Reading
A love of reading at Hill Mead:
At Hill Mead we believe that reading is not only a key skill for academic achievement and success but one of life’s great pleasures and so we endeavour to foster pupil’s lifelong love of reading. Hill Mead provides the children with a rich diet of high quality texts by a range of children’s authors.
We ensure children have daily opportunities to read or listen to a range of texts. Each classroom has a cozy and comfortable book corner for the children to enjoy, discover and share books with their friends and teachers. We also have a well-stocked school library and plenty of quiet areas for individual reading throughout the school. The books on offer are regularly reviewed and updated.
The children read 1:1 with an adult in school at least once a week and are encouraged to read daily at home. Children have the opportunity to change their book at least once a week. We encourage children to select books of their choosing according to their interests but also guide children to read books that are appropriately challenging. Teachers maintain a dialogue with parents and carers about each child’s reading progress and update their reading record book. Parents are encouraged to ask questions and share any concerns they have about their child’s reading.
Everybody reads - events and partnerships
Reading Cafes - every term we hold early morning Reading Cafes for parents and children with fun
activities to explore stories and books such as making puppets, painting and drawing characters, role-play and book based games.
World Book Day - the school celebrates World Book Day by dressing up in book characters and
transforming the school hall into make-believe places to show children that books can be read anywhere and anytime. Parents are invited to join in throughout the day.
Children’s Book Project - every term all children are given packs of free books provided through this
partnership the children can take the books home to keep or return to school and swap with their
friends. Find out more: https://childrensbookproject.co.uk/
Coram Beanstalk Volunteer Readers - for over 20 years, Hill Mead has partnered with this charity. We
have over 5 dedicated, fully-trained volunteers who read every week with children in Year 5 and 6,
throughout the year. Promoting a love of reading and raising their reading attainment. Find out more on https://www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk/primary
Chapter One Online Reading Volunteers - reading volunteers provide 30 minutes one-to-one reading every week with the same child, in Year 1, 2 and 3. Find out more:https://www.chapterone.org/uk/volunteer?__geom=%E2%9C%AA
Literacy Pirates - children in Year 5 and 6 participate in this online weekly literacy project at home, each child is provided with a laptop to access the virtual class with pupils from other schools around the UK, they read and write together over 10 sessions. Find out more: https://literacypirates.org/schools/
Parent Reading Volunteers
We have a small but growing number of parents who have become dedicated reading volunteers. The children love seeing their parents in school supporting their learning and share their love of reading. To find out more or become involved please contact the school office.