Reading Newsletter

Welcome to the Lark Rise Reading Newsletter.

Dear All,

Welcome to our summer edition of the reading newsletter. We are delighted with the enthusiasm and progress that the children are making with their reading across the school, whether it's progressing with their decoding and fluency reading their phonics (RWI) books or whether they have moved on to access Accelerated Reader books, our children are demonstrating a desire and passion for reading which is so important in order to become life long learners and successful in the future. We are committed to nurturing this love for reading and hope you enjoy exploring the tabs in this newsletter which really demonstrate how we are trying to get our children hooked on reading.

The annual Summer Reading Challenge, organised by The Reading Agency and delivered by public libraries, is another great opportunity to get children involved in more reading this summer. It has a science and engineering theme this year: Gadgeteers supported by the Science Museum. The information below explains how children can get involved. More information will be shared with them after half term in an assembly.

Children are encouraged to read whatever they like for the challenge, recognising the importance of reading for pleasure in increasing empathy and improving well-being, as well as in children’s educational success.

The Challenge

Children must be members of the library service. Join the library here or go to your local library.
The challenge invites children to read any six library books or more during the summer holidays.
Families can sign up for the challenge at any library, at any stage in the summer from Friday 22 July.
Children can borrow books or read our e-books, magazines and audiobooks available from the Virtual Library
Children collect rewards for the books they read – a bookmark for reading 2 books; a pencil for reading 4 books; a certificate and a medal for reading 6 books.
Children aged 4-16 completing the challenge (6 books) will be entered into a lucky dip at their library for the chance to win a tablet computer.

Events

Science workshops run by Sublime Science will be taking place in libraries in August, with mixed demonstration and hands-on science – including gooey slime!
The popular John Kirk who entertained us last year, returns with more online entertainment in the form of science Story Hunts.

There are limited spaces and booking opens on 11 June at 12pm at:

https://linktr.ee/centralbedfordshirelibraries

Further details of all activities from www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/summer-reading-challenge

We are keen to support schools and families, in encouraging children to keep reading throughout the summer.

Grimm tales

Our children in Upper Key Stage Two were studying Grimm tales last term. Some of them have enjoyed reading these to the younger children in the school. Here is an extract from Sophie Cook's story.

Long ago, in a far-away land, a proud castle stood tall above the kingdom below. In this castle lived the most beautiful princess ever seen: Princess Anne. Her eyes were dazzling, her hair was as soft as the finest silk and as black as soot but, although her looks were astonishing, her heart was cold, greedy and ungrateful. Only the best and nothing else was accepted by Anne. She would never give away what was hers and everything in the land belonged to her.

On Anne’s sixteenth birthday, the kingdom had to provide more gifts for the princess; every peasant, every servant and every knight were compelled to bring her a worthy gift.

“Next!” the princess shouted, throwing the hand-painted musical box into the air.

A hunched, old woman hobbled up to her slowly and bowed before Anne. “I come here to present you with a gift from nature’s very heart: the willow branch.”

Gasping in horror, Ann stormed, “How dare you enter my palace? How dare you bow before me and present me with a twig?” She stood up from her throne and, enraged, grasped the stick tightly in both hands and snapped the delicate willow branch into two.

The woman stood straight and lifted her arm. Three crows rested on her shoulders and shrieked out,

“Anne, Anne, your heart is too cold,

Your actions are way too greedy and bold,

You need to be more grateful and giving

Otherwise, your reign will not be worth living.”

As these words resonated around the ballroom, the princess floated into the air and started to illuminate, then she disappeared out of the castle, which was still standing tall. Moments later, Anne found herself thrown onto the cobbled streets of the village.

“Get out of my way, peasant,” called a passing trader from the village.

“Peasant? Peasant? I am your princess, your soon-to-be queen!” Anne shouted angrily, stamping her feet in frustration.

“Princess? There is no princess and never has been,” he replied and walked on past.

Anne looked down and realised, to her horror, that her majestic clothes were now muddy rags. Anne was stunned: she was the princess, wasn’t she?

Reading Scrapbooks

We are continually looking for ways to promote 'book talk' and reading for pleasure across the school. One way that we have introduced is the idea of the children adding to a Reading Scrapbook when they have enjoyed reading a book; even the staff have had a go at sharing some of the books they have enjoyed. Ask your teacher about how you can create your own entry in the reading scrapbook for your key stage and share your recommendations with others.

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