Reading: Whole-School Curriculum Progression Map

Reading – Word Reading	EYFS	KS1	KS2	
	Three and Four-Year-Olds
Reception
Early Learning Goals	
Year 1	
Year 2	
Year 3	
Year 4	
Year 5	
Year 6	

Phonics and Decoding	Develop their phonological awareness, so that they can:
•	spot and suggest rhymes
•	count or clap syllables in words
•	recognise words with the same initial sound, such as money and mother 
Read individual letters by saying the sounds for them.
Blend sounds into words, so that they can read short words made up of letter-sound correspondences.
Read some letter groups that each represent one sound and say sounds for them.
Read simple phrases and sentences made up of words with known letter-sound correspondences and, where necessary, a few exception words.
Say a sound for each letter in the alphabet and at least 10 digraphs.
Read words consistent with their phonic knowledge by sound-blending.	To apply phonic knowledge and skills as the route to decode words.
To blend sounds in unfamiliar words using the GPCs that they have been taught.
To respond speedily, giving the correct sound to graphemes for all of the 40+ phonemes.
To read words containing taught GPCs.
To read words containing -s, -es, -ing,
-ed and -est endings.
To read words with contractions, e.g. I’m, I’ll and we’ll.	To continue to apply phonic knowledge and skills as the route to decode words until automatic
decoding has become embedded and reading is fluent.
To read accurately by blending the sounds in words that contain the graphemes taught so far,
especially recognising alternative sounds for graphemes.
To accurately read most words of two or more syllables.
To read most words containing common suffixes.*	To use their phonic knowledge to decode quickly and accurately (may still need support to read longer unknown words).
To apply their growing knowledge of root words and prefixes, including
in-, im-, il-, ir-, dis-, mis-,
un-, re-, sub-, inter-, super-, anti- and auto- to begin to read aloud.*
To apply their growing knowledge of root words and suffixes/word endings, including -ation,
-ly, -ous, -ture, -sure, -sion,
-tion, -ssion and -cian, to begin to read aloud.*	To read most words fluently and attempt to decode any unfamiliar words with increasing speed and skill.
To apply their knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes/word endings to read aloud fluently.*	To read most words fluently and attempt to decode any unfamiliar words with increasing speed and skill, recognising their meaning through contextual cues.
To apply their growing knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes/ word endings, including
-sion, -tion, -cial, -tial,
-ant/-ance/-ancy, -ent/- ence/-ency, -able/-ably and -ible/ibly, to read aloud fluently.*	To read fluently with full knowledge of all Y5/ Y6 exception words, root words, prefixes,
suffixes/word endings* and to decode any unfamiliar words with increasing speed and skill, recognising their meaning through contextual cues.	

	Read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, including some common exception words.							
Common Exception Words	Read a few common exception words matched to the school’s phonic programme.
To read some common
irregular words.	To read Y1 common exception words, noting unusual correspondences between spelling and sound and where these occur in words.	To read most Y1 and Y2 common exception words*, noting unusual correspondences
between spelling and sound and where these occur in the word.	To begin to read Y3/Y4 exception words.*	To read all Y3/Y4 exception words*, discussing the unusual correspondences between spelling and these occur in the word.	To read most Y5/ Y6 exception words,
discussing the unusual correspondences between spelling and sound and where these occur in the word.		

Fluency	Understand the five key concepts about print:
print has meaning

•	the names of different parts of a book
•	print can have different purposes
•	page sequencing
•	we read English text from left to right and from top to bottom

Blend sounds into words, so that they can read short words made up of letter-sound correspondences.
Read simple phrases and sentences made up of words with known letter-sound correspondences and, where necessary, a few exception words.
Re-read books to build up their confidence in word reading, their fluency and their understanding and enjoyment.
Read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, including some common exception words.	To accurately read texts that are consistent with their developing phonic knowledge, that do not require them to use other strategies to work out words.
To reread texts to build up fluency and confidence in word reading.	To read aloud books (closely matched to their improving phonic
knowledge), sounding out unfamiliar
words accurately, automatically and without undue hesitation.
To reread these books to build up fluency and
confidence in word reading.
To read words accurately and fluently without overt sounding and blending, e.g. at over 90 words per minute, in age-appropriate texts.	At this stage, teaching comprehension skills should be taking precedence over teaching word reading and fluency specifically. Any focus on word reading should support the development of vocabulary.	

