We recognise that a third of students nationally enter Year 7 with a reading age below their chronological age, and that those students who struggle most with reading are also likely to be those who read the least. Our strategy for reading and literacy is designed to ensure all students are exposed to a wide range of engaging and challenging texts to support their development.
As the academy grows, our curriculum will incorporate the following:
- Class Reader
- Promoting a Culture of Reading
- Disciplinary Reading
- Intervention:
- Wave 1
- Peer Reading
- Lexia
- Phonics
- Family Engagement
Our approach is designed to enable all students to develop a love of reading through rich and purposeful experiences so that they become successful life-long readers. Success as a reader underpins learning in all areas of the curriculum and wider life and therefore is highly valued and prioritised across the curriculum.
We aim to promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written word, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment.
The national curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:
- develop an appreciation and love of reading and read increasingly challenging material independently.
- understand increasingly challenging texts.
- read easily, fluently and with good understanding.
- develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information.
- acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language.
Our Academy Literacy and Reading Strategy is designed to:
- Structure opportunities for pupils to read multiple texts across the academic year.
- Model expert reading.
- Develop knowledge and understanding of challenging vocabulary, comprehension, and context.
- Assess the impact of wider reading.
- Support the development of reading through peer reading programmes.
All students continue to further develop their reading through the Class Reader curriculum. Texts are carefully selected based on their thematic links with either the L4L, English or Personal Development curriculum, their wider cultural significance, or their contribution to building pupils’ cultural capital, and are explored during form sessions As part of their learning, pupils also engage with activities designed to develop their contextual understanding of the novel and author, extend their knowledge of key vocabulary, and develop their appreciation of writer’s intent and reader response.
During Class Reader, staff read aloud to pupils (‘Modelled Reading’) and all pupils follow in their own copy. To support this, pupils are provided with a reading aid (such as a block colour ruler or page magnifier).
Class Reader
Year 7 – ‘Skellig’ by David Almond and ‘Swimming Against The Storm’ by Jess Butterworth.
Year 8 – ‘Boy 87’ by Ele Fountain and ‘Nought and Crosses’ by Malorie Blackman
Year 9 – ‘The Soup Movement’ by Ben Davies.
We recognise that the teaching of reading is everyone’s responsibility, and that a pupil’s reading ability is a key indicator of future academic success.
We encourage subject leaders to incorporate active reading strategies into their curriculum. These include:
| Active Reading Strategy | What this means: |
|---|---|
| Predict | Make informed guesses about the text |
| Skim | Read quickly through the sentences to a gist of the understanding of the text |
| Scan | Move across a text to search for a specific word/phrase/number |
| Read closely | Pay close attention to the sentences, taking time to understand their meaning |
| Question | Ask questions about a text to clarify ideas |
| Read backwards and forwards | Move confidently through the text, including re-reading, to make connections or clarify ideas |
| Empathise | Put themselves in someone else’s shoes and feel what they feel |
| Visualise | See a picture in their minds to help gain a better impression or understanding of the text |
| Infer | Read ‘between the lines’ to find the writer’s intended meaning |
‘Reading Vipers’ are incorporated into our Class Reader curriculum. These reading activities are designed to encourage interaction with texts and include:
Shireland CBSO Academy’s library is a dedicated space designed to foster a love of reading. Our library serves as a valuable resource for students, providing access to an extensive collection of fiction and non-fiction books, reading programmes, and educational resources. All students in KS3 visit the library weekly as part of their L4L lessons; KS4 and KS5 students are able to use the library during break, lunch and timetabled study sessions. In addition, our Book Club runs weekly and provides space for students to discuss their reading interests with their peers. With an emphasis on encouraging curiosity, critical thinking, and academic growth, students have the opportunity to explore a diverse array of materials, engage with interactive learning tools, and access information to enhance their understanding of various subjects. The library serves as an integral part of Shireland CBSO Academy’s commitment to promoting a lifelong appreciation for learning and knowledge.
Literacy Interventions
Students at Shireland CBSO Academy benefit from additional support through the Abigail Steele Phonics programme, a targeted initiative designed to cater to those students who were initially identified through NGRT baseline assessments. These students have since participated in a phonics screening assessment, enabling our dedicated staff to provide tailored support for enhancing their phonemic skills, particularly in the areas of blending and segmenting words. The Abigail Steele Phonics programme aims to empower students with the foundational skills needed to become confident readers and proficient communicators. By addressing the specific needs of each student, we ensure that no one is left behind in their educational journey, reinforcing our commitment to providing a well-rounded and inclusive learning environment at Shireland CBSO Academy.
Shireland CBSO Academy also caters to students who have been identified through NGRT baseline assessments but do not require phonics intervention. For these students, we offer the Lexia intervention programme, which focuses on further enhancing their word study, grammar, and comprehension skills. Lexia is an invaluable resource that assists students in strengthening their reading and language proficiency. Through personalised learning paths, it adapts to individual student needs, offering a tailored approach to skill development. This initiative ensures that every student at Shireland CBSO Academy receives the specialised support necessary to excel in their literacy journey, promoting a well-rounded and comprehensive educational experience for all.
