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PROGRAMME TITLE:
Coordinated Whole-School Reading Promotion
Programme.
Description Created by LiRe Partner Institution:
University of
Worcester
Time & Place:
January 2011 – present.
Target Group(s):
Years 1-6.
Description:
Following a satisfactory OFSTED (Office for Standards in Education) inspection
September 2010, the senior management team was re-organised and a senior member
of staff given the role of Literacy coordinator with a responsibility for raising standards
of attainment in reading and writing. The OFSTED report (2011) stated that “Pupils'
attainment in reading and mathematics is average in most year groups but lower in
writing, particularly for boys.”
The Literacy coordinator’s approach
was based on developing a reading
culture within the school, whereby
pupils, in particular boys, would take a
more active approach in their reading
and in turn, read for pleasure and
enjoyment. This involved creating a
welcoming and stimulating reading
environment, giving pupils access to a
wide range of quality reading
materials, banding books according to
reading levels, revamping the school library, organising trips to see authors and discuss
the books that they had written, parent workshops and pupil interviews to explore their
views on reading. In short, reading became a priority in the school, something that
evoked enjoyment and pleasure. Pupils became secure in their choices and used books
to deepen their understanding and extend their knowledge. Reading for pleasure was
given a high profile throughout the school with a new school library for parents, pupils
and the Children’s Centre being opened by a leading children’s author.
Objectives:
To foster a love of reading
To raise the profile of reading within the school and wider community
To raise standards of attainment in reading
To encourage a willingness to read for pleasure
To encourage confident, enthusiastic readers
