Reading

When pupils arrive in September, they sit the Star Assessment to determine their reading age. This gives us accurate, actionable data about what our students know and what they are ready to learn next - informing planning and teaching. The Star Assessment result also gives us the pupil’s reading band, informing them of the appropriate books for their reading age. Star testing takes place at the beginning of the school year and every term to show progress. This enables them to continually improve their choices of reading material as they move through the levels. 

For those pupils highlighted as requiring intervention for reading, our Direct Instruction program uses methods that help with decoding, accuracy, fluency, and comprehension skills.

The program involves a scripted presentation approach delivered at a regulated pace. Lessons range from instruction in letter sounds and blending of words to reading and understanding passages.

Students will start the program by completing a placement test which assesses their reading ability and places them onto the relevant level. Lessons are timetabled during the school day.

When pupils have chosen their reading material, they use this independently and within classroom settings. Every day pupils will read for at least 20 minutes during a lesson for our ‘Drop Everything and Read’ session, which is at a different time every day. There is also one tutor time and one reading lesson per week allocated to this. As reading is timetabled for the pupils, there is an expectation that they will bring their books with them to school every day.

During reading lessons, pupils following a variety of activities such as independent reading, class led, and teacher reading followed by quizzing on their books. Quizzing can also be done from home and the best success is obtained from doing this within 24 hours of finishing their book.

Once this is done, pupils then choose their next reading book, and the cycle begins again.

The Accelerated Reader website for pupils to quiz is found here:  https://ukhosted51.renlearn.co.uk/1895584/default.aspx

We have a great range of books in our Learning Resource Centre (LRC), from the most popular contemporary fiction such as the Harry Potter and Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, classics, the especially popular biographies of inspirational sports people and non-fiction texts to allow pupils to learn new skills and points of view.

Another focus when we are choosing titles for the LRC is diversity, equality, and inclusion. In school we call this our ‘Shine’ collection. We have a range of books that portray characters of differing cultures, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, abilities, and religions. To that end, we seek out books with diverse characters and settings. We want to ensure that students are able to choose books that reflect their lives and experiences—and help them to better understand other situations too.

We also have careers information for those interested in planning their futures and making their option choices and next steps after secondary school.

myON by Renaissance is a student-centred, personalised literacy platform which the Telford Langley School buys into, that offers every student unlimited access to an enhanced digital library. Combined with a suite of literacy and homework tools, as well as working in harmony with Star Reading and Accelerated Reader our pupils are set projects and homework assignments to complete as well as reading for pleasure. The link for myOn can be found here: www.myon.co.uk

We offer a great range of after school clubs to address many tastes, from Manga/Anime, Business club, Numeracy and space and facilities for independent study and homework clubs. This is available every afternoon after the school day.