Reading at The Weston Road Academy
At TWRA, we encourage, promote and love reading. Pupils are challenged to read widely throughout their time at the Academy.
At TWRA every teacher is a teacher of reading.
We understand that without this fundamental skill, children’s opportunities will be limited. They may struggle to fully access the broad and challenging curriculum we provide and ultimately, this could affect their life chances.
TWRA’s reading space offers pupils the opportunity to explore a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts in order to allow them to develop a permanent love of reading. Pupils are supported in choosing texts that are suitable, engaging and challenging.
Year 10 pupils have the opportunity to become ‘Reading Ambassadors’ and assist in the running and the development of extra-reading practice for Key Stage 3 pupils. Furthermore, the frequent and enthusiastic readers in each year group are celebrated and rewarded in half-termly rewards assemblies.
What we do for reading:
Daily reading in Year 7 and Year 8:
In Year 7 and Year 8, all pupils read as a class group for a minimum of 10 minutes per day. Period 5 lessons are extended for 10 minutes longer than other periods. All Year 7 and Year 8 pupils will read together for ten minutes at the start of period 5.
Weekly reading in Key Stage 3 tutor time:
In Key Stage 3, tutor groups select a reading book to read together from a collection of tutor time reading options.
Reading in the curriculum
At The Weston Road Academy (TWRA), literacy skills are embedded into all subjects.
Pupils are expected and encouraged to read aloud during lessons to practise pronouncing new words, key terminology and master fluency. We aim to build every child’s confidence reading in class.
Teachers model expert reading during lessons and inspire everyone to take pride in their reading.
Teachers plan reading materials into their curriculum and lesson resources so that pupils are provided with regular opportunities to practise comprehension and retrieval skills, developing personal reading resilience.
All teachers have access to and use pupils’ reading proficiency levels to ensure that they can plan curriculum content accordingly.
Teachers make reading skills explicit during lessons so that all pupils learn the importance and application of them across the curriculum.
Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary instruction is planned into all curriculum areas to enrich reading for meaning.
Assessment of reading and how we support readers who require support
In Year 7, all pupils complete a reading assessment within the first half-term. The reading assessment screens their fluency, vocabulary understanding and reading comprehension. This assessment then informs what level of support or further challenge pupils require to continue their reading progress. All pupils are encouraged to continue daily reading at home.
If a pupil is identified as requiring reading intervention they will be supported through an appropriate programme of support. This may be a systematic phonics programme, a daily targeted reading programme or a guided reading programme supported by Year 10 reading leaders. Pupils in the intervention group receive regular assessments as a graduated response to the provision. All pupils are then assessed again at the end of Year 7 to inform Year 8 interventions. The national Year 8 reading tests inform intervention plans for Year 9. Pupils who require extra reading support are also supported in lessons through scaffolded tasks by the classroom teacher.
Lunchtime book club
To help encourage pupils to continue to develop their love of reading. Pupils have the opportunity to attend a daily lunchtime book club in TWRA reading space. Pupils will have the opportunity to select a book of their choice, to enjoy before attending their afternoon lessons.
Subject specific reading spaces
Many subjects across the Academy engage readers by advertising their own subject specific mini-libraries. This gives pupils opportunities to see reading across the curriculum, so pupils can enjoy anything from a sport-related autobiographies in PE to reading harrowing tales from key historical moments in History.