Parents of Year 7 students were invited to a Reading Evening in October, where Mrs Macklees explained how students are tested for reading and comprehension, and how this information is used to support students. The presentation is now available to view again. Please click the button marked Reading Evening October 2022.

All pupils in Years 7 and 8 are assessed using GL Assessment’s reading test https://www.gl-assessment.co.uk/products/new-group-reading-test-ngrt .The assessment helps highlight which pupils require support with their reading. This support is provided in different ways depending on the need of each pupil.

A number of programmes are run across the academy to support the reading strategy

Welcome (renaissance-go.com)

Students complete start testing and are given a ZPD. Your ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) will help you choose books from the ILC, that are just right for you.

You can then choose appropriate books from the ILC

Reader/quizzer of the week in each form/set.

This will be the person who completed the most AR quizzes (with accuracy)  from each form/ set.

And you will receive:

Special mention in the school’s Twitter page.

Voucher for a bacon buttie. 

Y10 and Y7 peer support programme:

Reading Plus provides an integrated reading intervention program for all learners. The program includes an adaptive assessment, personalised instruction and practice, and easily accessible resources that enable teachers to meet the needs of every student.

Pleasure reading can be defined as reading that is freely chosen or that readers freely and enthusiastically continue after it is assigned or required.

Why is it important to read for pleasure?

•Reading improves reading!

•Reading improves writing!

•Reading improves vocabulary!

•It can support well-being. Reading is said to be relaxing.

•It can connect you to the wider community through an understanding of different views of the world.

•If you read when you are young, you often continue this into adulthood.

From Y7-Y9 pupils will be part of the ‘Reading Routes’ journey

•Y7 started this term and Y8 will begin their journey after Easter

•Each term they will start a new leg of the journey which will be based around a specific genre

•Each different leg will have 6 book titles to choose from

•They will be able to read books along the routes, complete quizzes and earn prizes and rewards!

Word of the Week introduces students to a range of new vocabulary that can be used across all subjects. Vocabulary is tied to the local context so that it is meaningful and builds cultural capital.

Here is an example of a previous word of the week

Every child at Garforth Academy has access to either Sparx Maths (Years 7 – 8) or Hegarty Maths (Years 9 – 11) which are online programmes to support learning.  Pupils are set specific tasks to complete every week as homework and a weekly report of completed Hegarty tasks is shared with parents/carers.  Sparx Maths contacts parents/carers when a student fails to complete they homework tasks. A Sparx and Hegarty Club runs after school so all pupils can complete their homework with teacher support.

At Garforth Academy, we look to narrow the gap instantly in KS3 between students who did not achieve the expected standard in Mathematics at KS2 and those who did. Any student who did not achieve the expected standard will be taught Maths in a smaller class and be offered intervention to close and gaps in students’ basic skills. The scheme of learning is adapted for students to ensure breadth of content whilst having a high focus on numeracy skills.

In both key stages, students identified as falling behind age related expectations attend after school intervention and also benefit from additional small group tuition during the school timetable.

We promote our love for Numeracy by encouraging students to compete nationally each year in UKMT (United Kingdom Mathematic Trust), complete theme day activities (e.g. Pi Day) and run enrichment clubs to explore the more abstract elements of Maths.