Furrowfield School Together We Succeed Furrowfield School Half Term Focus Monday 1st June 2026 Reading at Furrowfield School 2026 – 2027 Belong Together

Page 1 Furrowfield School Reading at Furrowfield School Index Page Number Reading at Furrowfield School 2 Welcome to Reading at Furrowfield School 2 The Furrowfield School – Vision and Values in Reading 3 A Research-Informed Approach to Reading 3 Phonics Support and Reading Development 4 The Reading Room at Furrowfield School 4 Reading for Pleasure 5 Engaging All Readers – A Diverse and Inclusive Offer 5 Reading Across the Curriculum 6 Reading for Careers and the Future 6 Support for Students with SEMH Needs 6 Celebrating Reading Success 7 ‘Together We Succeed’ Through Reading 7

Page 2 Welcome to Reading at Furrowfield School At Furrowfield School, reading is not viewed as a stand-alone skill, but as a fundamental driver of life chances, independence, confidence and future success. Within our SEMH specialist setting, we recognise that many students arrive with disrupted literacy journeys. Our role is to re-engage, rebuild and re-ignite a love of reading, ensuring that every student can access the curriculum, communicate effectively and thrive beyond school. Our approach is highly personalised, inclusive and research-informed, combining high expectations with relational and therapeutic support. Through the Furrowfield Way and our ethos of “Together We Succeed,” we create a reading culture where all students feel safe, capable and motivated to read. Reading at Furrowfield School At Furrowfield School, reading is central to improving life chances, building confidence and enabling students to succeed both in school and beyond. We recognise that many of our students arrive with disrupted literacy journeys, and we are committed to re-engaging, rebuilding and inspiring a love of reading through a personalised and inclusive approach. Our reading provision reflects the Furrowfield Way – students are supported to be imaginative, inquisitive, resilient, reflective and collaborative in their reading. Through high expectations, strong relationships and a therapeutic approach, we ensure all students feel safe and able to succeed. We use a research-informed approach to reading, including targeted phonics support for those who require it, alongside explicit teaching of fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. This ensures students develop secure foundations and can access the full curriculum. The Reading Room at Furrowfield provides a calm, welcoming environment where students can read independently, take part in guided sessions and develop positive relationships with books. Reading for pleasure is actively promoted through dedicated time, staff recommendations and a wide range of engaging texts. Our carefully curated reading offer includes: • High-interest, accessible books for reluctant readers • Graphic novels, comics and visual texts • Picture books for older students • Texts designed to engage boys and reluctant readers • Dyslexia-friendly and inclusive literature • Books linked to careers and future pathways, supporting students to explore different industries, roles and aspirations Reading is also closely linked to future success, with students developing the literacy skills required for further education, training and employment, in line with our careers programme. At Furrowfield School, reading is more than a skill – it is a gateway to opportunity, wellbeing and lifelong learning. Together we read. Together we succeed.

Page 3 The Furrowfield School – Vision and Values in Reading Reading at Furrowfield School is underpinned by our core values: • Imaginative – exploring new worlds, texts and ideas • Inquisitive – questioning, interpreting and making meaning • Resilient – persisting with challenge and unfamiliar vocabulary • Reflective – thinking deeply about texts, themes and messages • Collaborative – sharing, discussing and recommending books These characteristics are explicitly taught through reading lessons, tutor time, enrichment and across the curriculum, ensuring that students develop both literacy skills and a lifelong reading identity. A Research-Informed Approach to Reading Our reading provision reflects the latest evidence-based practice, including: • The importance of systematic phonics for decoding (EEF, DfE guidance) • The role of fluency, vocabulary development and comprehension in securing understanding • The impact of reading for pleasure on attainment and wellbeing • The need for structured, explicit teaching alongside meaningful engagement We know that students who read regularly: • Achieve higher academic outcomes • Develop stronger communication and thinking skills • Experience improved mental wellbeing and emotional regulation At Furrowfield School, reading is prioritised, protected and celebrated across every pathway. Phonics Support and Reading Development For students who require additional support, we provide targeted, systematic phonics teaching as part of a graduated approach to reading development. Our Offer Includes: • Structured phonics programmes delivered by trained staff • Small group and one-to-one intervention • Daily opportunities for repetition, practice and consolidation • Assessment-informed teaching to identify and close gaps rapidly • Integration with wider literacy and curriculum learning This ensures that students develop: • Secure decoding skills • Improved reading fluency • Confidence in tackling unfamiliar texts • The ability to access wider curriculum content Phonics is delivered sensitively and appropriately for age, ensuring that all students feel respected, supported and successful.

