Reading

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” - Dr Seuss

At Music Stuff Education we recognise the fundamental importance of improving reading standards on our student's future academic achievement, well-being, and success in life. Reading is a key indicator for success in further education and employment and students who struggle to read can find it difficult to access all areas of the curriculum. We are committed to raising the standards for literacy for all our students. 

Each one of our centres has a reading area and a stock of books to choose from to cater to students different interests and reading levels. The importance of regular reading is promoted and encouraged through reading challenges and rewards. KS3 students have a dedicated reading slot and literacy is a priority across the curriculum in all subject areas. All students who attend our school are baselined using the standardised New Group Reading Test. Teachers, and all staff working in lessons with students, know their students' reading age and SAS, allowing them to adapt their teaching to support their students' literacy needs. Literacy strategies are shared during staff CPD and used across all subjects. All departments are asked to identify how they support students' literacy in their subject. For example, key vocabulary is identified and pre-read at the start of lessons and the meaning explained, drawing on morphology where it helpful and knowledge organisers are used to support students literacy. 

When students are identified through the New Group Reading Test or referral as having possible reading concerns and having the potential to need support, they are given a diagnostic assessment with a trained staff member. This helps to pinpoint where the support is needed exactly and what interventions are to be put in place, for example in word recognition, phonics or increased practise and fluency. Interventions and students' progress are routinely monitored and assessed.  

Intervention for students who have reading concerns can include:

• Teachers being made aware of the students needing adapted teaching and their reading and progress are monitored closely
• Reading to improve word recognition and fluency
• Phonics
• Small group reading with a member of staff
• 1:1 reading with a member of staff