Reading
I read for pleasure and that is the moment I learn the most. ~ Margaret Atwood
Reading is a fundamental skill that all young people will need as they move through their learning journey at Bay House and transition into the wider world. Our aim is to ensure that all pupils read widely and often. We support readers to be confident and fluent whilst challenging them to access texts above their chronological age that enrich, inspire and broaden pupils’ experiences of the world.
The School Library
Details about the school library can be found here.
Reading Canon
The Reading Canon has been designed to provide pupils with a list of books that are engaging, diverse, inclusive and suited to each year group. The books have been chosen as they link to the school curriculum whilst also challenging our pupils with reading. Pupils are encouraged to read as many of the recommended texts which have been linked to a number of reading initiatives in school.
Tutor Time Reading Programme
Every Tuesday Years 7-10 take part in our Tutor Time Reading Programme. Tutor groups have been able to select their texts from a wide range of options. In order to promote high levels of reading, all staff have undergone training to support the delivery of high quality teaching of Reading during these sessions. Slides to accompany each book are used by tutors as they read aloud to pupils, who track the text with their reciprocal reading rulers. A copy of these can be found below:
Year 7-8 Tutor Time Reading Programme
Year 9-10 Tutor Time Reading Programme
Reading Across the Curriculum
Here at Bay House, we firmly believe that all teachers are teachers of Reading. Literacy Champions in every subject are working on embedding key explicit Literacy and Reading teaching strategies within their departments.
Library Lessons
Structured library lessons every four weeks provide pupils with the opportunity to explore a variety of genres and authors, offers time for shared and private reading and is a way of encouraging wider reading. By offering pupils dedicated reading for pleasure time, we hope that this, in turn, supports our whole school reading culture, the importance of reading widely and the benefits reading has on our wellbeing and academic progress.
Interventions
At Bay House, all pupils in Year 7-10 are tested termly using Renaissance STAR Reader. Pupils identified in KS3 that require further support with reading have access to bespoke intervention sessions.
How to support your child with reading
Please see our useful guide HERE on supporting your child’s reading progress.
Our Reading Events Calendar is below:
September Year 7 library Inductions KS3 library lessons (Myths & Legends Genre) |
October Horror Genre Month (including KS3 library lessons) |
November Author Visit KS3 library lessons (Thriller Genre) Bonfire Night High Five a Librarian Day! |
December Festivities Month (including Christmas) Bookbuzz – book gift for Year 7 Jólabókaflóð – the Christmas book flood KS3 library lessons (Christmas Genre) |
January Library Shelfie Day KS3 library lessons (Science Fiction Genre) |
February LGBTQ+ History Month Library Lovers Day (Blind date a book event). KS3 library lessons (Science Fiction Genre) |
March Easter – Crack open a book event. KS3 library lessons (World Book Day) |
April Drop Everything and Read Day (DEAR) KS3 library lessons (Books to Film Genre) |
May Bay House Book Awards (Summer Term) KS3 library lessons (Crime Genre) |
June KS3 library lessons (Real Life Issues Genre) |
July Year 6 Transition Scholastic Book Fair KS3 library lessons (Adventure Genre) |
August Summer Reading Challenge |