We are dedicated to ensuring all our students leave school able to read, write and communicate effectively and because of this literacy is driving force within our community.
Empowering children with well-developed literacy skills is a relentless mission here at MSJ. Recent research suggests that 16.4% of adults in England (that’s 7.1 million people!) can be described as having ‘very poor literacy skills.’ We are determined to ensure that all our students are given the right support, guidance and resources to help them make good progress in literacy; developing skills they will need for life!
Here at Mount St Joseph, we run a comprehensive range of interventions to improve and develop pupil reading both as a skill and for pleasure.
Reading as a skill:
Pupils are regularly tested for their reading age and this data is used to identify areas for development. From this they may be included in a range of interventions:
Lexonic Leap (Phonics programme) seeks to develop the fundamentals of reading using phonic sounds as building blocks to understanding.
Reading Development is designed to improve word-level and text-level understanding.
Reading + is an independent computer-based program designed to develop reading fluency.
Reading for pleasure:
All pupils in Y7-10 read as a class in PDT three times a week. A range of novels have been chosen in line with year group expectations and interests. This time has been given to promote a love of reading as well as to help improve pupil engagement with reading.
We have a library in school operated by a team of expert student librarians where students can seek advice, browse our collection and borrow books.
e-platform library: All pupils also have access to an online library where they can browse from the thousands of books available. There are books to suit all with a wide variety of genres and styles as well as books designed for the whole scope of abilities.
Prizes and rewards are awarded each term for pupils engaging in these excellent opportunities to become ‘a reader for life’.
