Literacy is the ability to read, write, speak and listen in a way that allows us to communicate effectively and make sense of the world. At Mark Rutherford School we believe that reading is the basis for gaining academic success within every subject. If a student doesn’t read widely and fluently then their learning opportunities can be limited.

When Renaissance Learning conducted a survey involving over 24,500 Year 10 and 11 students across the United Kingdom, they discovered their actual reading ages were on average at least five years below their chronological ages. The average reading age needed to fully access a GCSE exam paper is 15 years and 7 months, meaning that students were unable to fully access their GCSEs.

At Mark Rutherford School we are keen to encourage every student to be a confident, proficient reader, but most importantly, we want our students to enjoy reading. Please take a look through our ‘in this section’ on the right-hand side to explore the steps that we are taking to support our students with their literacy.

Library

Our Space for Learning is a well-stocked library with fiction and non-fiction books for every reading level and own books of all genres. Our experienced and dedicated full time librarian can also offer advice and support to pupils who want to find a book suiting their interests. With our Year 9 Options booklet comes recommended reading for those specific subjects your child is considering studying at Key Stage 4. We also recommend age appropriate reading for each year group below.

Library Lessons

All pupils in Year 7 have a dedicated library lesson with an English teacher. In this lesson they are introduced to the star reader system, and they also receive dedicated support with reading strategies. This lesson is also an ideal opportunity for pupils to take their star reader tests and to exchange their books.

Reading Age Tests

Upon joining us in Year 7, students complete a New Group Reading (NGRT) test. The outcome of this test allow us to shape a curriculum at a whole school and individual level for our students. NGRT reading age describes a student's reading ability with reference to an average age at which the same ability is found nationally. We use the information from NGRT tests to identify students who may benefit from additional support with their reading. S tudents who are reading well below their expected for their age will receive intervention. Typically, intervention for Year 7 takes place during the dedicated library lesson. Some students receive support during tutorial via our peer reading programme.

National Literacy Trust

To find out more about how to support your child at home please see the resources here from the National Literacy Trust.

Accelerated Reader

Please click here to access the Renaissance learning.