Literacy

Our Reading Strategy aims to stretch readers at every level. At Wey Valley, we are passionate about reading and the written word.

Direct Instruction is a phonics-based programme that trains students to recognise sounds and make connections between what they hear and what they need to read. It builds confidence and helps children access the curriculum. Reading Plus is a strategy used develop fluency, vocabulary acquisition and comprehension. Our Reading Plus students report that after engaging with the programme they are able to perform better in all of their lessons.

Our Reading Strategy uses the DEAR programme to enrich students’ lives with language and literature.

Drop Everything And Read is an intervention that gives everyone a diet of classic and modern texts that help us engage with the world around us. Our students love reading their DEAR books every day and enjoy learning new vocabulary too. Each year we invest in the latest texts that push and challenge our students to learn about people and cultures beyond the school gates.

Our Reading Strategy is about working with the community and investing in words!

This year we are working with the Chesil schools on a vocabulary project. We wish to ‘Read like a Scientist’ or ‘Read like a historian’ so that our students learn the words needed to succeed in these subjects. We think it’s important to equip students with academic reading, showing them how to maximise their understanding of such detailed texts, which they might encounter in later study, such as when they go to university.

Our Reading Strategy is about providing an exciting programme of literary events, such as talks and book clubs.

Our book clubs challenge our most able students who love every opportunity to debate and discuss rich texts. We also develop oracy skills, with a programme of seasonal lectures. This September started with KS4 students meeting the CEO of the English National Opera.

The Literacy Team

Mrs Andrea Miller (Lead Practitioner and Literacy Lead) andrea.miller@weyvalley-academy.co.uk

Ms Burston-White (Assistant Vice Principal) isobel.burston@weyvalley-academy.co.uk

Mrs H Dyer (Assistant Vice Principal SENDCo) hannah.dyer@weyvalley-academy.co.uk

Mrs Harding (Library Manager) eileen.harding@weyvalley-academy.co.uk