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John Milton Academy Trust

These schools are part of the John Milton Academy Trust. Click on the school's logo to visit their website.

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Reading

 

At Stowupland High School we believe that reading is power.  And, in the words of Dr Seuss, "The more that you read, the more things you will know.  The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."

Our comprehensive Reading Strategy addresses 3 key areas:

1. Identification of struggling readers

All students complete a reading test on admission to the school and, for students in Years 7-10, this is repeated at least annually.  We use the NGRT reading tests so that they provide the school with diagnostic information about each child’s strengths and weaknesses within reading.  This is shared with parents/carers.

2. Additional teaching/intervention programme to meet specific reading needs

The school recognises that some students will have weaker levels of literacy and therefore proactively plans to support students with the weakest levels of literacy.  This model is one of tiered support, which is more intensive for those with the greatest need.  All interventions are matched to students’ needs and the impact of the interventions is monitored, at least termly.  We follow a model of ‘in-out’ testing for each reading intervention programme.

 

Within these interventions, we offer:

  • A systematic synthetic phonics programme for those with decoding challenges
  • Repeated frequent exposure to reading to address reading fluency and accuracy
  • Family support
  • Use of online literacy programmes (e.g. Lexia, MyON, Bedrock)
  • Paired reading
  • Further testing, as appropriate, to identify any special educational need or speech, communication and language need
  • Alternative curriculum

3. Reading independently and for pleasure and to raise the profile of reading

Encouraging a reading culture where all students and staff are readers is of upmost importance to us.  The school, therefore, invests in opportunities to encourage and support all students to be readers. 

This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Positive promotion of reading (e.g. what staff are reading, vocabulary displays, subject specific reading boxes,
  • Tutor time reading programme
  • Library lessons
  • Literacy Champions with ‘Get Suffolk Reading’
  • Investment in our library
  • Parental involvement
  • Bedrock vocabulary
  • Whole school teaching strategy for reading