At Pyrford, reading and writing is at the heart of the curriculum, we encourage our pupils to apply their knowledge of these skills across all curriculum subjects.

The presentations from our Phonics & Reading Workshop on 11 October 2022 are in the Phonics & Reading area of the website - link on the right.

Children’s Events

In order to support the development of children’s cultural capital at Pyrford, we are able to give the children a rich and broad curriculum in English. Our children are given many opportunities to participate in a wide range of learning experiences beyond the English classroom. This can include, exciting hook lessons, author visits, World Book Day celebrations, a book vending machine and bedtime book bags in KS1. When beginning the primary school journey, many children arrive to school with different and sometimes more limited experiences than others. To support all children to access a broad and balanced curriculum, we encourage the children to use appropriate vocabulary so they all leave school with the same understanding and experiences as each other.   

In addition to the steps taken in the classroom to provide this rich and broad curriculum, we are able to expose children to this through events such as:

A.I.M High Writing

This event runs annually for KS1 and KS2. The children who take part are able to visit a different school for the day and attend an exciting writing workshop with an author to further enrich and expand their writing skills.

Please see an example below of a fantastic poem written by a Year 4 child on their A.I.M High Writing Day, working with the brilliant poet Kimba:

Book Vending Machine

The children have loved the addition of our book vending machine at school and we have seen a huge improvement with the engagement of reading in our school because of this.

Here’s what the children at Pyrford had to say:

“We love the vending machine. It inspires everyone to read more and takes you in to another world to explore and learn!” Imogen Fitch

“The vending machine has something for everyone, whether you are in Reception or Year 6. Thank you, Pyrford Primary School, for providing such a wonderful incentive!” Eloise Moore

Bedtime Book Bags (EYFS and KS1) 

A child is chosen weekly in EYFS and KS1 to take home the ‘Bedtime Book Bag’.  It includes a book recommended by their class teacher to share with a family member. There is also a teddy to cuddle up with and a treat to enjoy too!

“I like cuddling the bear at bedtime and reading the story with my mummy or daddy” Pippa Camegie-Horrocks

World Book Day

The children love celebrating World Book Day every year.

This year, the teachers were lucky enough to swap classrooms and read their favourite story to a different class. 

Author Visits

We are very lucky at Pyrford, to have been visited by numerous authors over the years. These are amazing experiences for the children to immerse them into wide genre of books and help develop their love of reading further.

Last year, we were very excited to be visited by Stephen Mulhern! He came into school to tell us about his books, which star a character called Max Magic. Stephen told us that Max is based on himself and the books tell the story of Stephen’s life and success. He talked to us about resilience- following your dreams, never giving up and believing that anything is possible.

We were also visited last year by the wonderful Mel Taylor-Bessent who engaged the children with her ‘Christmas Carrolls’ stories. The children enjoyed it so much that Mel will be returning next term to share her new book with KS2!

Hooks

Each year group is immersed in a new text for each writing unit they do. We aim to start each unit with an exciting ‘hook’ to engage the children and help them to enjoy the text.