At St Erme with Trispen, we promote a ‘Love of Reading’ throughout the school. We want to build a culture of reading for enjoyment and develop a lifelong love of reading which will benefit children in so many ways. We recognise that reading for pleasure will encourage children to succeed both academically and socially. Here are some of the things we do to promote a love of reading:
• We have prioritised a ‘love of reading’, ensuring that children are read to daily and that story times are engaging.
• We ensure reading activities are promoted throughout the whole school year through Book Fairs, World Book Day, National Poetry Day, book swaps and parent/child reading sessions.
• An appealing, well-stocked and updated library is available for daily use to ensure children’s requests for books are met.
• Pupil Conferencing indicates that our pupils love visiting the library and are pleased with the range of books available (fiction and non-fiction).
• We have stocked up on books from current and popular authors.
• Every classroom has a well-organised area designated to reading.
• We actively seek to add new, exciting books to our Book Corners, when we can.
• Class teachers read a novel or non-fiction book daily linked to our whole school reading curriculum. Teachers can also choose their own books to share with the children which they feel will be loved and enjoyed.
• Books that are being shared in class are displayed centrally. This creates interest from the children in other classes. Additionally, staff share their own favourite books.
• There are reward systems in place that recognise children who love reading at school and at home, such as Reading for Treasure and rewards linked to Accelerated Reader.
• Reading progress is displayed and celebrated in all classes through words counts and reading at home rewards.
• We have dedicated sections on our school website to support parents with reading and the promotion of reading for pleasure.
*Our weekly newsletter to parents promotes the importance of reading with Book Recommendations.
*Upper Key Stage 2 staff are members of a national KS2 Teacher Book Club, reading and engaging with new texts from upcoming authors, and share this practise and discussion with colleagues and pupils.
1. Class reading time
Reading to the class is a priority and it doesn’t have to fit into the curriculum, the timetable or have an objective which needs ticking off. Every day, children are read to by their teacher. This is a non-negotiable!
In Early Years and Key Stage One, the teaching of early reading is done systematically alongside phonics. Children take home the book they can read fluently alongside a new, closely-linked bookbag book, as well as engaging story books to share at home. Teachers also share high quality extracts and short stories for book discussion as well as enjoyment in the afternoons.
In Key Stage Two, teachers follow a reading curriculum that is varied with a termly novel for reading lessons, as well as extracts which engage and broaden children’s reading tastes.
Reading is central to foundation subjects such as science, history and geography and opportunities to read outside of these, as well as in lessons, are encouraged with topic books in book corners.
2. Involving the community
We involve our parents by supporting with tips and techniques for helping children develop early reading, comprehension skills and a love of reading.
We send reading books home which not only can be read to parents but books which parents can read to their children, so that stories can be enjoyed together. A comprehensive recommended book list can be found on our website.
Every half term, parents are invited into classrooms to join a reading session with their children. Parents are then encouraged to stay for a refreshments.
3. Book donations
Throughout the year we have regular events whereby children can swap books or sell their books. If children can see a book they have brought in or recommended on the bookshelves or being enjoyed by their peers, it can really help them to appreciate the value of the enjoyment of books.
Fundraising by our school PTA has been invested in quality book sets for the classroom.
4. World Book Day
We celebrate World Book Day! It is important to remember that it shouldn’t be just about dressing up in a superhero costume. We ask the children to bring in a book from home, one that includes their favourite book character; or if the children don’t have books at home, we support them in school to select from books they have read here. Staff also dress up and role play throughout the day.
Such an event can give children a real reason for understanding characters, expressing preferences, talking about books they have enjoyed and hearing about books from their peers that they might not otherwise have chosen to read. It also enables them to see the power of a shared love of reading.
- A reading environment
The school environment can really make a big impact. All classrooms have clearly thought out reading corners and emphasis has been placed on not only how they look, but how accessible and welcoming they are, stocked up with good quality, appropriate books. Sometimes less is best!
At St Erme with Trispen we have subscribed to online reading which can be accessed through Ipads, such as myON and Accelerated Reader. This can demonstrate to the children that reading isn’t just about books.
Teachers and other staff promote reading for pleasure simply by having a copy of a book or magazine they are reading on their desk and by being ready to discuss it with the children if they ask what they are reading.
