Reading Blog

Grow a Love of Reading - Margaret Wix’s Reading blog 

Welcome to our Reading Blog- Grow a Love of Reading. A page where we will update you on all things READING. Here you will find recommended reads, suggested links to support your child at home, reading events that are taking place in school and much much more!

February update - Grow a Love of Reading

What’s coming up in school?

Book Week

On the Week commencing 4.3.24, Margaret Wix will be celebrating World Book Week. Throughout the week, each class will be studying an inspiring text that tackles the issues surrounding climate change or promotes sustainability. We have carefully selected books for this week to represent our learning powers: kindness (to our planet) and respect. On the Thursday of that week, we will be dressing up to celebrate all things books!

We would like to invite parents and carers to come in at 3:00 to read with their child in their classroom.

Monday 4th and Wednesday 6th at 3 pm

What has been happening in school?

Wondrous Writing Week

We opened our doors in the Autumn Term for parents to come and see their children’s learning in action. Parents and carers were able to see their children’s work and be inspired by the texts that are reading. It was brilliant to see so many parents supporting their children and the classrooms were full of laughter and learning. Thank you! 

Father Christmas visits Early Morning Library Club

At Christmas time, we were lucky enough to have Father Christmas to come and visit our little library! He came to Early Morning Library Club and read a story with the help from our reading ambassadors. It was truly magical! 

Story Tent Visit

Humminbirds and Firetips were visited by the story tent! They listened to a fantastic story about a lion and a little mouse. They then had the chance to create their own landscapes and characters to star In their very own stories.

Next Page Book Fair

We were lucky enough to have a visit from Next Page Book Fair who are based in Hitchin. They are a small, independent children’s bookshop with BIG ideas. They specialise in books that support and celebrate diversity in all its forms, and particularly neurodiversity. They search out books with characters who are autistic, have dyslexia or ADHD, are anxious about school, or who have difficulties with communication and much more!

Current class readers in school

Each day, the children will have the opportunity to hear their class reader being shared by the teacher or teaching assistant in the class. This is a great opportunity for children to escape in a good book and discuss characters, plot their thoughts and opinions. Why not take a lot at the class readers for each class and ask your child about them.

Hummingbirds: A selection of short stories 

Emperors: Sam Wu is not Afraid of the Dark

Cardinals: George’s Marvellous Medicine 

Apollos: The Butterfly Lion

Admirals: Boy in the Tower

Monarchs: CogHeart

Share a story Morning in EYFS

Parents and carers joined their children in class immersing themselves in stories and bringing them to life.

Give me 10

 Those children that had read every day since the school year began were awarded their tokens for the vending machine. Some got the chance to read with Scout too. Ensure to hand in your reading records daily to ensure our teachers and teaching assistants can mark you off! It is crucial that your children have their practice and sharing book in the bag each day for our staff to hear them read and help them to reach their full potential.

Miss Pott’s recommended reads

The Last year – UPKS2

This is an extraordinary verse novel about the final year of primary school, told through poetry. The verse captures the character of Year 6 pupil Nate as he navigates issues of school, family illness, emotions, change and friendships. Year 6 is a difficult year for many children and whilst they are unlikely to have it quite as difficult as Nate, the book still captures some of that flavour, including the run-up to SATs, friendship issues and anxiety during a time when a sense of big changes is in the air.

The Boy Who Saved the Bear – LKS2

Set in a Sri Lanka, this adventure story tells the story of a friendship between a boy and a bear.

During his work as a deliverer of books, a boy called Nuwan mistakenly comes to possess a valuable key that implicates him in a crime. On the run, he befriends a terrifying bear and before long the pair find themselves on a thrilling adventure during which they must unlock big secrets, stop the criminals and find their way safely home again.

The Kindest Red – KS1

This is an absolutely beautiful book – one that is positive and empowering. In the author-illustrator team’s previous book The Proudest Blue, we saw the beautiful bond between sisters Faizah and Asiya and heard the supportive and uplifting words of their amother.

How to support your child with reading at home

Why is reading for pleasure so important?

Not convinced?

Why read aloud?

Reading from an early age is important as research shows that if children are not secure and fluent readers by Year 2, it is very difficult to then develop a love of reading going forward.

In order to get children fluent in reading, their phonic knowledge must be embedded within EYFS and KS1.

Read to children from day zero!

What is fluency and why is it important?

