Reading Comprehension

Intent

At Kielder Primary School and Nursery, we envision a reading comprehension curriculum that nurtures a deep, joyful and purposeful engagement with texts, equipping pupils with the skills to become confident, thoughtful and skilled readers. Our curriculum is designed to ensure that pupils not only understand what they read, but also think critically, reflect deeply and apply their understanding across the wider curriculum.

Through the integration of Read Write Inc, Literacy Shed+ and the VIPERS approach (Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explanation, Retrieval and Summarising/Sequencing), we provide a comprehensive and dynamic framework for teaching reading comprehension. This structured approach supports pupils to develop a wide range of reading strategies and to become reflective, independent readers.

Our reading comprehension curriculum aligns closely with our Thrive and Excel @ Kielder Framework by developing pupils’ academic depth, communication skills, metacognitive awareness, resilience and curiosity. Through purposeful engagement with texts, pupils are supported to take ownership of their learning, articulate ideas clearly and approach reading with confidence and enjoyment.

Implementation

Our approach to reading comprehension is carefully structured, progressive and inclusive, ensuring that all pupils can access high-quality texts and develop increasingly sophisticated comprehension skills. Key elements of our implementation include:

Deep Understanding and Analysis (VIPERS)

We systematically apply the VIPERS framework to teach and reinforce key comprehension skills. Pupils are explicitly taught how to explore vocabulary, make inferences, predict outcomes, explain ideas, retrieve information and summarise or sequence events. This begins more informally in Key Stage 1 and continues in a more structured manner in Key Stage 2. This ensures a consistent whole-school approach and supports pupils to develop secure, transferable reading strategies.

High-Quality and Engaging Texts (Literacy Shed+)

Literacy Shed+ provides a rich bank of high-quality, engaging texts that support deep comprehension and curriculum links. These texts are carefully selected to captivate pupils’ interest, broaden cultural experiences and expose pupils to a wide range of genres, authors and text types. This supports the TEK Framework’s focus on curiosity, innovation and academic depth.

Engaging and Interactive Learning

Reading comprehension lessons are designed to be interactive and motivating. Pupils are encouraged to explore texts through discussion, questioning and collaborative tasks. This active approach supports pupils’ communication skills and confidence, linking closely to the TEK Framework competencies of communication, wellbeing and engagement.

Critical Thinking and Reflection

Pupils are supported to think critically about what they read. Through VIPERS, they learn to justify answers using evidence, consider alternative interpretations and reflect on authors’ choices. This develops higher-order thinking and metacognitive skills, supporting pupils to plan, monitor and evaluate their understanding in line with the TEK Framework.

Differentiated Instruction in Mixed-Age Classes

Teaching is carefully adapted to meet the diverse needs of our mixed-age classes. Literacy Shed+ resources and VIPERS tasks are used flexibly to provide appropriate support and challenge, ensuring that all pupils can make strong progress from their starting points. This inclusive approach supports equity, resilience and individual growth, central to the TEK Framework.

Cultivating a Love for Reading

We aim to instil a lifelong love of reading by providing pupils with stimulating, meaningful and enjoyable texts. The engaging nature of Literacy Shed+ and the interactive VIPERS approach help pupils to develop genuine enthusiasm for reading and a desire to explore a wide range of literary genres and styles. This supports pupils’ wellbeing, motivation and positive learning behaviours.

Impact

Through our reading comprehension curriculum, supported by Literacy Shed+ and the VIPERS approach, and aligned with the TEK Framework, we ensure that pupils:

• Demonstrate strong and secure comprehension skills by effectively applying VIPERS strategies.

• Engage deeply and thoughtfully with texts, showing curiosity and critical insight.

• Develop confidence and independence as readers, tackling a wide range of texts with increasing fluency and resilience.

• Communicate clearly about what they read, justifying opinions and using evidence from texts.

• Apply reading comprehension skills across the wider curriculum, supporting overall academic success.

By the time pupils leave Kielder Primary School and Nursery, they are reflective, confident and motivated readers who demonstrate the TEK Framework competencies of communication, metacognition, resilience and curiosity. They are well prepared to engage with increasingly complex texts and to continue their reading journey with confidence, enjoyment and independence.