated Reading Skills lessons, alongside a whole‑school culture that encourages reading for pleasure. Teaching takes place in both whole‑class and small‑group settings, carefully planned and led by the class teacher and supported by our Learning Support Assistants. During these sessions, children are explicitly taught a broad range of comprehension strategies, guided by our Reading VIPERS approach.
What are Reading VIPERS?
VIPERS stands for
· Vocabulary
· Inference
· Prediction
· Explanation
· Retrieval
· Summary/ sequence
Reading VIPERS represents six key domains that support children in developing strong comprehension skills. These domains help pupils deepen their understanding of texts by focusing on areas such as decoding, fluency, and prosody. VIPERS is not a reading scheme; rather, it is a structured approach designed to familiarise children with a wide variety of comprehension question types and to build their confidence in responding to them.
At Tower Hill, we believe that by the end of Year 6 all pupils should be able to read fluently, accurately, and with appropriate expression, demonstrating a secure understanding of a wide range of texts. They should be able to infer meaning, identify key themes and ideas, and evaluate how an author’s use of language, structure, and presentation contributes to a text’s overall impact. We also aim for children to read independently for sustained periods, select texts suited to purpose, and discuss their reading with confidence. By developing strong comprehension and critical thinking skills, our pupils are well prepared for the demands of secondary education.
Early Years Foundation Stage
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, pupils are introduced to reading through daily synthetic phonics teaching, following the Read Write Inc. programme. This structured approach provides the essential foundations for early reading. Through Read Write Inc., pupils learn the relationship between sounds and letters, enabling them to decode words with increasing accuracy and confidence. Introducing these skills early supports secure reading habits, strengthens language development, and helps reduce the likelihood of later difficulties in English.
At Tower Hill, pupils in Early Years are grouped according to their reading level to ensure teaching is closely matched to their needs. Progress is reviewed half‑termly so that pupils continue to work within the most appropriate group. This targeted approach enables pupils to be challenged at the right level while making steady, meaningful progress. All pupils take home a phonics book that is carefully matched to their current reading stage, allowing them to practise and consolidate their learning at home.
Key Stage 1
As children move into Key Stage 1, they continue to follow the Read Write Inc. phonics programme, building on the strong early reading foundations established in the EYFS. Daily phonics lessons support pupils in developing increasingly secure decoding skills, enabling them to read with growing accuracy and fluency. All pupils complete the national Phonics Screening Check at the end of Year 1. Those who do not meet the expected standard receive targeted support and re‑sit the assessment in Year 2.
Once pupils have completed the Read Write Inc. programme, they progress to structured reading lessons that focus on developing fluency, broadening vocabulary, and deepening comprehension. These lessons introduce the Reading VIPERS, ensuring a smooth transition from early phonics to more advanced reading skills. This approach prepares pupils for confident, independent reading as they move through primary school.
Key Stage 2
In Key Stage 2, pupils build on the strong foundations established in earlier years to become confident, fluent, and increasingly independent readers through regular Reading Skills lessons. By the beginning of Year 3, children are expected to read age‑appropriate texts with accuracy and at a pace that allows them to focus on understanding rather than decoding. They should be able to tackle most unfamiliar words by applying secure phonics knowledge. As decoding becomes more automatic, teaching shifts towards broadening vocabulary, deepening comprehension, and fostering pupils’ enjoyment of a wide range of texts, including stories, poetry, plays, and non‑fiction. Pupils learn to read silently for sustained periods, explore subject‑specific texts, and begin to justify their opinions about what they have read.
In Upper Key Stage 2, pupils refine these skills further. They are expected to read most words effortlessly and apply their knowledge of spelling patterns to decode more complex vocabulary automatically. When they encounter unfamiliar words, pupils are encouraged to seek clarification to secure their understanding. They learn to prepare readings with appropriate intonation, summarise familiar stories in their own words, and read silently with strong comprehension, drawing inferences and discussing texts with increasing maturity. Throughout Years 5 and 6, pupils read widely for pleasure and information, developing the analytical skills needed for success in secondary school.
Lightning Squad and Reading Quest
To support pupils who are working below age‑related expectations, a range of targeted reading interventions are used across Key Stage 2. In Years 3 and 4, we use a programme called Lightning Squad, and in Years 5 and 6, we use a programme called Reading Quest. Both Lightning Squad and Reading Quest are catch‑up interventions in which pupils work in small groups with a trained member of staff to strengthen their reading skills. The programmes use a blended approach, combining face‑to‑face teaching with an online application. This digital element provides staff with instant assessment information, offering clear insights into each pupil’s reading fluency, reading level, and overall progress.
Reading for Pleasure
At Tower Hill Primary School, reading for pleasure is a central part of our approach to developing confident, enthusiastic, and lifelong readers. We place great importance on fostering a positive reading culture where books are celebrated and children are encouraged to explore a wide range of texts for enjoyment as well as for learning. Throughout the year, pupils take part in a variety of engaging reading‑for‑pleasure activities, including author visits- both in person and virtually- World Book Day celebrations, book swaps, class reading buddies, and opportunities to become one of our Reading Ambassadors, who help promote a love of reading across the school. We also host an annual book fair and run themed events designed to spark curiosity and excitement about books. Together, these experiences help children develop strong reading habits, broaden their interests, and view reading as a rewarding and enjoyable part of everyday life.
We also provide access to an online reading platform called SORA, which offers pupils a wide range of age‑appropriate eBooks and audiobooks to enjoy both in school and at home. Each pupil receives their own personal login, allowing them to choose books that match their interests and reading ability, and to track their progress as they read. The platform supports children in developing positive reading habits by making books easily accessible and engaging, whether they prefer reading independently or listening to stories. SORA extends our school’s reading culture beyond the classroom, giving every child the opportunity to explore and enjoy high‑quality texts at their own pace.
https://soraapp.com/welcome/login/900504/ils/towerhillphs/form/Tower%20Hill%20Primary%20School