Reading

Sitting alongside the Ks3 curriculum at Greenacre is a reading programme tailored to individual student ability. As an Academy, we have invested in the Accelerated Reader programme – this is used to assess students’ reading ability and also measures comprehension and reading success. In line with this programme, we expose students to a rich diet of texts and genres, including a variety of well-chosen forms, topics and viewpoints that are bespoke to the needs of our students. The reading programme aims to nurture enjoyment and improvement within reading, with the ambition to equip students with the opportunity to reach their full potential.

 

DEAR time & Reading for Pleasure

DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) time within the Academy is a vital part of the school day. Students in Ks3 read for twenty minutes each day in one of their timetabled lessons. The schedule works on a rota so that students are reading in a variety of lessons.

During DEAR time, students are given the opportunity to read for pleasure. They are able to read their own book, or a book that they have borrowed from the library. Students may also be read to, or may access the online reading platform MyOn.

The library is open during DEAR time for students to change their reading books and complete an Accelerated Reader quiz.

Students in KS4 are encourage to read the following ‘Reading for Pleasure’ booklet to support them in finding age-appropriate books. All of the books featured can be found in the school library and can be borrowed by students in Years 10 and 11.

Students in KS4 are encourage to read the following ‘Reading for Pleasure’ booklet to support them in finding age-appropriate books. All of the books featured can be found in the school library and can be borrowed by students in Years 10 and 11.

 

Reading Support

We want to ensure that all students at Greenacre are given the opportunity to progress within their reading in order to prepare them for the future. Students who struggle with literacy are given targeted support. This can be through a range of different interventions, such as: small group intervention during form times; support and encouragement within the library during DEAR time; intervention sessions with staff trained in synthetic phonics.

In addition, form tutors have a vital role in supporting reading within the Academy. Each week, they are provided with the reading results from our reading competitions. They discuss these with students and identify students who may need some further encouragement with reading.

 

Writing

We see the development of our students’ ability to write clearly, fluently and accurately as an essential part of everyday life. We aim to ensure that all students can spell and punctuate correctly, know how a sentence works and take pleasure in writing creatively.

Literacy is promoted throughout every subject within of our curriculum, with a focus on subject specific ‘disciplinary literacy’. This means that students are supported with literacy in each of their subjects. Within each subject, students are immersed in Tier 2 and 3 vocabularies, including reference to a key word every lesson that is referenced to within the lesson’s Critical Question. Alongside this, students are encouraged to learn important subject specific spellings in order to maximise their understanding of vocabulary.

An important element of literacy at Greenacre is oracy. We aim to give students the skills to talk confidently about a range of topics, including the ability to clearly express their own viewpoint. High quality talk is modelled by teachers and adults within the academy and is used alongside our core values to promote oracy as a life skill.

How can I support my son/ward with literacy?

  • Encourage your son/ward to log on to their Spellzone account three times a week
  • Practice subject specific spellings – use the Knowledge Organisers to support with this
  • Discuss a range of current-events and topics with your son/ward
  • Read every day for twenty minutes – use MyOn, or your son/ward’s library book