Reading

This reading curriculum is underpinned by nine overarching themes that serve as a cohesive framework, purposefully woven throughout the programme to enrich pupils’ learning.

These themes—environmental responsibility, the natural world, understanding others, community and citizenship, overcoming adversity, migration, technological advancement, friendship and kindness, and British heritage—enable pupils to make meaningful connections between the texts they study and their broader understanding of society and the world.

By engaging with these concepts across a diverse range of literature, pupils are encouraged to think critically, develop empathy, and build a deeper awareness of both historical and contemporary issues that shape human experience.

The CUSP Reading curriculum is built upon a carefully sequenced and evidence-informed structure that ensures pupils engage with a rich and diverse range of literature throughout their primary journey.

Each unit is designed to immerse learners in high-quality texts, including whole novels, poetry, picture books, and curated extracts, selected to reflect both familiar and unfamiliar experiences. The curriculum is underpinned by three core pillars: explicit vocabulary instruction, prosodic fluency development, and opportunities for deep cognitive engagement.

These elements are consistently embedded across all year groups to support incremental progression in reading competence. Through structured routines and a coherent literature spine, pupils develop the skills necessary to decode, comprehend, and critically respond to texts. The curriculum also prioritises inclusive representation, ensuring that every child sees themselves reflected in the literature while also gaining insight into perspectives beyond their own. This approach fosters confident, thoughtful readers who are equipped to access the wider curriculum and engage meaningfully with the world around them.

The sequencing of the CUSP Reading curriculum is deliberately structured to ensure coherent progression in reading fluency, comprehension, and literary appreciation across all year groups. Each unit builds cumulatively on prior knowledge, with carefully curated texts selected to introduce increasingly complex themes, vocabulary, and literary devices.

The curriculum follows a spiral model, revisiting key concepts and genres at greater depth over time, allowing pupils to consolidate and extend their understanding. Texts are sequenced to align with developmental stages, ensuring accessibility while maintaining high expectations.

The literature spine includes a blend of classic and contemporary works, poetry, and non-fiction, sequenced to support thematic exploration and cross-curricular links. Pedagogical routines—such as structured fluency practice, vocabulary instruction, and guided discussion—are consistently applied to support incremental mastery.

This intentional sequencing not only supports reading proficiency but also nurtures a lifelong engagement with literature and critical thinking.

Oracy and vocabulary are foundational pillars of the CUSP Reading curriculum, deliberately embedded to support pupils’ language development and comprehension. The curriculum provides explicit instruction in Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary, ensuring that pupils encounter and retain rich, academic language across a wide range of texts.

Vocabulary is not taught in isolation but is systematically introduced, revisited, and applied within meaningful contexts, enabling pupils to internalise and use new words confidently. Oracy is equally prioritised, with structured opportunities for pupils to articulate their thinking, engage in discussion, and develop fluency in spoken language. These practices are supported by consistent pedagogical routines that encourage prosodic reading and verbal reasoning.

Through this approach, pupils build a robust linguistic foundation that enhances their ability to decode, comprehend, and critically engage with literature. The emphasis on vocabulary and oracy also serves to reduce barriers to learning, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, by equipping all learners with the language tools necessary to access the curriculum and participate fully in academic and social discourse.

Assessment within the CUSP Reading curriculum is designed to be formative, responsive, and embedded into daily practice. It focuses on identifying pupils’ progress in fluency, vocabulary acquisition, and comprehension through structured routines and consistent pedagogical approaches. Teachers use a combination of observational assessment, pupil responses, and targeted questioning to gauge understanding and inform next steps.

Regular opportunities for retrieval practice and cumulative quizzing support long-term retention and allow for ongoing monitoring of pupil progress. Diagnostic tools such as fluency tracking and reading conferencing help identify pupils who may require additional support.

To complement in-school assessment, pupils take home reading books matched to their reading stage using the Big Cat banded system, ensuring appropriate challenge and consolidation. This supports regular reading practice beyond the classroom and informs teacher judgement.

The curriculum’s emphasis on incremental progression ensures that assessment is not isolated from instruction but is integral to the learning process, enabling teachers to adapt teaching responsively and ensure all pupils are supported to become confident, competent readers.

The CUSP Reading curriculum is designed to be inclusive and adaptable, ensuring that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can access high-quality reading instruction alongside their peers. While the core curriculum remains consistent, reasonable adjustments are made to pedagogy, resources, and delivery to meet individual needs. These may include pre-teaching of vocabulary, use of visual scaffolds, chunked instructions, and multisensory approaches to support comprehension and engagement. Structured routines and consistent lesson formats provide predictability, which benefits pupils with cognitive or communication challenges.

Teachers use formative assessment to identify barriers and implement targeted support, such as differentiated questioning, adapted texts, or additional adult guidance. Where appropriate, pupils may access alternative formats or assistive technology to support reading fluency and understanding. The curriculum’s emphasis on prosodic reading and vocabulary instruction is particularly beneficial for pupils with speech, language, or processing difficulties.

These adjustments ensure that all pupils, regardless of need, are supported to develop as confident, capable readers.