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Reading
Here at St Mary Magdalene Academy, we are proud to consider ourselves a reading school. As such, we constantly embrace and promote the endless enjoyment that comes from a love of reading and books, whilst systematically and diligently supporting children in their reading journey from early years decoding through to fluent sophisticated comprehension. We know that the ability to read, and read well, is a vital skill for pupil’s high achievement, and a platform from which to discover their vocation in our global society and indeed a life that is rich in the love of literature.
Our intent is thus to ensure that each pupil’s reading journey is a successful one. This is facilitated through a rigorous programme of systematic synthetic phonics, fluency practise, organised home reading resources, reading curriculum maps that ensure coverage and progression and are organised around the National Curriculum objectives, guided reading lessons, English lessons centred around quality language rich texts, daily story, poetry and rhyme time, effective assessment, and where needed, focussed intervention.
The following are some of our planned approaches to promote and support reading in the classroom and beyond.
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| School library | Each pupil visits our well stocked and maintained library once every two weeks. Here the school librarian or their class teacher will read them an extract from a story and then the children have time to choose a book to take home to read. |
| Reading Roadmap |
Each year group has a set of books in their classroom with a special reading roadmap sticker on them. These books have been carefully selected as a booklist for that age group. Children tick off on their 'map' the different books they have read that year - some even read all of them! |
| Book corners | As well as Reading Roadmap books, book corners in classrooms are stocked with other reading material. This might have been borrowed from the Islington Library service and be linked to the Unit of Inquiry that half term. |
| Stories in assembly | Our Head of Primary and Deputy Head love to read stories with a message in our assemblies. We usually share at least one book a week as a whole school |
| World Book Day | One day a year, we turn the whole school over to reading. During this time, we pair pupils up with different classes and students bring in a story to share, teachers visit another class to share a story they love, there is a whole staff reading of a book in assembly and not forgetting to dress up! |
| Beanstalk Reading Volunteers | A fantastic charity Beanstalk send in volunteers who have been trained to support children with their reading. They are incredibly popular with the children who get to spend half an hour of time together practising their skills. |
| Guided Reading | Guided Reading takes place daily in classes. We separate reading into word reading and comprehension. In our younger years, adults read with children. In all year groups from Year 1, comprehension is taught during whole class reading lessons. |
| Deloitte Book Groups | Selected children in Year 5 and 6 take part in a book group which is run by Deloitte. Volunteers visit the children in school, give them a copy of a text each to read at home and then revisit to discuss what they have learnt. |
| Class book | Staff and children also love to pick up a good book and read together. There is desginated time in all classes' timetables to read a story or poem together. |
| Local Library | We work alongside our local Islington libraries to promote any events happening there. Lots of children take part in the summer holiday reading schemes. |
More information can be found in our Primary Reading Statement attached below.
Downloads
| Page Downloads |
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| SMMA Primary Reading Statement |
