At James Dixon Primary we believe that learning to read is an essential skill that no child should be denied. Reading is one of the most important foundations of learning, enabling our children to access the wider curriculum with independence and creativity.  

Our highly trained practitioners support children to embark on their reading journey through the teaching of phonics with a goal of inspiring a lifelong love of the written word and the power of language. We start teaching phonics in Pre-School/Reception and follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised progression, which ensures children build on their growing knowledge of the alphabetic code, mastering phonics to read and spell as they move through school. As a result, all our children are able to tackle any unfamiliar words as they read. We also model the application of the alphabetic code through phonics in shared reading and writing, both inside and outside the phonics lesson and across the curriculum. We have a strong focus on language development for our children because we know that speaking and listening are crucial skills for reading and writing in all subjects.

At James Dixon Primary, we value reading as a crucial life skill. By the time children leave us, they read confidently for meaning and regularly enjoy reading for pleasure. Our readers are equipped with the tools to tackle unfamiliar vocabulary. We encourage our children to see themselves as readers for both pleasure and purpose.