• Fluent reading supports reading comprehension. When pupils read fluently, their cognitive resources can be redirected from focusing on decoding and onto comprehending the text. For this reason, fluency is sometimes described as a bridge from word recognition to comprehension.
• Basically, if the brain’s processing power isn’t being used up by working out how to read a word, it can concentrate on understanding and enjoying the text.

Three ways you can help support reading at home

Read and follow – the adult reads the text and the child follows along with their finger. This helps the child with word recognition and models to them how they should read with fluency.

My turn, your turn – take turns reading a page or a paragraph. Here you are modelling how to read with fluency, flow and expression.

Echo Reading – as you read, the child copies. It is important here to pace yourself and read at a rate that your child can keep up with.

Why not have a go!

Let's continue to support our children to achieve great things. Together we will grow a love of reading.

Miss Pott

October - Grow a Love of Reading Blog

What has been happening in school?

Margaret Wix are now members of the brilliant charity Voice 21.

Oracy is the ability to articulate ideas, develop understanding and engage with others through spoken language.

At Margaret Wix Primary School, we work to transform the learning and life chances of all of our students through talk. At every opportunity we champion oracy. We’re on a mission to transform the learning and life chances of our children through talk so that all children can use their voice for success in school and in life. 

By demonstrating the value and impact of oracy, we aim to inspire and deliver high-quality oracy education and, in doing so, we ensure that society is a more equitable place where all of our children’s voices are valued and heard.

Through our deliberate, explicit and systematic teaching of oracy across phases and throughout the curriculum, we will support our children to make progress in the four strands of oracy outlined in the Oracy Framework below.

How do we promote oracy in  and out of the classroom?

1) Children are often part of classroom discussions using discussion guidelines. Our Jigsaw and Internet Safety schemes of learning provide rich opportunities for talk. Children are encouraged to demonstrate talk tactics like: building on other ideas; challenging thoughts and ideas; instigating conversations and probing deeper. 

2) Children in all year groups showcase their learning in a 'sharing assembly.' They practise speaking to an audience in a clear, expressive way. 

3) Throughout the curriculum, children are given opportunities to talk and discuss about their learning. They use role play and hot seating to explore concepts, characters, view points and much more. 

4) Across the school children are able to apply for different roles such as school parliament, house captains and reading ambassadors. These allow the children to practise talking to teachers, visitors and members of the community. 

5) We use black boards in our classrooms and around the school site to promote talk. We pose 'What If' questions, each week, in visible places around the school so parents and carers are prompted to talk with their children before and after school. In the classroom, we use these boards as a discussion tool to talk about our prior learning. We build on these throughout the half term in our foundation subjects.

Black History Month

This month, in school, we are recognising and celebrating inspirational sisters. Women in History and those of today inspiring people all over the world. Our curriculum, ‘The Wix Way’ embeds learning from and about people of different cultures and from different backgrounds but it is still important to mark the month. Here are some great book recommendations to help with discussing inspiring black people in history.

Current class readers in school

Each day, the children will have the opportunity to hear their class reader being shared by the teacher or teaching assistant in the class. This is a great opportunity for children to escape in a good book and discuss characters, plot their thoughts and opinions. Why not take a lot at the class readers for each class and ask your child about them.

Hummingbirds: The Big Alfie and Annie story book 

Emperors: Sam Wu is Not Afraid of the Dark

Cardinals: Iron Man

Apollos: The Lang of Roar

Admirals: Pig Heart Boy

Monarchs: Letters From The Light House

Phonics Workshops in Early Years and KS1

This half term has seen our fabulous Year 1 and Reception teachers deliver a phonics workshop to parents and carers. Here, they spoke about how to best support your child at home with phonics and early reading; showed our parents some of the fantastic resources we use in school during our phonics sessions; and discussed key vocabulary and terminology that their children are being taught and using. If you missed it, don't worry, just click on the link below and select 'Reception and Year 1 Phonics Workshop.'

https://primarysite-prod-sorted.s3.amazonaws.com/margaret-wix-primary-school/UploadedDocument/0f4b9d4f-935c-43f6-b777-de25924f10d6/reception-and-year-1-phonics-workshop.pdf

Miss Pott’s recommended reads

The books I have selected this month have disabled characters as their protagonists. Currently, there is more and more diversity in children’s literature, ensuring that every child gets the chance to see themselves represented in the books that they read.

