It is no surprise to hear that one of the strongest influences on learning is reading. Books and stories build vocabulary, comprehension, imagination and confidence, as well as enabling a child to explore and make sense of the world. Reading opens up the curriculum, stimulates memory and inspires interests and ideas. As well as improving academic standards, evidence strongly supports the fact that reading for pleasure has a positive impact on anxiety, empathy and social confidence. In short, books are incredible!
We want Willow Brook children to be skilled when it comes to reading and grow to appreciate the pleasure that can be found by getting lost in a good book. Unearthing such a treasure often takes a bit of spade work but, as with most things, practice pays off. To promote our learning partnership and ‘first foot’ towards some positive new year goals, we have launched the Willow Brook Waterstones Reading Race! The children have heard all about it and are keen to compete! Here’s how you can help…
We hope that children read and interact with books as often as possible. Reading is a huge part of the school day, whether that includes listening to individuals, groups or sharing whole class guided sessions. The more you can listen to them, encourage some independent reading space or share a bedtime read, the better. From now on, if you have written in your child’s reading record book at least 3 times during the week, that will add to the class percentage score. Every Thursday, teachers will check the progress in their class’s reading record books and, using a clever formula, tot up how many pieces of track can be added to their lane on the hall display in Monday’s assembly. As well as our usual Bench of Glory awards, teachers can also now nominate readers to choose a reward during that assembly to celebrate their improvement and efforts. BUT here’s the big prize…
Every year, the Willow Brook teachers have an evening out at Waterstones book shop. They have a budget to spend and enjoy browsing and shopping! Reluctantly, they have agreed to hand the pleasure (and the budget!) to the children. As we can’t take the whole school, it only makes sense to trust the class who are the most avid readers with the responsibility – hence our quest to find out which year group deserve the summer term trip! (Year 6 think they have this ‘in the bag’… Year 4 are convinced they are ‘the best’ but Miss Brearey and Miss Johnston are already making lists of titles they’d encourage their children to buy and are quite determined!)
Please encourage your child, make sure that anyone they read with at home writes in their reading record book and let’s work together and make this an incentive for a positive and life-changing race!
As one famous book character once said, ‘the game is afoot’!
