Literacy
St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School is a diverse and thriving school that views reading at the core of everything that we do. We want our students to be empathetic and curious readers who question and reflect on the world they live in.
Reading is supported throughout the curriculum; opportunities to discuss and share ideas are a fundamental part of our literacy plans. Teaching of vocabulary and oracy is supported through reading for pleasure both in lessons and tutor time. All our students are encouraged to be articulate and creative thinkers.
Key Literacy Policies
Please see below our key Literacy Policies:
SMRT Reading Strategy 2023-24
Supporting reading across the curriculum
Supporting Reading at Home
Please find the following resources to help you support your child's/children's reading at home.
How to support reading at home EEF (Education Endowment Foundation)
Reading lists by year
Tutor Time Reading Programme
Once a week, during morning registration, tutors in years 7-11 read aloud to their tutor groups. This is a wonderful opportunity for all students to experience a range of diverse and challenging texts; contextualise new vocabulary; and be exposed to a range of cultural references that they may not experience in their everyday life.
The Tutor Time Reading Programme fits perfectly with our ALIVE curriculum, covering the themes of Justice and Respect alongside Diversity and Choice.
Please see below for more information on the books we read:
Vocabulary and Disciplinary Literacy
The explicit teaching of vocabulary across the curriculum is a vital part of the reading experience at SMRT. Staff have been given a range of INSET training sessions to support their development in teaching vocabulary. This is based on the Tiered Vocabulary approach and a range of reading skills.
Furthermore, we believe that disciplinary literacy is at the core of all lessons, with teachers supporting students with their understanding of the literacy skills required to write in the correct style for each subject.
Tiered vocabulary
Reading skills
Disciplinary literacy EEF (Education Endowment Foundation)
Preparing for literacy EEF
Simple view of reading EEF
Events and Competitions
We have a number of celebration events including:
- Poets and writers coming in for workshops
- Participation in the Bristol Teen Book Awards
- The Year 7 Book fair in Term 1, student librarians and a suggestion box – so students choose their own reading for pleasure books – all books are bought unless too expensive or inappropriate.
- Themed book displays and magazine subscriptions (6 titles) are available in the library to support lessons and for fun.
- Termly poetry competitions based on a theme where students read out their poems in the library and are rewarded with vouchers and books as prizes.
- World Book Day in March – where Year 7 students dress up in themed outfits based on a chosen book
- In addition to this, we have a stem word of the week, poem of the fortnight, books of the month for KS3 and KS4, reading assemblies and a Spelling Bee competition in Term 6.
The LRC (Learning Resource Centre)
The LRC is a vital part of school life. Mrs Garmston is our librarian and has created an environment where students are welcome to visit the library in break and lunchtime to explore a range of books by writers that reflect our diverse school community. We have library lessons once a fortnight in English lessons that encourage students to read and reflect on their learning by using the Accelerated Reader programme. This not only allows students to select appropriate and challenging books but also answer questions about what they have read.