Tutor Reading Programme 23-24

I read for pleasure. Do you?

Reading is fun.

Reading is unique.

Reading makes you feel good.

Reading helps you make sense of yourself.

Reading connects children to each other.

Reading is a creative act.

Reading leads to learning.

At Bredon Hill Academy, we aim to foster a community of readers. We believe as stated in The Reading Framework (July 2023) “that reading is fundamental to education” and that “all members of staff are fundamental in ensuring all students learn to read”. One of our ways of implementing this intent is our tutor reading programme. It is delivered within tutor time periods by form tutors for forty minutes a week. This is guided by resources provided by the English Department completed in form tutor books/journals. We employ echo reading and choral reading to develop fluency and provide regular practice.

During this academic year, we are reading poems within each year group a week during the Autumn term. We will read two non-fiction articles a week during the Spring term and finally a selection of short stories during the Summer term.

Autumn Term

Year 6

Week 1: ‘The Months’ by S Coleridge and ‘Lone Dog’ by I Rutherford McLeod

Week 2: ‘The Marrog’ by R C Scriven

Week 3: ‘Five Eyes’ by Walter De La Mare

 

Year 7

Week 1: ‘Hornbeacon High’ by S Crossman (https://clpe.org.uk/poetry/poems/hornbeacon-high)

Week 2: ‘Reading the Classics’ by Brian Patten or ‘Take A Poem’ by James Carter

Week 3: ‘Harriet Tubman’ by Eloise Greenfield

 

Year 8

Week 1: ‘But I Can’t’ by W H Auden

Week 2: ‘The Hurt Boy and the Birds’ by John Agard

Week3: ‘Pleasant Sounds’ by John Clare

 

 

Texts have been selected carefully to ensure that the range of poems, articles and narratives available address age-appropriate themes, but offer a high level of challenge too. We are dedicated to ensuring that progress is made at every stage of your child’s learning journey, and are sure that this new initiative will provide endless opportunities for that. We invite parents to regularly engage with their child about the texts being read.

Strategies for supporting your child at home:

Be interested - ask about the book weekly – plot, characters, themes, predictions

Be sensitive - ensure students have chance to discuss delicate themes that arise

Be aware - feel free to purchase and read the book that your child is reading (as long as they don’t jump ahead in the book beyond their peers!)

Be relaxed - offer a calm, stress-free environment that cultivates enthusiasm

Be an example - let your child see you reading for pleasure on a regular basis at home

 

For parents: reading stories to children

The following has been drawn together to provide the basis for a leaflet schools might create for parents and carers. Further guidance is available: 10 top tips for parents to support children to read.

Introduction

Your child will bring home two books. One is for your child to read to you. It has been carefully chosen so that they can work out all the words. The other book has words your child may not be able to read yet. It is for you to read to your child and talk about together.

How to read a story to your child

If you can find the time beforehand, read the read-aloud book to yourself first, so you can think about how you’re going to read it to your child.

On the first reading:

• Make reading aloud feel like a treat. Make it a special quiet time and cuddle up so you can both see the book.

• Show curiosity about what you’re going to read: ‘This book looks interesting. It’s about an angry child. I wonder how angry he gets…’

• Read through the whole story the first time without stopping too much. Let the story weave its own magic.

• Read with enjoyment. If you’re not enjoying it, your child won’t.

 

Read favourite stories over and over again. On later readings:

• Let your child pause, think about and comment on the pictures.

• If you think your child did not understand something, try to explain: ‘Oh! I think what’s happening here is that…’

• Chat about the story and pictures: ‘I wonder why she did that?’; ‘Oh no, I hope she’s not going to…’; ‘I wouldn’t have done that, would you?’

• Link the stories to your own family experiences: ‘This reminds me of when …’

• Link stories to others that your child knows: ‘Ah! Do you remember the dragon in ….? Do you remember what happened to him?’

• Encourage your child to join in with the bits they know.

• Avoid asking questions to test what your child remembers.

• Avoid telling children that reading stories is good for them.