Reading – Comprehension	EYFS	KS1	KS2	
	Three and Four-Year-Olds
Reception
Early Learning Goals	
Year 1	
Year 2	
Year 3	
Year 4	
Year 5	
Year 6	
Understanding and Correcting Inaccuracies	Enjoy listening to longer stories and can remember much of what happens.
Understand ‘why’ questions, like: “Why do you think the caterpillar got so fat?”
Be able to express a point of view and debate when they disagree with an adult or a friend, using words as well as actions
.
Listen to and talk about stories to build familiarity and understanding.
Listen to and talk about selected non-fiction to develop a deep familiarity with new knowledge and vocabulary.

Demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and recently introduced vocabulary.
	To check that a text makes sense to them as they read and to self- correct.	To show understanding by drawing on what they already know or on background information
and vocabulary provided by the teacher.
To check that the text makes sense to them as they read and to correct inaccurate reading.					

Comparing, Contrasting and Commenting	Be able to express a point of view and debate when they disagree with an adult or a friend, using words as well as actions.
Compare and contrast characters from stories, including figures from the past.
Retell the story, once they have developed a deep familiarity with the text; some as exact repetition and some in their own words.

Listen attentively and respond to what they hear with relevant questions, comments and actions when being read to and during whole class discussions and small group interactions.

Offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems when appropriate.

Anticipate (where appropriate) key events in stories.
	To listen to and discuss a wide range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry at a level beyond that at which they can read independently.
To link what they have read or have read to them to their own experiences.
To retell familiar stories in increasing detail.
To join in with discussions about a text, taking turns and listening to what others say.
To discuss the significance of titles and events.	To participate in discussion about books, poems and other works that are read to them
(at a level beyond at which they can read independently) and those that they can read for themselves, explaining their understanding and expressing their views.
To become increasingly familiar with and to retell a wide range of stories, fairy stories and traditional tales.
To discuss the sequence of events in books and how items of information are related.	To recognise, listen to and discuss a wide range of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and
reference books or textbooks.
To use appropriate terminology when discussing texts (plot, character, setting).	To discuss and compare texts from a wide variety of genres and writers.
To read for a range of purposes.
To identify themes and conventions in a wide range of books.
To refer to authorial style, overall themes (e.g. triumph of good over evil) and
features (e.g. greeting in letters, a diary written in the first person or the use of presentational devices such as numbering and headings).	To read a wide range of genres, identifying the characteristics of text types (such as the use of the first person in writing diaries and autobiographies) and differences between text types.
To participate in discussions about books that are read to them and those they can read for
themselves, building on their own and others’ ideas and challenging views courteously.
To identify main ideas drawn from more than one paragraph and to	To read for pleasure, discussing, comparing and evaluating in depth across a wide range of genres, including myths, legends, traditional stories, modern fiction, fiction from our literary heritage and books from other cultures and traditions.
To recognise more complex themes in what they read (such as loss or heroism).
To explain and discuss their understanding of what they have read, including through formal presentations and debates,	

	Demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and recently introduced vocabulary.
		To recognise simple recurring literary language in stories and poetry.
To ask and answer questions about a text.
To make links between the text they are reading and other texts they have read (in texts that they can read independently).		To identify how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning.
To identify main ideas drawn from more than one paragraph and summarise these.	summarise these.
To recommend texts to peers based on personal choice.	maintaining a focus on the topic and using notes where necessary.
To listen to guidance and feedback on the quality of their explanations and contributions to discussions and to
make improvements when participating in discussions.

To draw out key information and to summarise the main ideas in a text.

To distinguish independently between statements of fact
and opinion, providing reasoned justifications for their views.

To compare characters, settings and themes within a text and across more than one text.	
Words in Context and Authorial Choice	Use a wider range of vocabulary.
Engage in extended conversations about stories, learning new vocabulary.
Learn new vocabulary.
Use new vocabulary throughout the day.
	To discuss word meaning and link new meanings to those already known.	To discuss and clarify the meanings of words, linking new meanings to known vocabulary.
To discuss their favourite words and phrases.	To check that the text makes sense to them, discussing their
understanding and explaining the meaning of words in context.
To discuss authors’ choice of words and phrases for effect.	Discuss vocabulary used to capture readers’ interest and imagination.	To discuss vocabulary used by the author to create effect including figurative language.
To evaluate the use of authors’ language and explain how it has created an impact on
the reader.	To analyse and evaluate the use of language, including figurative language and how it is used for effect, using technical terminology such as metaphor, simile, analogy, imagery, style and effect.	

