Altarnun Primary School Marks Reading Success as National Year of Reading Begins

Pupils at Altarnun Primary School, part of the Athena Learning Trust, are celebrating a strong start to the year as the National Year of Reading gets underway.

The village school says reading sits at the heart of everyday life, with pupils across all year groups showing positive progress.

Phonics Success and Reading Progress

In 2025, all Year 1 pupils at Altarnun Primary met the required standard in the phonics screening check. Older pupils have also been performing strongly, regularly appearing near the top of national leaderboards for schools using SPARX Reader.

SPARX Reader is an online reading and comprehension platform designed to encourage regular reading, track progress and help pupils build vocabulary through quizzes linked to the books they complete.

Reading at the Centre of School Life

Children at the school take part in daily story time, class reading, book clubs and bedtime reading activities. Additional mentoring is offered to pupils who need extra support, with the aim of helping every child become a confident reader who enjoys books.

English lessons focus on speaking, listening, reading and writing skills, using a wide range of texts and writing styles. Early reading is taught through the Read Write Inc phonics programme, with a continued focus on fluency and comprehension as pupils move through the school. Families are also encouraged to read at home every day.

Supporting the National Year of Reading

The school is building on its existing approach by supporting the National Year of Reading, a campaign led by the Department for Education and delivered in partnership with the National Literacy Trust. The campaign aims to encourage people of all ages to rediscover reading for pleasure and make it part of daily life.

What the School Says

Lynsey Slater, Executive Principal at Altarnun Primary School, said:
“Reading is at the heart of life at Altarnun, and we are incredibly proud of the progress our pupils are making. From early phonics through to older children developing fluency and confidence, we work hard to make books part of everyday school life.

“The National Year of Reading is a great opportunity to build on that enthusiasm and encourage children to discover stories they enjoy, while giving them the skills they need for the future.”