Page 4 The Reading Room at Furrowfield School A key strength of our provision is our dedicated Reading Room, a calm, inviting and well- resourced environment designed to: • Promote reading for pleasure • Provide a safe space for reflection and regulation • Offer access to a wide and engaging range of texts • Support both independent reading and guided sessions The Reading Room reflects our therapeutic approach, enabling students to: • Reconnect with reading at their own pace • Build confidence in a low-pressure environment Develop positive associations with books and learning. Reading for Pleasure At Furrowfield School, we believe that reading for pleasure is transformational. We actively encourage students to read regularly through: • Dedicated reading time within the weekly timetable • Tutor-led reading sessions • Staff modelling of reading and book recommendations • Access to high-interest, engaging texts • Celebration of reading through assemblies and recognition systems Students are supported to: • Discover their interests • Build reading stamina • Experience success and enjoyment • Develop a positive reading identity Reading is not forced – it is fostered, encouraged and celebrated.

Page 5 Engaging All Readers – A Diverse and Inclusive Offer We recognise that engagement is key, particularly for students who may have had negative experiences of reading. Our carefully curated selection of texts ensures that there is something for every learner. Our Reading Offer Includes: High-Interest, Low-Barrier Texts • Designed to engage reluctant readers • Accessible language with compelling themes Graphic Novels and Comics • Visual storytelling supports comprehension • Builds confidence and enjoyment • Ideal for developing inference and sequencing Picture Books for Older Readers • Rich themes explored through powerful imagery • Supports emotional literacy and discussion Books to Engage Boys • Fast-paced, action-driven, relatable texts • Themes of identity, challenge and resilience Dyslexia-Friendly and Accessible Texts • Carefully designed fonts, layout and spacing • Reduced cognitive load Contemporary and Diverse Literature • Reflects students’ lives and experiences • Promotes inclusion and representation Through this approach, students are able to “see themselves” in reading whilst also exploring new perspectives. Reading Across the Curriculum Reading is embedded across all subject areas, ensuring that students develop the literacy skills required for success in every pathway. Staff explicitly teach: • Subject-specific vocabulary • Reading strategies (skimming, scanning, inference, summarising) • Comprehension skills • Critical thinking and interpretation This ensures that students are not only able to read, but to understand, analyse and apply knowledge.

Page 6 Reading for Careers and the Future Reading plays a vital role in preparing students for further education, training and employment. At Furrowfield School, we support students to develop reading skills that are essential for adult life: • Understanding job applications and forms • Reading instructions and technical information • Developing communication and comprehension skills • Engaging with workplace expectations Through our Careers Programme, aligned to the Gatsby Benchmarks, reading is linked directly to future pathways, ensuring that students are equipped with the literacy skills needed to succeed beyond school. Support for Students with SEMH Needs We recognise that reading is closely linked to emotional wellbeing, engagement and confidence. Our approach includes: • Trauma-informed and relational teaching • Flexible, personalised support • Opportunities for reading within therapeutic contexts (including TASC) • Use of reading to support emotional literacy and discussion Reading becomes a tool for: • Understanding emotions • Exploring identity • Developing empathy • Supporting regulation Celebrating Reading Success Success in reading is recognised and celebrated through: • Applause on the Doors • Whole-school assemblies • Tutor recognition • Positive feedback and praise • Celebration of progress, not just attainment We ensure that every achievement matters, however small, reinforcing confidence, motivation and pride.

Page 7 ‘Together We Succeed’ Through Reading At Furrowfield School, reading is at the heart of everything we do. Through a carefully structured, inclusive and aspirational approach, we ensure that every student is able to: • Access learning • Develop confidence • Discover a love of reading • Prepare for their future Reading at Furrowfield School is not just about words on a page – it is about opening doors, building futures and creating life chances. Together we read. Together we grow. Together we belong. Together we succeed.