Year 1 Medium Term Overview – Reading

In Year 1 we develop pleasure and motivation to read in In Year 1 we embed reading skills across the curriculum
the following ways: in the following ways, using the texts below:
 Engaging book corner – good choices, visually appealing,  Subject specific books used in Learning Adventure / Creative
updated regularly Adventure activities (list author and title)
 Class story books – read at various points throughout the day,  Topic related non-fiction books on display in the classroom –
 Book posters on display in the classroom handling of real books
 Book related activities – word of the week, author of the term,  Use of written documents e.g. newspapers (current affairs that
book recommendations link with geography or historical newspapers showing past
 Year group hero books on display in classroom with access for events), letters, diary entries
the children to select and read.  Vocabulary specific to Learning Adventure display in classroom,
 Suggested reading lists of high quality texts relevant to each vocabulary mats, glossaries
year group
 Regular book discussion time
 Engagement with World Book Day activities.
 Reading activities linked into termly Homework Trail.
 Recommended High Quality Reads – display board in each

classroom, copies of all books in the year group with books

starred and children encouraged to select, reading of star books

tracked. In spare 5 minutes throughout the day read first

 chapter from a recommended read as a taster to encourage

children to want to read the books. (See list below).

How reading is taught in Year 1:

In Year 1, children are taught phonics daily by their class teacher with additional small group sessions led by teaching assistants. Phonics is
also firmly embedded into the wider curriculum. Teachers routinely model correct segmenting and blending when reading and writing with the
whole class. The systematic synthetic phonics scheme used is Monster Phonics.

Alongside the teaching of phonics, all children in KS1 take part in guided reading sessions. In Year 1, these are daily small group guided
reading sessions which link to the sounds being taught in the children’s phonics sessions. Within these sessions, decodable Monster Phonics
books are used which match to the sound being taught that week in phonics lessons. Additional sessions look at a broader range of texts
including both fiction and non fiction. Lessons have a specific focus aimed at developing reading comprehension and vocabulary skills.

In addition to dedicated time to teach phonics and reading skills, teachers regularly read with their classes so all children have exposure to a
wide range of texts and authors. This enables children, from an early age to develop their own opinions about a range of stories, poems and
information texts alongside continuing to promote a love of reading.

Fluency and Phrasing

In Year 1 children show that they can:
 Recite some familiar complete rhymes and songs by heart; use body percussion or instruments to hold the beat;
 Recognise and join in with predictable phrases;
 Read on sight the CE words for Y1;
 Say or sing the alphabet in sequence;
 Sound and blend unfamiliar printed words quickly and accurately using their phonemic knowledge and skills;

Year 1 Reading Medium Term Plan

  Read aloud, checking that it ‘sounds right’ and that the text makes sense to them; with support, notice sentence punctuation;
 Re-read favourite books to themselves, to gain confidence with word reading and fluency.
 Expected word fluency 70+ wpm

Year 1 Recommended High Quality Star Reads:

Year 1 Reading Medium Term Plan

Year 1 Reading Medium Term Plan
Year 1 Reading Medium Term Plan
Year 1 Reading Medium Term Plan
 YEAR 1 READING MEDIUM TERM PLAN
Genres Objectives / Areas of Focus Texts / Books used in Reading and
explored Writing Sessions
Genres linked to Word Reading Non Fiction
writing curriculum:  Use phonic knowledge to decode
Autobiography regular words and read these aloud Usbourne, All about… (series including friends, family,
accurately. feelings, diversity).
Instructions
Name and sound letters of the With delightful illustrations, this is a glorious celebration

Fictional alphabet. of family, diversity, friendships and feelings.

