The Magdalen Reading. Rogier van der Weyden (c.1399–1464). 
The National Gallery, London.

'Reading is the gateway for children that makes all other learning possible.' 

Barack Obama

Reading is one of the most important skills your child will learn during their time at school. Reading, listening to and talking about stories and non-fiction develops children’s vocabulary, because they meet words they would rarely hear or use in everyday speech. Understanding vocabulary is vital for comprehension and also for wider learning and progress across the entire curriculum.

We recognise that being able to read is a key skill for life for all children and we believe that every child can learn to read with the right teaching and support.

We provide a rich a canon of literature, which includes books underpinned by the research of Doug Lemov and other carefully selected books where children encounter characters, situations and viewpoints that mirror their own lives, but also books which give them a window into the lives of others.

Our aim is that every child leaves Oakley Vale Primary School a confident, fluent reader who loves reading and has a reading age that at least matches their chronological age.