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Reading

Whole School Reading Strategy: Sparx Reader and Lexia PowerUp

At New Forest Academy, we believe that the ability to read well is essential to enabling competence. Ensuring all our pupils can read well and access the curriculum will transform their life chances. In order to achieve this, we use purposeful assessment and high-quality interventions. Reading is a high priority at our school, and we are implementing key reading strategies to create confident, successful readers.

Our approach is multi-faceted. Effective teaching of reading is deeply embedded in our curriculum, and all pupils have access to, can engage with, and enjoy high-quality texts. To further support this, we use the Lift Schools NGRT testing to identify and monitor weaker readers, allowing us to tailor support strategies. This is delivered through a Phonics Programme using Fresh Start Phonics Intervention, ensuring that every pupil builds a strong foundation in reading.

To complement these strategies, we have adopted Sparx Reader as part of our whole school reading strategy and Lexia PowerUp as a targeted intervention for students who need additional support. Below, we explain these two approaches and how they work to support your child’s reading journey.

Sparx Reader: A Whole School Approach

We’re excited to let you know that we’ve partnered with Sparx Learning to start using their new reading platform, Sparx Reader, from January. It’s really important to us that young people are able to practise careful, silent reading for a decent amount of time, without distraction. Sparx Reader reassures us as teachers and parents that focused reading is happening, and that readers of all abilities feel successful and motivated.

Your child will be using Sparx Reader to complete weekly homework. Homework will be set on a Monday and due the following Monday every week. Here are some key features of Sparx Reader:

Personalised Content: Sparx Reader adapts to your child’s reading level, ensuring that the materials they engage with are both accessible and challenging.
Wide Range of Texts: Sparx Reader includes an eBook library with a suitability range from 6 to 17+ years, offering students access to a broad variety of engaging texts. This not only supports their academic growth but revitalises reading for pleasure.
Accessibility Features: The platform includes virtual reading rulers, dyslexia-friendly texts, built-in colour overlays, and the opportunity to read a physical book. These features ensure that all students, regardless of their needs, can engage meaningfully with their reading.
Points and Motivation: Careful readers earn points, meaning they can prove they’ve been focusing and ultimately climb the league table! Motivated readers who demonstrate consistent, careful reading can unlock Gold Reader, allowing them to read any paper book from the library or from home by scanning its barcode.
Parental Engagement: Parents can access information about their child’s reading activity and progress through the Parent Portal, accessible via the Sparx Maths weekly homework email.

The addition of Sparx Reader represents an exciting enhancement to our reading strategy. While Reading Plus has supported our students effectively in the past, the unique functionality of Sparx Reader, particularly its eBook library and accessibility features, has been a key driver in our decision to transition to this platform.

To support parents further, we encourage you to watch a series of short videos explaining what Sparx Reader is and how it works, available at https://sparxreader.com/parents/

How to Log In

Students log in at sparxreader.com. They will need to find their school and log in using their Sparx Maths details. Sparx Reader can be accessed on any device that connects to the internet with a web browser.

How You Can Support Your Child’s Reading

Sparx Reader adapts to each student’s reading level, so it’s important that you don’t help by answering questions for them. If you help them, Sparx Reader might think they’re a very strong reader and show them books that are too difficult.

You can help by providing a quiet space and a set amount of time for your child to focus on their reading homework each week. The best way to support your child is to ask them about the book they’re reading: what aspects they’re enjoying, which characters and events they’ve recently read about, or what they think could happen next.

Monitoring Your Child’s Progress

You are able to keep track of your child’s reading by clicking through the link to the Parent Portal in your Sparx Maths weekly homework email. On the Parent Portal, you can view homework progress for any Sparx Learning system your child is using. For Sparx Reader, you can see progress with current and previous homework and browse books your child has been reading as part of their assignments. When your child finishes their book, we will send you an email celebrating their achievement!

Lexia PowerUp: Targeted Reading Intervention

While Sparx Reader supports the entire school community, we recognise that some students may require additional help to build foundational reading skills. Lexia PowerUp is a research-based intervention programme designed to support students in Key Stages 3 and 4 who are reading below their expected level. Here’s how it works:

Focus Areas: Lexia PowerUp targets three critical areas of reading development:
- Word Study: Improving spelling, decoding, and word recognition skills.
- Grammar: Enhancing understanding of sentence structure and language mechanics.
- Comprehension: Building the ability to understand, interpret, and analyse texts.
Personalised Learning Pathways: Students work through tailored activities at their own pace, allowing them to focus on areas where they need the most support.
Engaging Format: The programme includes interactive tasks, short lessons, and motivational progress tracking to keep students engaged and on track.
Teacher Monitoring: Teachers receive detailed insights into each student’s progress, enabling them to provide timely and targeted support.

Lexia PowerUp is used as part of a structured intervention plan, with sessions integrated into the school day. It ensures that students who need extra support can build their reading skills and catch up with their peers.

How You Can Support Your Child’s Reading Journey

Encourage Daily Reading: Support your child in developing a daily reading habit. This could include time on Sparx Reader, reading books of their choice, or exploring new genres together.
Discuss What They Read: Engage your child in conversations about what they are reading. Ask questions, share your thoughts, and encourage them to think critically about the text.
Celebrate Progress: Whether it’s completing a Sparx Reader assignment or reaching a new milestone in Lexia PowerUp, celebrate your child’s achievements to keep them motivated.

Communicate with School: If you have questions about your child’s reading development or progress in either programme, please don’t hesitate to contact their teacher.

Our goal is to ensure that every student at New Forest Academy becomes a confident and capable reader. By combining the school-wide use of Sparx Reader with the targeted support of Lexia PowerUp, and by embedding high-quality teaching strategies and interventions like Fresh Start Phonics, we are addressing the diverse needs of our students and equipping them with essential skills for both academic success and lifelong learning. Thank you for your support in making this vision a reality.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs A.Forder via the following email address: aforder@newforestacademy.org.

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