Improving students’ literacy is one of our priorities for the current year, so we have had a busy and productive half term supporting students in their reading.
We are delighted to welcome a new Reading Leader, Mrs Afzal, whose role is to support students in their reading journey.
As the year begins, the children in Years 7 and 8 are tested on their reading abilities. The STAR reading tests provide teachers with valuable insights of how students are reading. We want t ensure that all students are reading books that match their current abilities. Students in Year 9 sat their own tests, the Bedrock baseline which helps us assess their vocabulary and levels of reading comprehension.
In Welcome and Wellbeing each week, Years 7 to 9 have their own titles that everyone is reading together. Personal Learning Guides read the book aloud, as the students follow along – they can then explore themes of the books to build their understanding.
Year 7 are reading After the War by Tom Palmer, Year 8 Stay a Little Longer by Bali Rai, and Year 9 are exploring World War II adventure Firebird by Elizabeth Wein.
Children’s literacy involves a range of skills – spelling, word recognition, reading comprehension, and both writing speed and accuracy amongst them. Since the start of this term, Year 7 students have had their abilities assessed. It is important to measure these skills, which are essential for success across all subjects. We will be using this information to track students’ progress and provide additional support when it’s needed.
Reading isn’t just for school though. We would be grateful if parents and carers would encourage their children to get into the habit of reading, just for 20 minutes every day, and making sure that Year 9 students complete their Bedrock home learning fortnightly.
