Family Reading Matters is delivered by the
NLT on behalf of the DCSF
Case study: A home-school
reading partnership at Chineham Park, Basingstoke
Gwen Clifford, Headteacher at Chineham
Park Primary School in Basingstoke explains how focusing
on family engagement and reading is impacting on pupil achievement
and behaviour.
We believe that helping parents to become more confident
in how to support their child's learning, particularly with
relation to reading skills and language development, should
be a whole school priority, from senior management level
through to the support staff. It is vital to clearly identify
for parents the role that they can play to support their
children at home.
One key activity which forms part of this approach at Chineham
Park, and which helps us to meet the extended schools agenda
criteria, is the breakfast club we run. We offer early morning
group reading sessions for our children and parents as well
as breakfast itself. This ensures that the children start
their school day in the right frame of mind and engage more
naturally in reading and other activities.
Another important element is the role of the school library.
This essential resource is also an integral part of our
vision and is embedded into the school's family learning
programme. It is located in the school's entrance, therefore
raising its profile among the children, parents and other
visitors. Parent helpers are also trained to manage the
library system and they offer library sessions to all of
our classes in school. By actively engaging parents in this
process, they have contributed to its overall effectiveness
and reinforce the messages that we are sending out to parents
and children alike to promote reading for pleasure.
Whether it is through the school library or the THRASS
programme, during breakfast club sessions, book fairs or
our children's book week, the result of this approach is
evident. Results have shown that by placing the home-school
reading partnership high on the school's agenda of priorities,
we have raised levels of pupil achievement. Real rays of
hope have emerged, especially at key stage 1. It is hoped
that the future of reading looks bright for all of our children
here at Chineham Park.
About
THRASS (Teaching Handwriting, Reading And Spelling
Skills)
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