Can Bears Ski? by Raymond Antrobus and Polly Dunbar (Candlewick Press, 2020) is a picture book that describes what it is like to realise that perhaps your hearing isn’t how it should be, and captures the confusion and frustration that comes with a hearing impairment.

Can You See Me? by Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott (Scholastic, 2019). A great book to get our children thinking about authentic voices. I learned more about autism from this book than from working with autistic children for 8 years prior to reading it. Since reading Can You See Me? I’ve been wary of reading books with disabled characters written by able-bodied authors. No amount of research can match lived experiences. Libby’s voice is genuinely eye-opening and brilliantly describes the struggles that some autistic children face when transitioning to a new school. 

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll (Knights of Media, 2020). This book absolutely blew me away. Elle’s writing is exceptional – she manages to perfectly capture raw emotions and offers an insight into the lives of her characters. This is a book that not just allows children to see themselves but also alters the mindset of its audience. 

Song For a Whale by Lynne Kelly (Delacorte Press, 2019) features another protagonist who doesn’t let her disability get in the way of an adventure. Iris has frustrations attending a mainstream school but can’t sign at the same speed as the children at the local school for deaf children, and she is unsure where she fits in the world. When she finds out about a lonely whale that is unable to communicate with others of its kind, she hatches a plan to help the whale. It takes her on an eye-opening adventure with her deaf Nan to find and save Blue 55. 
 

Book of the Month

It’s easy to feel lost in the flood of so many new children’s books available. Each month, I will recommend new books highlight five recently published favourites.

Our amazing teachers and teaching assistants have been recommending books for you too! Take a look at some of their favourites

Parent zone - How to support your child at home

Miss Pott’s top tips for Growing a Love of Reading 

1. Find a calm spot where your child feels comfortable
2. Why not be brave and read somewhere a little different once in a while. Somewhere unusual is sometimes fun – what about in the bath or up the stairs.
3. Reading shouldn’t just be reserved for bedtime. Some books are perfect for winding down at bedtime but what about all those wonderful books just crying out for silly voices and actions or those books that offer the opportunity for really good discussion or debate? Growing a love of reading takes more than quickly reading a book at bedtime. Create an environment where reading is encouraged at any time of the day –what about introducing DEAR - Drop Everything And Read - to do just that.
4. Embrace reading books over and over again, this will give your children a powerful advantage in learning how language works!
5. Read to the dog! And no we're not barking suggesting to your child that sometimes, they might want to read to your pet perhaps seems a little odd but the reality is that a dog, cat, hamster or even a favourite stuffed toy, never judges. Fear of making a mistake or not being quite good enough often holds a child back when they are asked to read aloud, but, if they are confident their audience won’t critique their performance, they might be more willing to give it a go.
6. Why not try this model to support your child with reading.

Useful links

Want some handy hints on how best to support your child with reading at home? Click on the link that will redirect you to the video:

https://www.margaretwix.herts.sch.uk/english/

Click on the link below to view all the documents and information Margaret Wix offers to support your child at home.

https://www.margaretwix.herts.sch.uk/support-at-home-for-reading/

For Parents of children in EYFS and Year 1

Have a look at the support page from our Phonics programme. Here you will see some supportive videos on how to pronounce the sounds your children are learning at school.

https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/resources/for-parents/

Together, we will ensure that we grow a love of reading!

'A book is a gift you can open again and again and again.'

Miss Pott

May - Grow a Love of Reading Blog 

What is happening in school?

Next Page Books – Book Fair

Friday 16^th June 2023 – 3:15 PM

Something exciting is coming to Margaret Wix. ‘Next Page Books’ are coming to our school to hold a book fair. Next Page books are passionate about diversity and providing schools and their families with reading material that promotes inclusivity and diversity. They specialise in books that support and celebrate diversity in all its forms, and particularly neurodiversity.

They search out books with characters who are autistic, have dyslexia or ADHD, are anxious about school, or who have difficulties with communication and much more! They with individuals, families, schools and libraries to make sure you can find a book that speaks to you. So come along to the fair in the school hall, 10% of the sales also go back into our wonderful school! 

 Be sure to look out for the flyer coming soon!

With diversity at at the forefront, take a look at some new releases that have diversity at their core:

Give Me Ten – 275

Have you read every day since the school year began? If so, you will be reaching 275 reads on Sunday 11^th June. Ensure to hand in your reading records daily to ensure our teachers and teaching assistants can mark you off! Remember even if you don’t reach it on this date there is still time to catch-up! The vending machine is stocked and ready! Good luck and keep reading!

