Reading Fluency: Building the Bridge to Comprehension

NEW in 2025! Discover the DfE’s Exciting New Reading Fluency Programme!

The Department for Education (DfE) has launched an exciting new programme designed to boost reading fluency for Key Stage 2 pupils. It’s perfect for children who have mastered phonics but still find reading comprehension a challenge.

Decoding words is only the first step on the journey to becoming a confident reader. This programme focuses on those pupils who can read accurately, yet struggle to read fluently enough to fully enjoy and understand what they’re reading. By strengthening that crucial bridge between phonics and independent reading, this course helps pupils unlock deeper engagement with texts.

This fluency-first approach brings together the essential ingredients of successful reading:

choosing just-right texts
developing prosody and expression
building vocabulary
practising guided oral reading
applying repeated and purposeful practice

With targeted teacher support, pupils learn to read more smoothly, confidently, and with far greater understanding. As their fluency grows, so does their enjoyment—opening the door to a wider range of texts across the curriculum. The goal is simple: to help more pupils leave primary school as capable, confident, and enthusiastic readers.

Programme Aims

• Improve outcomes for children who lack fluency
• Ensure all children have the opportunity to become fluent, confident readers

Who Should Attend?

Schools are encouraged to nominate a Key Stage 2 Reading Fluency Programme Leader to take part in the CPD. This could be a reading lead, an aspiring leader, or anyone keen to strengthen their understanding of reading fluency.

The programme is ideal for those who are:

just beginning to develop fluency provision, or
already underway but eager to deepen their knowledge of the research and classroom practices that make the biggest difference.

What the Course Involves

The English Hub Programme is offering a FREE, three-session course that builds teachers’ and leaders’ practical expertise in reading fluency. Across the modules, participants will explore the core components of fluent reading—from selecting effective texts to developing automaticity and expressive reading.

We will cover 2 modules during each day long session (9.15am-3.30pm). Participants must attend all three sessions and complete gap tasks between each one.

Module 1: What is reading fluency? (13.10.2025) Venue: The Pennoyer Centre

Module 2: Getting the text right (13.10.2025) Venue: The Pennoyer Centre

Module 3: Zoom in on automaticity (12.01.2026) Venue: The Pennoyer Centre

Module 4: Zoom in on prosody (12.01.2026) Venue: The Pennoyer Centre

Module 5: Zoom in on vocabulary (27.04.2026) Venue : Hethel Engineering Centre

Module 6: Zoom in on comprehension (27.04.2026) Venue: Hethel Engineering Centre

Venue: The Pennoyer Centre, Station Rd, Pulham St Mary, Diss IP21 4QT/ Hethel Engineering Centre NR14 8FB

Lunch and refreshments will be provided!

Reading Fluency is FULL for 2025.

To register your interest for 2026-2027 please click here.