How we promote a love of reading at St Dennis Primary Academy

• The reading booklet (we created) is used to empower staff and volunteers to be expert readers who model reading skills, discuss texts and share their own love of reading. 
• Class teachers read every day to their class through 'Five a Day' and 'Talk Through Stories' in EYFS, Book Share and Book Study (KS1), and Reading Fluency and Novel Study (KS2).
• Every class has a storytelling chair and a cloak that children and adults can wear.
• Our curriculum promotes a diverse and meaningful reading experience through linking texts and stories to events and occasions e.g. Black History Month in October, Anti-bullying Week in November and Safer Internet Day in February. These texts are used to promote discussion and a sense of belonging, thus promoting teamwork.

Over £200 worth of books won from a competition at Scholastic to diversify our bookshelves! 

Year 6 children enjoying a virtual webinar with author Wendy Shearer as part of 'Black History Month'.

• Children show courage to embrace a range of unfamiliar texts based on the 'Five Plagues of Reading' Spine.

Our Spring Book Bingo based on Doug Lemov's 'Five Plagues of Reading' Spine

• A team of Reading Ambassadors in Year 6, promote reading throughout the school and share books with younger children, showing responsibility.      
• A 'Reading Squad' of volunteers from the local community have been recruited and trained, to share the love of reading across the school.
• Visiting authors, book signings and virtual events create real-life experiences and aspiration.
• The library is open to the community after school.
• Reading displays around the school show  recommendations by staff and children and also signpost children to other books they can read, based on authors they already enjoy.
• To promote friendship, comfortable  'Book Nooks' around the school have been created and display texts that link to our core values.

Our 'Book Nook'  in action.

• In our grounds we have storytelling chairs and reading areas.
• We hold book based events throughout the year including book fairs, Book Week, 'Stay and Read' sessions and book swaps.

• All achievements are rewarded with books.

• Reading displays in class celebrate achievement in Accelerated Reader.