Reading at Newington

We want all of our pupils to have a love of reading. Because of this, we want to provide our pupils with as many experiences as possible around reading.  It is important that pupils have the opportunity to read books at their reading level but also books that challenge them, interest them and are from a variety of genres. One of the ways in which we do this at Newington is through engagement with Accelerated Reader and MyON. 

Accelerated Reader assesses the pupils every term so that pupils are always reading a book at an appropriate level. Pupils are given a ZPD which indicates the level at which they should be reading. The ZPD will have a lower end scale (pupils can read easily independently) up to a higher end scale (pupils may need support from an adult). Each time your child finishes a book, they can log on to Accelerated Reader and take a Practice Quiz which will test them on their understanding of the text they have read. 

MyON is an online reading platform that offers pupils a wide range of texts they can read within their ZPD. MyON and Accelerated Reader are linked and so update each time the pupils are assessed ensuring that pupils are always reading at the correct level and reading texts that will challenge them too. 

Reading for Pleasure

‘Reading for Pleasure is the single most important indicator of a child’s future success’. (OECD, 2002)

At Newington Academy, we wish to nurture children‘s engagement and enjoyment as readers. Therefore, in addition to a levelled book, all pupils are provided with a Reading for Pleasure book from their Reading areas within the year group. This is a book that pupils can choose to read independently or with an adult - but is a book of their choice, not necessarily within their ZPD level. The aim is to develop a passion for and interest in reading 

Research suggests that there are 6 principles to support Reading for Pleasure through engagement and enjoyment: 

• Access

• Choice

• Time

• Connection

• Social

• Success

 (Love to Read, 2022) 

Click on the link to read more about these 6 principles.

Reading at home

Here at Newington Academy, we want all pupils to develop a love for reading that will set them up to be successful learners and adults. The more your child reads, the better they will become, opening up a whole host of opportunities in their future. 

We ask that all pupils read everyday - whether this be their levelled reading book, their Reading for Pleasure book or something of their choice at home such as sports programs, comics, recipes and instructions for a game. It is important that this is recorded in their reading diary as your child will receive rewards for the number of reads that they achieve. 

Rewards

Pupils will receive certificates for the number of reads they achieve with special certificates for 50, 100, 150 and 200 reads. In addition to this, pupils will receive a dip in the Reading prize box once they achieve 150 reads and a book from the vending machine on achieving 200 reads.