ARTS Education's Reading Policy can be found here

In order to meet the reading needs of all learners, ARTS Education focuses on three strands:

Fostering of a love of reading - To encourage an interest in reading beyond the classroom and to emphasise the long-term enjoyment of reading.

Additionality - interventions to support struggling readers or increase confidence.

Disciplinary literacy - ensuring reading is integral across all curriculum subjects and is viewed in a consistent approach.

Interventions

Upon entry, students are assessed for reading and spelling age. Those needing intense reading support receive the Abigail Steel Synthetic Phonics Program (individual or group) at least three times a week, with progress monitored every six weeks. Students who require support with their confidence and skills access the International Dyslexia Learning (IDL) Literacy Program. The most skilled readers are presented with stretch and challenge within the curriculum and through reading initiatives.

“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” – J.K. Rowling

Fostering a Love of Reading

To continue to support reading development, groups of learners are identified through their RA bands to work together in accessing texts during dedicated daily Love of Reading sessions. Texts link to agreed topics, genres etc and are determined in conjunction with parents/carers, staff and learners.

In order to remove any fear from this activity, all reading is initially adult led, this is again to reduce any threat that learners may associate with reading. Learners will be asked to follow reading and be given individual strategies eg. ruler reading, to support individual needs. Comprehension of texts are monitored through reciprocal reading strategies, which are recorded for each learner on a daily basis.

Staff have received reciprocal reading training to support this new approach.

Disciplinary Literacy

In alignment with the Education Endowment Foundation's (EEF) guidance on disciplinary literacy, staff will participate in a comprehensive training program. This initiative reinforces our commitment to a consistent approach to reading, fostering a rich and uniform reading experience for all students at ARTS Education.

Benefits for Students

• Deeper Understanding Across Subjects: By equipping teachers with disciplinary literacy training, students will benefit from a more cohesive learning experience. Teachers will be able to explicitly connect reading skills to specific subject areas, allowing students to develop a deeper understanding of the content they encounter in various disciplines.

• Targeted Vocabulary Development: Training will emphasize effective strategies for building subject-specific vocabulary. This will empower students to grasp complex concepts within each discipline and improve their overall reading comprehension.

• Enhanced Critical Thinking Skills: Disciplinary literacy training focuses on teaching students how to analyse and evaluate texts specific to different subjects. This will equip them with the critical thinking skills necessary to dissect information, identify key arguments, and form their own informed opinions.

• Increased Confidence and Engagement: When students feel equipped to navigate the reading demands of different subjects, they are more likely to approach learning with confidence and engagement. This can lead to improved academic performance and a greater love of learning overall.

Benefits for the Reading Curriculum

• Consistency and Alignment: Staff training ensures a consistent approach to reading instruction across all subject areas. This reinforces reading skills learned in dedicated English language arts classes and allows for seamless application of those skills in other subjects.

• Focus on Subject-Specific Texts: Training equips teachers with the necessary tools to effectively integrate and analyse subject-specific texts within their curriculum. This broadens the range of reading materials students encounter and promotes a deeper understanding of each discipline.

• Improved Reading Outcomes: By fostering a more comprehensive and targeted approach to reading, the curriculum becomes more effective in enhancing student reading comprehension and overall literacy skills.

Free reading through our libraries - online and physical

Our library thrives on student leadership! A team of dedicated student librarians, chosen through a rigorous application process, invests their time in making the library a fantastic resource for everyone. Their recommendations are driving the library's growth, ensuring it's well-equipped and constantly expanding to meet student needs.

Students can borrow books to enjoy during breaks and lunch in our calm and inviting library environment. Plus, parents have access to the school's online library, extending the love of reading to the home.

We are currently reading as part of our reading groups

In Marissa Meyer's Cinder, we meet Cinder, a gifted mechanic living in a futuristic, plague-ridden New Beijing. Despite being a cyborg, a discriminated-against class of human with robotic parts, Cinder excels in her field. Her life takes a turn when she encounters Prince Kai, who brings her his broken android for repair. Cinder hides her cyborg identity from the prince, but their paths continue to cross. As Cinder delves deeper into the android's repairs, she uncovers secrets about a lost princess and a ruthless lunar queen with plans for Earth. Cinder finds herself at the centre of an intergalactic struggle, grappling with her past, a forbidden romance, and the fate of her world.

Ransom Riggs's novel, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, follows teenager Jake as he investigates a mystery surrounding his grandfather's fantastical stories. Led by clues, Jake finds a hidden island and the abandoned Miss Peregrine's Home. There, he encounters peculiar children with extraordinary abilities, existing in a time loop to avoid monstrous creatures. As Jake uncovers the truth about the past and the dangers of the present, he must decide if he possesses a peculiarity of his own and help protect the extraordinary residents of Miss Peregrine's home.

Reading across the curriculum

We believe reading is a key to success in all subjects! That's why we integrate exciting reading materials across the curriculum. This means students encounter not just textbooks, but also articles, stories, and even multimedia resources that connect to the topics they're learning. By making reading an essential part of every subject, we help students develop strong reading skills, broaden their knowledge base, and see the relevance of reading in all areas of their lives.

Outside of our Reading curriculum

To cultivate a lifelong love of reading, we empower students to take ownership of their reading experience. This is achieved by encouraging independent reading outside of our standard Reading curriculum, allowing students to choose books that spark their individual interests. For avid readers seeking to expand their horizons, we offer a Reading Challenge list featuring captivating titles in our library. Additionally, our Stretch and Challenge program delves into classic literature. These enriching opportunities cater to students at various reading levels, fostering a love of reading that extends beyond the classroom.