Exciting reading Exciting readers Belmont Castle Academy

Context Belmont Castle Academy caters for boys and girls aged 5-11 years of age. As of 2016 there were over 716 children on roll. We have many classrooms, a music room, a library, a hall with fixed apparatus, and a wildlife area The school works in collaboration with The University of Greenwich

Outline The University of Greenwich is a close partner and so when they launched the reading competition we were keen to take part. Based on the principles of the Reading for Pleasure pedagogy we chose the social reading environment as our focus. Each class reviewed their social reading environment and then used a set allowance to design and plan ways in which the environment could be adapted to encourage, promote and model reading for pleasure. Through the process the themes of choice, ownership, organisation and exciting reading emerged.

OU Research inspiration and rationale ‘The school librarians and teachers in this study sought to develop the students’ sense of agency as discriminating readers, and enabled them to make informed and supported decisions about texts. Other studies also indicate that choice and interest enhance readers’ motivation, self-determination and engagement (e.g. Moss and Macdonald, 2004; Pihl, 2012)’. ‘…the role of the environment, a relaxed ethos, and the space and support for choice and conversation about texts was also seen to be crucial’ (Cremin and Swann, 2016). These statements from the TaRs research resonated with the staff at Belmont Castle Academy who have always worked to ensure there is a rich reading environment in every corner of the school which entices, supports and excites children into reading. Staff planned how the social reading environments could reflect children’s personal reading habits thereby exciting them as readers by bridging the gap between school and home. It was important for the reading environments to be enticing. In order to do this they were carefully planned, and teachers ensured that the organisation of the texts would change regularly in order to celebrate new books and authors for the children. Working with the University of Greenwich, Belmont Castle used the reading competition to inspire a more detailed look at the reading environments within the school based on the reading for pleasure pedagogy.

Aims To develop social reading environments where children can access a wide range of high quality texts. To create spaces where reading would be lived as an exciting experience, opening up connections to their own lives and emotions. To ensure children have ownership of the reading environments and that they reflect their home reading habits. To increase teacher knowledge of children’s literature through the reorganisation of the texts.

Advice for other schools In partnership we have learned that: The introduction of the core books meant that ‘every child wanted a piece of the magic’ (Miss Nicholas). Ensuring a range of text types and genres including poems, war stories, picture books and non-fiction so every child has something to suit them. Display the books in an appealing way. Regularly change the display of books to keep it fresh and interesting. Children actively participate in the recommended books showcased in the area.

Impact At Belmont Castle Academy, we strive to promote a love of reading. We have a solid reading culture from Early Years to Year 6. Children have access to a wide range of books in the classrooms and in the school library. Children talk in an animated way about authors and the books they have read. Our pupil questionnaires and pupil conferences reveal how keen our readers are. Teaching assistants also believe that the culture in the school reflects a high level of commitment to instil a love of reading. Also, our school data shows a 20% increase overall in children’s reading comprehension skills. Our children have become more experienced readers and can successfully retrieve information from a range of texts. Reflection: At Belmont Castle Academy, we believe that every child can learn to read with the right teaching and support! Recently, we injected a considerable amount of money and resources in this area of the curriculum as we needed a big change. We have also reviewed the place of reading on the curriculum and increased its allocation of time, e.g., understanding texts, recommending books, shared books and whole class books.

Reflections on the impact of the TaRs research on practice Reflections from the University of Greenwich: The reading competition has proved to be a great way to support schools with the reading for pleasure pedagogy. Working with ‘Just Imagine’ and UKLA, the university has been able to offer prises for the competition to further enhance reading for pleasure. The impact of social reading environments is clear and Belmont Castle Academy were able to identify the themes of: Increased ownership by the children Children better equipped to make informed choices Increased knowledge of texts through the organisation Greater excitement in reading