Reading is the gateway to learning. It is the key to students’ future academic achievement and well-being. Students who struggle to read words accurately quickly fall behind their peers. They read less and do not accumulate the necessary background knowledge and vocabulary from reading. To fulfil the demands of the secondary school curriculum, students need to be able to read age-appropriate texts fluently. Students who cannot read well are not able to access the curriculum and are disadvantaged for life. It is therefore essential that reading is a priority to prevent students from falling any further behind with their education.
GOV.UK Gill Jones, Deputy Director, Schools and Early Education, April 2022
At Longfield Academy, we believe the above statement to be true and that each student should be given every opportunity to develop their reading, writing and speaking skills so that they have the tools necessary to access the whole curriculum and achieve outcomes for a happy and successful life.
As a school, we are committed to ensuring that our students experience quality first teaching across the curriculum and we recognise that the explicit teaching of literacy is integral to this. Therefore, at Longfield Academy, every teacher is a teacher of Literacy.
You can read our full literacy policy on our policies page.
In the section below, you can find out more about our literacy initiatives and the resources we have available at Longfield Academy.
Learning Resource Centre (LRC)
The Learning Resource Centre is a vibrant and exciting place. Each day it is busy with students working together on their chromebooks completing homework, revision or sharing in books that they are reading. Students play a vital role in the LRC, by creating a calming and peaceful atmosphere in which they feel safe and comfortable in sharing the books they have read, seeing what is on the shelves and trying out the recommendation tree, plus also having the opportunity to create their very own stories.
We have a whole array of books (both fiction and non-fiction), to suit all reading tastes and abilities. Student input and recommendations as to what books we should obtain is vital to ensuring our LRC is maintained as a relevant resource for our students, and also a source of pride for the entire academy community.
The LRC is the centre of literacy across the academy. In the past it has hosted various virtual author visits (e.g. Tom Palmer, Taron Maathary), run various World Book Day events and other exciting events.
Students in year 7,8 and 9 also participate in an online literacy program called Bedrock, on which they read and answer questions about a variety of non fiction books. Students can also read thousands of books on MyOn, an online platform the academy provides access to.
For more information about the LRC, or any of its services or events, please contact the LRC Manager, Mrs Cripps, vanessa.cripps@longfieldacademy.org.
Opening Hours
- Monday – 08:15 – 16:00
- Tuesday – 08:15 – 16:00
- Wednesday – 08:15 – 14:00
- Thursday – 08:15 – 16:00
- Friday – 08:15 – 15:30
Useful Websites
- LRC website: https://longfieldacademy.oliverasp.co.uk
- Bedrock: https://app.bedrocklearning.org/
- myON: https://www.myon.co.uk/login/
Reciprocal Reading
A whole school reading approach has been adopted and reciprocal reading strategies are used to develop pupils’ active reading skills across all subject areas. This has also been integrated into the academy tutor-time programme where students read a text together as a group and the tutor guides them through the text by explicitly teaching the four elements of the reciprocal reading strategy: predict, clarify, question and summarise.
Tutor-Led Reading
The Academy tutor time programme includes opportunities to develop student literacy. Using reciprocal reading strategies, students read as an entire unit during tutor time. Tier 2 words and key vocabulary are highlighted, discussed and spelt. Tutees demonstrate their understanding of the texts by answering reading comprehension questions during form time.
Bedrock Learning
Bedrock is a Digital Literacy Curriculum that Longfield Students in year 7, 8 and 9 are all participating in.
Bedrock is designed to transform learning and literacy, equipping our students with the knowledge they need to improve their educational outcomes.
It helps to encourage independence with literacy concepts and helps them to apply in other contexts. The measure and impact is recorded live so that students are able to reveal their progress and help to encourage the learners progress. Each learner is working at the level that is right for them and guarantees long-term retention.
Students are encouraged to complete at least two 20 minute sessions on Bedrock each week with the aim of achieving at least 20+points a week. Student progress and achievement is celebrated with prizes and certificates during college assemblies.
If a student is having any difficulty with accessing or using the platform, then they should contact their English teacher or Mrs Cripps.
Wider Reading & Discovery
At Longfield Academy, we encourage wider reading and discovery within subject areas. Below, you will find carefully curated reading lists which can inspire and enthuse learners of all ages.