 Read and understand simple
Description sentences. National Geographic Kids, All about Me.
Term 1 and 2

Understanding The interactive Look & Learn series is a multi-layered,

 Describes main story settings, events skill-building approach that introduces concepts with
and principal characters. context reinforcement so learning sticks. These eye-
 Demonstrates understanding when catching books make early learning fun!
talking with others about what has
been read. Jill Howell, Julia Donaldson A Biography
Answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions in A perfectly pitched text for children to access and
response to stories. decode independently. Excellent example of a non-fiction
 Puts a story into a simple category layout.
ie "That's a funny/ rhyming book." Dereen Taylor, In the Past – Toys
Able to follow a story without Informative text to aid children’s learning in our history
pictures or props. sessions.

Year 1 Reading Medium Term Plan

  Identifies the main characters in a Fiction
story. Allan Ahlberg, Funny Bones
 Develop and demonstrate their A fun and engaging text, with repetition for choral
understanding of characters and reading. Links to our science topic.
events through role play and drama.
 Continues a rhyming string Julia Donaldson, The Gruffalo
 Enjoys playing with rhyming words. Lots of rhyme and repetition, great for choral reading.
Non-Fiction Information Great for our descriptive writing.
 Talk about and enjoy some non-
fiction texts, becoming aware of their Igloo Books, Rapunzel
difference from stories. A traditional tale, great for exploring a simple text and
 Talk about the information they are to develop character descriptions and settings.
finding out.
Discussion Poetry
 Uses vocabulary and forms of speech Pie Corbett, A First Poetry Book
that are increasingly influenced by Inside there are many sections including: families,
their experiences of books. feelings, friends, pets, school)
 Suggests a book for a group to listen
to.
 Listens to stories, accurately Elizabeth Matterson, This Little Puffin
anticipating key events and A collection, including: special occasions, around the
responding to what they hear with house, in the town, things we like to eat, weather,
relevant comments, questions or special people.
actions.
 Give opinions about books and stories
 Become familiar with key stories and
Traditional Tales, retelling them and
considering their characteristics
 Orally retells familiar stories.

Year 1 Reading Medium Term Plan

 Genres linked to Word Reading Non Fiction
writing curriculum:  Know how to segment and blend DK Find Out! Pirates
Letter sounds in some unfamiliar words,
using the GPCs taught. Discover what pirates ate, what life was like on-board a
Non Chronological
 Read pseudo (alien) words with pirate ship, and whether the really did bury treasure.

Recount (postcard) accuracy Covering everything from Viking Pirates to Blackbeard,

 Talks about the fact that some Pirates will satisfy any child who is eager to learn more
Newspaper
words are not said as they are spelt. about the history of pirates!
 Read aloud accurately books that are
Fiction
consistent with their developing
phonics knowledge and that do not
Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson
require them to use other strategies
Term 3 and 4

Lots of rhyme and repetition, great for choral reading.

to work out words.
Children will focus on the descriptive vocabulary and how
this can be used to paint a picture in your mind –
Understanding
perfect for drawing an illustration.
 Link what they read to their own
experiences.
Night Pirates by Peter Harris
 Read aloud and sometimes notice
Enjoyable text with lots of great images for making
that the text does not make sense.
predictions before reading the text. Exciting and new
 Talk about new words and what they
vocabulary for the children to discuss. Used to aid our
mean.
letter writing unit, by writing to the main character.
 Draw simple inferences e.g. know
that the king is happy by looking at
The Troll by Julia Donaldson
the pictures, or by what he says and
Repetition and rhyme. Allows children to make links to
does
other other texts (The Billy Goats Gruff).
 With help, begin to make predictions
about what might happen next.
Flinn and the Dinosaur Pirates
 Say what the title means and how it
relates to the events.

Year 1 Reading Medium Term Plan

  Is able to activate prior knowledge Engaging and exciting story to inspire the headline story
e.g. ‘What do you know about for our newspaper reports.
Minibeasts?’
 Draw on what they know or on Poetry
background information and
vocabulary provided by the teacher. This Little Puffin – animals
A treasury of poems, perfectly suited to the age group.
Works alongside our science topic.
Non-Fiction Information
 To identify key elements of a non-
fiction book
Subheading
Contents
Picture and labels

Discussion
 Provide a simple explanation of an
aspect of what is happening in a
text.
 Appreciate some rhymes and poems:
recite some by heart.
 Take turns to speak and express
simple opinions.

