Why is reading important?

At The Hamble School, we believe that reading not only gives students access to a broad and challenging curriculum but also improves their mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Students who struggle to read words accurately quickly fall behind their peers. They read less and do not accumulate the necessary background knowledge and vocabulary from reading. To fulfil the demands of the secondary school curriculum, students need to be able to read age-appropriate texts fluently. Students who cannot read well are not able to access the curriculum and are disadvantaged for life. It is therefore essential that reading is a priority to prevent students from falling any further behind with their education.

In school, all students complete the Access Reading Test to determine their reading age. This is conducted twice a year in Year 7 and Year 8. Your child should know their reading age; if they do not, please ask them to speak to any teacher as this data is shared to ensure all students are supported to improve their reading age.

Our school reading strategy aims to promote the love of reading and remove reading barriers for students.

In order to ensure reading is prioritised we have four key strategies:

Strategy 1: High quality teaching practices used in all lessons to ensure vocabulary rich classrooms where there is strong teaching and use of rich vocabulary.

Strategy 2: A targeted vocabulary programme ‘Turn it up’ delivered once a fortnight during Tutor time. This is linked to the personal development programme to support students understanding of actions, behaviours and attitudes.

Strategy 3: A reading week per half term within the Tutor programme which gives the opportunity to improve student’s cultural capital and increases their exposure to a wide range of texts.

Strategy 4: A sound testing system which informs an intervention programme to ensure those students who are below age-related expectations do not fall behind their peers. Interventions can include: phonics, fluency, comprehension and reading for pleasure. Also includes the launch of Assisted Technology to support students with accessing assessment.

Every fortnight, students in Year 7 and 8 have a dedicated library lesson to allow teachers to focus on what students are reading at home and ensure it is appropriately challenging, as well as having a chance to change their library book.

We have a fantastic library that students are able to use before school Monday-Thursday and at break and lunch times. The library host many successful author events and our students have been able to meet some of their favourite authors. These events continue to support our ‘Reading for Pleasure’ message. In addition, we hold regular competitions for all students to take part in.

How to encourage reading at home?

It is vital you support us at home. Encouraging children to read at home can become more challenging and can get harder the older they get. The Book Trust give the following tips for how you can encourage your child to read at home:

• Set an example. Read yourself! It doesn’t matter what it is – pick up a newspaper or magazine, take a look at a cookery book, read a manual, enjoy some poetry or dive into a romance or detective novel. Get your children to join in – if you’re cooking, they could read the recipe.
• If you’re watching TV, put the subtitles on.
• Give books as presents. Encourage your children and their friends to swap books with each other – it will give them a chance to read new stories, and get them all talking about what they’re reading.
• Visit the local library together. It’s always fun choosing new books to read, and keep an eye out for special author events at the library or local bookshops.
• Encourage children to carry a book at all times. That way, they will never be bored (this is something you can do, too!)
• Have a family bookshelf. If you can, have bookshelves in your children’s bedrooms too.
• Keep reading together. Just because your children are older, it doesn’t mean you have to stop sharing stories.