World Empathy Day - Thursday 8th June

At Margaret Wix Primary School it is our mission to raise empathetic individuals, who try hard to see the world through the eyes of others.

The Empathy Lab have created some amazing book lists. 65 titles have been chosen for their empathy-building power by an expert panel of teachers, librarians, academics and more.

If you would like to hear some famous authors reading some amazing titles that showcase empathy, follow the link below.

https://www.empathylab.uk/RFE-2023

Miss Pott’s recommendation for an empathy-boosting book of choice

I’ve selected Our Tower by Joseph Coelho & Richard Johnson

Our Tower tells the story of three children living in a tower block. Viewing their environment as “concrete and grey”, they decide to seek out the glimpse of green they can see high up from their window.

Finding the tree they have longed to see reveals a secret world of magic. Tumbling deep inside, they find “a world deeper than anything Our Tower has ever seen.” But the most significant discovery is the tree-grown man living within, who opens their eyes to the true magic. With his words, the children see that magic is everywhere, including in their tower. A tower full of love and community.

This is a beautiful story inspired by author Joseph Coelho’s own experience of growing up in a tower block and the author’s real-life experiences weave a deep element of empathy through the story, offering insight into the literal highs and lows of an urban upbringing.

The new Children’s Laureate brilliantly showcases the diversity and the incredible sense of community that living in a tower block is able to provide, showing how the real community is so much more magical than the boring, hard and grey high-rise flats that appear to dominate urban skylines.

Miss Pott’s ‘Ones to watch.’

Check our top picks for spring. These books are published soon and are sure to be a great hit.

An inclusive curriculum

Here, at Margaret Wix, we colour our school with culture, faith and religion. We beleive it only right to empower young people and educators across the UK to engage with Black histories into the UK national curriculum.

Books to help support this:

Through books, we can learn the incredible untold stories of the people, places and journeys that shaped Britain, and be inspired to continue learning beyond the page. In this brand new series from The Black Curriculum, learn about the important places that define Black British History. Dive into untold stories and learn what happened when and where.

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Parent Zone

Top tips for helping your child read at home:

All join in

1. Many of us remember being read to, by a parent, grandparent, sibling or teacher. Those moments of shared imagining and warmth. Reading aloud with a child, sharing a book together is powerful, it is joyful, and it has a deep and lasting effect. When we read to children, we are saying that reading matters to us, that we value books and want to make time for them. No matter how old, make time to read with your child, hear them read and let them hear you reading to them!

Little Wandle – at home flash cards

2. If you want to support your child further at home, head to the Collins website to purchase the at home phonics flash cards. Also on this website are links to some excellent games you can play with your child to help practise their phonic sounds.

https://collins.co.uk/pages/little-wandle-at-home

Thank you for all your support in helping our children to become life-long readers.

Miss Pott

'You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me'

March - Grow a Love of Reading Blog 

A World Book Week Special

What a wonderful week we had enjoying centring our work on some amazing texts and culminating in World Book Day. The week was a huge success and the children were immersed in reading from start to finish: we buddied up with a  partner class; took part in class book swaps; mystery readers were invited in to each class to read; purpose for writing activities were organised; we dressed up in some amazing costumes; book tasting events were undertaken; but most importantly of all, the children celebrated being immersed in reading! Take a look at the slideshow above to see all off the wonderful pictures from the week!

Throughout the week, each class studied an inspiring text that recognised the struggle that refugees and asylum seekers face. We carefully selected the books, for the week, to represent bravery and resilience. We want to help our children to challenge assumptions about migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. Linked to our learning values too, we helped them to develop mutual respect, empathy and understanding.

Below is a snapshot of what each class got up to during the week.

Monarchs have had a fantastic book week! The children have explored a variety of texts, both fiction and non-fiction, related to our refugee focus, including 'The Island', 'The Arrival', and 'UNICEF - In Search of Safety'. We held sensitive and mature discussions about the treatment of refugees, and showed empathy when imagining what it must feel like to have to flee from your home. The focus of our writing this week has been on forming a discussion text. This involves ensuring our writing is unbiased and reflects two sides of an argument equally. We look forward to continuing this next week. Other book week activities have included writing book recommendations that will be on display in Waterstones book shop in St Albans next week. We have also enjoyed pairing up with Firetips and sharing stories, designing book covers, completing quizzes and, of course, dressing up on Book Day itself! What a brilliant week it has been.