Year 1 Reading Medium Term Plan

 Genres linked to Word Reading Non Fiction
writing curriculum:  Respond with the correct sound to
Diary entries graphemes for all 40+ phonemes, National Trust: Who’s Hiding at the Seaside? By

(recount) including alternative sounds. Katherine McEwen

 Read accurately by blending sounds Fun and interactive way of leaning about animals at the
Persuasive writing in unfamiliar words containing GPCs seaside. Lift the flap elements on each page. Lovely
taught. illustrations.
Balanced argument
 Read pseudo (alien) words with Seaside By Anne-Kathrin Behl
Story accuracy, which include vowel A perfectly pitched, age appropriate non-fiction text.
Term 5 and 6

digraphs and trigraphs. Bright and colourful, with sliders to push, pull and spin
 Re read books to build up fluency on every page.
and confidence in word reading.
 Recognise and use the different ways What a Waste: Rubbish, Recycling and our Planet by
of pronouncing the same grapheme Jess French
 Read common exception words noting Slightly trickier in text, but a lovely one to share with
unusual correspondence between the class. A variety of layouts on each page and lots of
spelling and sound where these occur good ‘real life’ ideas of what the children can do to be
in the word. more sustainable.
 Split two nad three syllable words
including compound words into
separate syllables to support
blending for reading.

Year 1 Reading Medium Term Plan

  Reading words with contractions and Fiction
understand that the apostrophe
represents the omitted letter. The Storm Whale by Benji Davis
A beautiful story about friendship. Nice illustrations and
a good moral to discuss.
Understanding
 Talk about the significance of the What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside by Julia
title and events Donaldson
 Recognise and check when texts do Repetition and Rhyme. A story the children will find
not make sense when reading; self- funny.
correct and re-read inaccurate
reading. Wilbur and Winnie at the Seaside by Valerie Thomas
 Discuss the meanings of new words, Bright and colourful pictures to aid discussion. Lots of
linking them to words already known. vocabulary to pull out.
 Infer on the basis of what is said and
done e.g. know that Jack is scared of Billy’s Bucket by Kes Gray
the giant because he is hiding; the Brilliant for delving into children imaginations. What
princess is sad because she has lost would they see inside their bucket?
her ring.
 Predict what might happen on the Lucy and Tom at the Seaside by Shirley Hughes
basis of what has been read so far A story showing a typical seaside holiday. Perfect to lead
e.g. ‘the boy will be in trouble for us into our diary writing.
stealing the buns.’
Somebody Swallowed Stanley by Sarah Roberts
Aiding our discussions on seaside pollution.
Non-Fiction Information Poetry
 To identify more key elements of a
non- fiction book A First Book of the Sea by Nicola Davis
Glossary A collection of seaside poems. Eye catching illustrations.

Year 1 Reading Medium Term Plan

 Index Seaside Poems by Jill Bennett
 Listen to, discuss and enjoy a range Multi award winning. With this book, children can swim
of non-fiction texts; draw on what alongside dolphins and flying fish, pore over rock pools
they already know, and on and sail from pole to pole and back, learning about
background information and everything from phosphorescence and plankton to manta
vocabulary provided by the teacher. rays and puffins.

Discussion
 Participate in discussion about what
is read to them, taking turns, nodding
and listening to others.
Explain clearly their understanding of
what is read to them.
 Listen to, discuss and enjoy a wide
range of poems and stories at a level
beyond that which they can read
independently.
 Makes personal reading choices and
gives reason for their selections.
 Draw on what they know or on
background information and
vocabulary provided by the teacher.


Year 1 Reading Medium Term Plan