Literacy
Literacy is a cornerstone of our ability to communicate effectively and navigate our way through life. This is a place where I hope you will find useful resources and strategies to support young people at home and discover what we do to support literacy across the curriculum. Literacy isn’t just about reading and writing; speaking and listening skills should be seen as equally important on our learning journeys.
The literacy team here at BHS has a wide variety of experience and expertise and we are committed to improving the literacy skills of all our students.
What we do
In Year 7 we test the reading ages of pupils using the Star Reader programme. From this data, the English team and wider teaching staff have access to the reading age data for the new intake and can then utilise their classroom strategies to support all readers in the classroom.
When students arrive in secondary school they are exposed to a huge amount of new vocabulary and it can be a lot to process, especially for learners who have SEN, EAL or low literacy levels. In our role as classroom teachers, we have a plethora of strategies available to use to help embed the new vocabulary.
Some of these include activating prior knowledge, looking at the etymology of words, repeated use of the new vocabulary and exposure to the new vocabulary in context.
We continue to monitor KS3 using Star Reader, analysing the data available and organising appropriate interventions with teaching staff and our intervention support. One of these interventions is a structure programme delivered by staff trained in the programme called Catch-Up Literacy.
What is Catch Up Literacy?
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Designed for struggling readers
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15-minute sessions, twice a week
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Delivered by teaching assistants, teachers or mentors.
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Grounded in rigorous academic research.
Catch Up® Literacy is a structured one-to-one intervention for learners who find reading difficult. It enables struggling readers to achieve more than double the progress of typically developing readers.
Catch Up® Literacy uses a book-based approach to support learners in their reading of a book so they activate both dimensions of reading – word recognition processes (including phonics) and language comprehension processes.
It is suitable for all struggling readers whose Reading Age is significantly below their Chronological Age and is designed for use with struggling readers aged 6-14, rather than beginner readers.
You can find more information about it here: https://www.catchup.org/
Why is reading important?
We all know reading is important as it is a huge part of our daily lives, and it is a message delivered regularly in schools up and down the country. We also know that reading is not an enjoyable experience for all and therefore we do our best as teachers to support those who find reading difficult.
The National Literacy Trust reports that recreational reading is declining, research from 2022 showed that the reading enjoyment of 8-18 yr. olds was at its lowest level since 2005. Reading can give you so much more than the ability to pass an exam or read the directions to your next destination.
For many, reading is a form of relaxation, a place to escape everyday challenges and a source of entertainment. Pupils who read regularly report heightened levels of social and emotional wellbeing.
Interestingly, studies have shown that there is a link between a person’s literacy and their life outcomes and even life expectancy! You can read more about this on the blog post listed in the resources section.
How can you help at home?
As parents and carers at home you can play a huge role in supporting students who find reading tricky and also to show that reading is an enjoyable and relaxing past time. The graphic below illustrates many ways you can read at home and make it a positive experience for you and your child.
Suggestions for reading at home activities.
Story book reading
Shared reading activities
Visits to the library in the local town or The Next Chapter here at BHS.
Activities focused on the language used by the writer to make us think or feel a certain mood or atmosphere.
Using as many opportunities as possible to discuss what a child is reading.
Reading aloud to hear the different sounds of words and phonic blends.
Seeing family members read for enjoyment and relaxation.
Correcting any errors in reading aloud pronunciation and comprehension.
See reading as a valuable activity.
Words games like Boggle, Scrabble and Story Cubes.
Taking the time to listen to children read and discuss what books they like and dislike.
Looking for recommendations of books online and in book shops. There are plenty of Boostagram influencers and Book Toks dedicated to reading.
The Next Chapter
We are very lucky to have a dedicated library space at BHS predominantly for reading for pleasure. It is run by our librarian and a team of student librarians. Working as part of the literacy team, we regularly update the new reads and promote different books every term.
It is a wonderful space our students can enjoy as a quiet space at break and lunchtime, discover new reads and relax.
We have been very lucky to have author visits in to promote reading, including our ex-pupil, Megan Clawson!
Year 7&8 have a dedicated library lesson where students read to their teachers and the librarian. This way we can have a 1:1 discussion with students about their book choice (informed by their results from Star Reader tests), check understanding and reading fluency.
Reading lists
Here is a link to websites that contain age-appropriate texts for students in KS3 to help support reading choices at home. Don’t forget to ask students to check in our library, The Next Chapter to see what is in stock!
https://shop.scholastic.co.uk/books-for-children-aged-11-to-12
https://shop.scholastic.co.uk/books-for-children-aged-13-plus
Lastly, how many of these books have you read?
https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/2022/05/100-must-read-classic-books
Useful websites
Finding reading difficult:
Reluctant readers:
Catch-up Literacy
The National Literacy Trust
The links between literacy levels and life expectancy:
