Detailed whole-class reading plans to ease teachers' workload
Pathways to Read – Primary School Reading Programme
A primary school reading programme designed to equip pupils from year 1 onwards with key skills to move them through the reading process towards becoming competent and fluent readers.
Engaging and purposeful
Pathways to Read units provide progressive development of reading skills that follow our mastery approach. The units, for use from year 1 to year 6, provide clear and detailed plans that ensure engaging and purposeful reading lessons. Each unit of work is expected to last a half-term, and there are 6 whole-class reading sessions provided per unit.
Proven methodology
Full coverage
Pathways to Read guarantees complete coverage of the national curriculum, incorporating high-quality discussions that revolve around the essence of rich language. The programme gives pupils the opportunity to participate in fluency practice and a variety of reading activities, allowing them to enhance their vocabulary, make predictions, retrieve information and respond effectively using their mastery keys.
Progressive and consistent
Pathways to Read covers reading comprehension and vocabulary development within the mastery approach and divides the national curriculum into three sections: ongoing skills, core skills and mastery skills. The planning ensures a consistent approach to reading across the school with clear, detailed lesson plans and resources linked to high-quality texts.
Links to writing
The units can be used thematically alongside our award-winning Pathways to Write programme to encourage a whole-school curriculum approach with the opportunity for topics to link across all year groups. Both programmes complement one another. However, they can be used successfully as stand-alone programmes.
Visit a Pathways to Read school with us
Key elements of Pathways to Read
Pathways to Read ensures a consistent approach to reading across the school and ensures that reading skills are taught explicitly and progressively. The programme uses inspiring books and novels that guarantee engaging and purposeful reading lessons.
3-5 30 minute lessons per week to allow schools to use the programme flexibly
Clear and supportive PowerPoints for each whole-class reading session
Progressive development of reading skills following a mastery approach
Develops reading comprehension skills through the mastery approach
Contributes to the development of cultural capital
Links creatively to the wider curriculum when combined with our Pathways to Write product
Progression document to support mixed-age classes
Whole-school text and genre coverage overviews
Termly reading assessment trackers
Introductory training materials
Grouped reading plans bespoke for Y2 to support budding readers
One‑off Setup Cost (1st Year)
Paid once. Includes your first year of access.
Prices shown below are for a one‑form‑entry school. Costs scale by form entry.
Prices are subject to VAT.
| Standard | Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Whole School | £1600 | £1850 |
| KS1(Y1&2) | £550 | £625 |
| KS2 | £1100 | £1250 |
This cost is paid once when you join. It is not your annual subscription.
Annual Subscription (2nd Year Onwards)
Paid every year after your first year.
| Full | KS1 (Y1&2) |
|---|---|
| Full (KS1+KS2) | £250 |
| KS1 (Y1&2) | £100 |
| KS2 | £175 |
This cost begins in the 2nd year and continues annually.
FAQs
If you have any other questions, email them to us on online@theliteracycompany.co.uk.
How does Pathways to Read align with the reading framework?
Following the reading framework’s release in July 2023, significant amendments were made to the Pathways to Read units to support the recommendations. A section was added to the whole class session to enable teachers to model reading fluency and allow pupils time to practise using a range of recommended strategies. As part of the fluency section and reading strategies, pupils continue to practise word reading in KS2 looking at multi-syllabic words. A whole class structure encourages pupils to ‘keep up from the start’ with reading comprehension; word-reading catch-up to be done outside the session in addition to the support in reading fluency. Session 5 supports the development of a reading for pleasure culture with time for book clubs and recommended reads. The whole class session and the use of high quality texts promotes books and engagement in reading lessons.
What guidance do you have about pupils working well-below ARE?
Pupils working well below age-related expectations benefit greatly from being included in whole-class reading lessons. This allows them to hear high‑quality texts as the author intended and take part in rich class discussions that build vocabulary, background knowledge and reading skills; it gives all pupils a chance to ‘keep up’ with their peers.
For comprehension activities, these pupils can work with an adapted version of the same text and access tailored questions that focus on the same reading strand as their peers (e.g. inference) while remaining appropriately scaffolded.
If you’d like to explore how we can support your school further, feel free to get in touch or browse the school support options to see the range of guidance and resources available.
How do we use Pathways to Read in mixed-age classes?
In a mixed Y1/2 class, Y1 should join in with the whole class session but when reading independently in the grouped session, Y1 would follow the progression of books in your chosen phonics programme.
As the national curriculum objectives for year 3 & 4 and year 5 & 6 are the same in reading, you can alternate the plans over two years. You might want to simplify or extend questions using the ‘Progression in Reading Skills document.
Is this a whole class model?
Pathways to Read is a whole‑class teaching model. All pupils access high‑quality texts and opportunities to discuss and explore together. In year 2, this approach is complemented by one whole‑class session each week followed by grouped reading sessions, allowing teachers to provide additional targeted support where needed.
How is oracy prioritised in the programme?
Oracy is a central component of Pathways to Read. Lessons are designed to promote high‑quality partner and group talk, enabling pupils to articulate their thinking and deepen their understanding of texts.
Each week, pupils engage in a range of structured reading‑aloud opportunities that support fluency e.g. choral reading and echo reading.
If you’d like further guidance on embedding oracy or exploring additional support, we offer a range of options to help schools implement Pathways to Read effectively.
I am ready to start seeing a consistent approach to reading in my school.
I love the range of texts chosen [for Pathways to Read], the comprehensive planning and how all the key skills are covered and repeated to ensure progress - fantastic!
It [Pathways to Read] allows us to provide personalised learning plans for individuals and groups. It also has meant we can continue to read, read, read and to offer wider texts as well as exposing the children to wider vocabulary.
My class love the Pathways texts and our reading sessions are their favourite part of the day. The progress they have made since September has been superb. They now have the ability to discuss new vocabulary and are using it in their spoken language and written work. The texts themselves are really popular and the children love to reread those from previous terms, having increased confidence in reading a familiar, quality text. I have regular requests for books from the same authors or on similar themes and have been able to widen their reading for pleasure choices from this. I would recommend Pathways to Read 100%, the resources are high quality and easy to follow and ensure full curriculum coverage.
Pathways to Read is an innovative, exciting and inclusive sequence of learning which engages children with the many aspects of the National Curriculum through high-quality texts.
In these testing times, reading is an essential resource for escape and the planning units and slides that The Literacy Company provide, allow access to many wonderful worlds. Our children get to discover these worlds from the comfort of their classroom in a low-threat, high-impact environment. I would highly recommend these units to any teacher - they provide your students with a pathway to learning ... and imagination.
We have recently started the Pathways to Read programme and love it! The text choices are superb and the whole programme is extremely comprehensive and well-resourced.
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