We pride ourselves in celebrating a love of reading throughout school from the moment the pupils arrive until the moment they leave. We encourage pupils to develop a love of reading so that they become life-long readers. It is our aim to ensure that pupils become fluent readers as early as possible. We recognise how crucial this is for pupils to be able to access all areas of the curriculum.

Reading Plus – Children in Years 5 and 6 access Daily Reading Plus sessions. This session allows the children to focus on improving their fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, stamina, and motivation for reading. The children complete their session using an electronic device which tracks their reading speed and understanding. Staff use the data to continually assess the children’s reading level and adapt the programme to suit the needs of the individual child plugging specific gaps. A group of children who might struggle to access this programme will be given the opportunity to develop their fluency using a text which is more at their ability level or might work on their phonic knowledge during this time.

Home reading – all children take home books every day to read. Children following the phonics scheme take books that are phonically decodable and match their current learning alongside a book that will stretch their learning and understanding. Once children are reading more fluently they choose books to go home that follow their level determined by the Oxford Reading Assessment. KS1 and KS2 pupils have access to Oxford Owl reading materials that are set at their reading level and KS2 pupils complete online reading through Reading Plus. Both of these systems monitor the reading of the children. All children from Y2 upwards access to a Samsung electronic tablet which is used in school and at home.

Library time- Each class has an allocated library time and are able to access the library every lunchtime to further immerse themselves in quality texts. There are inviting reading areas situated throughout the academy where children may sit and read for pleasure in their own time. We have also invested in re-stocking the home-reading books in order to ensure that all pupils have an appropriate text to help develop their reading fluency. Furthermore, books are strategically placed in classrooms and in corridors that allow children to further their knowledge on subjects that may interest them. Our intent is that no child should leave our school without being able to read.

We listen to the pupils read regularly and they are then encouraged to read aloud to an adult at home at least three times a week. This is to help reinforce their word recognition; improve their fluency and confidence; and share their love of reading with siblings and parents. We reward pupils who read at home with ‘regular reading’ prizes. They are recognised weekly and half-termly in assembly with special prizes and everywhere around school, you will see encouragement for reading. We acknowledge that not all pupils will have the opportunity to read at home. Therefore, we ensure these pupils are listened to as often as possible within school.

Our Library

We want our pupils to develop a love of reading. This is encouraged through the use of reading challenges, our school library and class texts. We ensure all of our pupils read widely and often, with fluency and comprehension appropriate to their age. Furthermore, we arrange engaging experiences such as author visits, library visits and book fayres to expose the pupils to the joy that reading can bring. This aims to involve and inspire the community with developing a love of reading.

Story time– A strategic approach to story time is being embedded. All pupils in the academy enjoy listening to an age appropriate story every day. Each classroom is transformed in to an inviting environment where the pupils are able to lose themselves in the imaginary world inspired by the story telling experience.