Reading Across Pathways

At Stanley School, every child receives reading support matched to their learning style and developmental stage through our pathway approach.

Pre-Formal Pathway

Reading focusses on sensory exploration of books through touch, sight, sound and movement. Pupils experience sensory stories with tactile props and multi-sensory materials, developing their attention and listening skills while beginning to show preferences for particular books and stories. They explore different textures and materials in specially adapted books, learning to tolerate and engage with book-sharing activities in comfortable, supportive positions. This foundation work develops the earliest communication skills that underpin all later reading development.

Informal Pathway

Pupils engage with interactive storytelling using objects of reference and participate in repetitive story patterns that they can anticipate and join in with. They begin to recognise symbols and photographs, matching objects to pictures and understanding that symbols carry meaning.

While many informal learners work on Phase 1 phonics activities, developing listening and attention through environmental sounds, rhythm and rhyme, some pupils may progress beyond Phase 1 and begin learning letter sounds and simple blending when they're ready. Reading at this stage is highly interactive, with pupils responding to familiar stories and beginning to make choices about what they'd like to read.

Supporting Whole Word Readers: Some pupils, particularly those with ASC, may develop as whole word readers rather than phonics-based readers. This is a typical trait where pupils recognise whole words visually rather than breaking them down into individual sounds. We support these learners by providing rich exposure to keywords in context, using visual word banks, labelling the environment extensively, and celebrating their strength in visual memory. These pupils may build substantial sight vocabulary and become fluent readers through a whole word approach, which we value equally alongside phonics-based reading.

Semi-Formal Pathway

Reading includes systematic phonics teaching using Bug Club Phonics, with pupils learning letter sounds and beginning to blend them into words. They progress through the Bug Club phases at their own pace, using the engaging decodable books to practise their developing skills. Pupils also read familiar signs and symbols in the environment, use visual timetables and schedules, and participate in small group guided reading sessions with carefully matched texts. They're building fluency with decodable books while also developing functional reading skills for everyday life.

Some semi-formal learners may also be whole word readers who benefit from a combined approach, using both their visual memory strengths and developing phonics skills to become confident readers.

Formal Pathway

Pupils work through the full Bug Club Phonics programme to Phase 6 if appropriate, developing spelling patterns and reading increasingly complex texts with confidence. They develop inference and deduction skills, learning to read between the lines and understand deeper meanings. They explore different text types and genres, from fiction to non-fiction, poetry to instructions. These pupils build reading stamina and fluency while developing personal reading preferences, becoming independent readers who choose books for pleasure as well as information.

What Every Pupil Experiences

Regardless of pathway or reading approach (whether phonics-based or whole word), every pupil has daily reading opportunities, access to carefully selected high-quality books matched to their interests and abilities, story time and reading for pleasure sessions, home-school links for sharing books and celebrating progress, and recognition of every step forward in their reading journey. We ensure that reading is always purposeful, enjoyable, and accessible for every learner, celebrating the different routes pupils take to becoming readers.