Establishing Reading as a Lifelong Habit
Every student at Our Lady’s will have a wide opportunity to read on a regular basis including:
Form Time Reading Program
Twice each week students will undertake a guided reading session during form time; the selection of books covers a range of authors, styles and genres to encourage students to discover their own preferences to embed reading as a lifelong habit.
Year |
Book 1 |
Book 2 |
Book 3 |
7 |
Boy: Tales of Childhood |
The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh |
Millions |
8 |
Goodnight Mr Tom |
Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 ¾ |
Holes |
9 |
Hate |
Heroes |
Al Capone Does My Shirts |
10 |
The Fault in Our Stars |
The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole |
Woman in Black |
Academic Reading Program
Each department will provide every student the opportunity to read subject related material through the “Reading Like A…” program to enhance their understanding and enjoyment of the taught curriculum. This program will feature at least one piece of academic reading with some summary comprehension questions to determine how well that material had been understood.
Use of the Library
All students are regularly surveyed to determine “student choice” books in the library with the library re-organised into themes so students can quickly find a book they are interested in.
Literacy Strategy
Strategy |
Detail & Intended Impact |
Reading Age Testing |
Accurately identify reading ages of students to enable timely interventions to take place. Enables staff in all subjects to appropriately differentiate for their classes |
After School Reading Support |
Students that are just below are supported to improve utilising the Academic Study Support Team to complete the Rapid Plus intervention program |
In School Reading Intervention |
Students that are identified as requiring additional support will be given 1:3 reading support sessions delivered by ITT students twice per week |
Word of the Week |
Raise the profile of vocabulary use in school by introducing students to a new Tier 2 word each week, and actively reward students that correctly use the word of the week in their work. Word of the Week in Classrooms, around school and on Website & updated each week |
Academic Reading |
Students to begin reading for purpose in all subjects by completing one piece of wider academic reading each half term in lesson with some comprehension questions in place to review understanding. OLQP Template to be provided. This to be then embedded into departmental curriculum plans going forward |
Phonics Training |
Key staff aware of effective strategies to support the development of student reading |
Library Relaunch |
Library re-organised to showcase the wide variety of fiction books available. Students in Y7-10 to have opportunity to choose from a selection of age-appropriate books to give a “chosen by year x” section of the library & increase the number of students accessing the library. Lunch time access to the library to be put back in place on designated days |
Launching from September 2021
Strategy |
Detail & Intended Impact |
Group Reading Training |
All staff are trained to include time for group reading in classrooms with modelling of good practice shared by the English department. |
Tier 2 & 3 Word Refresher |
All staff aware of the hierarchy of word usage and their part in developing student literacy and vocabulary Staff and students able to use these words confidently in lesson and across school |
Phonics for All |
All staff are aware of how they can use Phonics strategies in their classrooms to reinforce the development of reading and spelling. |
Early Reading Intervention |
Students that have been identified as very weak readers will undertake an intensive phonics development course to rapidly allow them to make progress with their reading |
Form Time Reading Program |
All students are given the opportunity to read and hear other people read twice per week. Research shows that group reading with students following along improves everybody’s reading skills. Form Tutors provided with a “road map” of where they need to be in each book across a 10-week program |
Vocabulary Development (Bedrock Learning) |
Students actively exposed to increased vocabulary in a range of settings and situations |
Word of the Week Programme 2021-22
|
Week commencing: |
Word of the Week: |
1. |
6th Sept 2021 |
Effervescent |
2. |
13th Sept 2021 |
Fluctuate |
3. |
20th Sept 2021 |
Arid |
4. |
27th Sept 2021 |
Eclectic |
5. |
4th Oct 2021 |
Inept |
6. |
11th Oct 2021 |
Observe |
7. |
18th Oct 2021 |
Justify |
8. |
1st Nov 2021 |
Appalling |
9. |
8th Nov 2021 |
Predicament |
10. |
15th Nov 2021 |
Fervent |
11. |
22nd Nov 2021 |
Fatigue |
12. |
29th Nov 2021 |
Spontaneous |
13. |
6th Dec 2021 |
Pundit |
14. |
13th Dec 2021 |
Pandemonium |
15. |
3rd Jan 2022 |
Gregarious |
16. |
10th Jan 2022 |
Ambivalent |
17. |
17th Jan 2022 |
Jovial |
18. |
24th Jan 2022 |
Penultimate |
19. |
31st Jan 2022 |
Surreptitious |
20. |
7th Feb 2022 |
Astute |
21. |
21st Feb 2022 |
Fickle |
22. |
28th Feb 2022 |
Tenacious |
23. |
7th March 2022 |
Innate |
24. |
14th March 2022 |
Abhor |
25. |
21st March 2022 |
Impeccable |
26. |
28th March 2022 |
Ubiquitous |
27. |
18th April 2022 |
Vociferous |
28. |
25th April 2022 |
Novice |
29. |
2nd May 2022 |
Obsequious |
30. |
9th May 2022 |
Procrastinate |
31. |
16th May 2022 |
Miscellaneous |
32. |
23rd May 2022 |
Loquacious |
33. |
6th June 2022 |
Ravenous |
34. |
13th June 2022 |
Benevolent |
35. |
20th June 2022 |
Nonchalant |
36. |
27th June 2022 |
Abundance |
37. |
4th July 2020 |
Exuberant |
38. |
11th July 2020 |
Amiable |
39. |
18th July 2020 |
Pretentious |