	Retell the story, once they have developed a deep familiarity with the text; some as exact repetition and some in their own words.
Use new vocabulary in different contexts.
Listen to and talk about selected non-fiction to develop a deep familiarity with new knowledge and vocabulary.

Offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems when appropriate.

Demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and recently introduced vocabulary.
Use and understand recently introduced vocabulary during discussions about stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems and during role play.							

Inference and Prediction	Understand ‘why’ questions, like: “Why do you think the caterpillar got so fat?”
Offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems when appropriate.
Anticipate (where appropriate) key events in stories.	To begin to make simple inferences.
To predict what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far.	To make inferences on the basis of what is being said and done.
To predict what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far in a text.	To ask and answer questions appropriately, including some simple inference questions based on characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives.
To justify predictions using evidence from the text.	To draw inferences from characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives that justifies their actions, supporting their views with evidence from the text.
To justify predictions from details stated and implied.	To draw inferences from characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives.
To make predictions based on details stated and implied, justifying them in detail with evidence from the text.	To consider different accounts of the same event and to discuss viewpoints (both of authors and of fictional characters).
To discuss how characters change and develop through texts by drawing inferences based on indirect clues.	
Poetry and Performance	Sing a large repertoire of songs.
Know many rhymes, be able to talk about familiar books, and be able to tell a long story.
Take part in simple pretend play, using an object to represent something else even though they are not similar.
Begin to develop complex stories using small world equipment like animal sets, dolls and dolls houses, etc.
Remember and sing entire songs.
Sing the melodic shape (moving melody, such as up and down and down and up) of familiar songs.							

	Create their own songs, or improvise a song around one they know.
Engage in story times.
Retell the story, once they have developed a deep familiarity with the text; some as exact repetition and some in their own words.
Learn rhymes, poems and songs.
Sing in a group or on their own, increasingly matching the pitch and following the melody.
Develop storylines in their pretend play.
Demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and recently introduced vocabulary.
Make use of props and materials when role playing characters in narratives and stories.
Invent, adapt and recount narratives and stories with their peers and their teacher.
Perform songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others, and (when appropriate) try to move in time to music.	To recite simple poems by heart.	To continue to build  up a repertoire of poems learnt by heart, appreciating these and reciting some with appropriate intonation to make the meaning clear.	To prepare and perform poems and play scripts that show some awareness of the audience when reading aloud.
To begin to use appropriate intonation and volume when reading aloud.	To recognise and discuss some different forms of poetry (e.g. free verse or narrative poetry).
To prepare and perform poems and play scripts with appropriate techniques (intonation, tone, volume and action) to show awareness of the audience when reading aloud.	To continually show an awareness of audience when reading out loud using intonation, tone, volume and action.	To confidently perform texts (including poems learnt by heart) using a wide range of devices to engage the audience and for effect.	

Non-Fiction	Engage in non-fiction books.
Listen to and talk about selected non-fiction to develop a deep familiarity with new knowledge and vocabulary.
Offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems when appropriate.
Use and understand recently introduced vocabulary during discussions about stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems and during role play.		To recognise that non- fiction books are often structured in different ways.	To retrieve and record information from non- fiction texts.	To use all of the organisational devices available within a non- fiction text to retrieve, record and discuss information.
To use dictionaries to check the meaning of words that they have read.	To use knowledge of texts and organisation devices to retrieve, record and discuss information from fiction and non-fiction texts.	To retrieve, record and present information from non-fiction texts.
To use non-fiction materials for purposeful information retrieval (e.g. in reading history, geography and science textbooks) and in contexts where pupils are genuinely motivated to find out information (e.g. reading information leaflets before a gallery or museum visit or reading a theatre programme or review).	
* These are detailed in the word lists within the spelling appendix to the national curriculum (English Appendix 1). Teachers should refer to these to exemplify the words that pupils should be able to read as well as spell.