Cardinals have based their writing on the book 'Azzi in Between' by Sarah Garland. This inspirational book follows the story of a young girl and her family, as they are forced to move to a new country due to the dangers of war. The book explores how she adapts to her new life and the difficulties she faces. The children have also read their sharing books to their friends in Year 2 and will be sharing their writing on Friday. They hope to learn a little about the book that Year 2 have been studying too. Cardinals had a surprise visitor on Wednesday. Mr Cunningham came into class and read his two favourite books to the children. On world book day Cardinals Cafe was open for business. The children experienced a book tasting while enjoying a light snack.

Emperors have been looking at the beautiful and moving book, King of the Sky by Nicola Davies. It tells the story of a young Italian boy who has moved to the Welsh hills. At first feels isolated and unhappy, a stranger in a strange land. But when he makes an unlikely friend, an old man who lets him fly one of his pigeons in a race, he learns how he can belong. We spent some time exploring the story, appreciating the illustrations and making the comparison between the boy's early opinions of Italy and Wales. We then looked more into the pigeon, thinking of adjectives and verbs to describe how it moves and sounds it makes. This led to some beautifully written calligram poems written through the eyes of the racing pigeon finding its way home. Alongside this great work, we have taken part in a book swap, started vocabulary bookmarks, shared our reading and work with Cardinals Class, and made some 'WANTED' and 'MISSING' posters of our favourite book characters which will be displayed in the local library.

In Admirals Class, we have been studying the incredible, thought-provoking story, ‘Journey’ by Francesca Sanna. A beautifully illustrated book, which focusses on the idea of moving to a new home because yours in unsafe. The touching story has really gripped the class and we have had some thoughtful discussions about how it must feel to have to be forced to flee from your home. We have shared stories in our classroom about times we may have experienced a change or even a situation similar to that of the story. Throughout the week we have used our learning power of respect for others when sharing ideas and discussed how these families would need to be resilient to remain hopeful and, in some cases, to even survive. Additionally, we have spent time with Hummingbirds Class this week sharing our favourite stories with each other. Admirals listened to the younger children read, helping them on any tricky words and then shared their own favourites with them. We have also written book reviews ready to swap with Garden Fields. It will be great to receive their favourites too and add them to our library.

Hummingbirds have been studying 'The Day War Came', a poem by Nicola Davies, about a little girl who becomes a refugee after war breaks out. She has to flee from her home and travel to a new country. She initially finds she is not welcomed by her new school but this changes at the end of the poem when a boy brings her a chair to sit on so she can go to school. We have used drama to explore the story, acting out different parts to understand how the little girl might have felt. We have written diary entries as though we were a child trying to attend a new school in a different country and we have designed our own chairs for other children, thinking about how we might make them feel welcome and safe. We have also enjoyed sharing recommendations for our favourite books, designing bookmarks and sharing stories with year 5.

In Firetips, we have been looking at the wonderful story of Paddington. The children have had great fun creating postcards, written facts about what being a refugee means, explored Peru, created our own favourite books, sent them to Verulam Care Home residents to read and create a display with, and made our own Paddington bears.

On the day, the children showed us just how creative they could be when dressing up as their favourite book characters. Some children also looked super cosy and came into school in their pyjamas. Staff got involved too and looked brilliant! Thank you for all your efforts in supporting your children to dress up! Check out the photos below to see some of our amazing costumes. 

Additionally, each class completed a ‘purpose for writing’ activity. Purpose for writing is so crucial because it puts the writer in context with their intended audience. The children at Margaret Wix were involved in some fantastic opportunities like: writing book reviews to be displayed in Waterstones in town; creating book reviews for another local primary school and swapping these with the corresponding class; decorating bricks to be used as ornaments in the home or at school; and showcasing learning to parents and carers!

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As always, let's continue to grow a love of reading together and ensure all children at Margaret Wix are immersed in reading and the benefits it brings.

 'A book is a dream that you hold in your hands' 

Miss Pott 

February - Grow a Love of Reading blog 2023

What has been happening in school?

Reading ambassadors

Our reading ambassadors, this half term, have really stepped up to the plate and shown just what fantastic role models they are. Not only have they supported in classrooms by creating scrap books for each class, but they have read in early morning library club too. Each Friday morning a new ambassador has chosen a book to share. It has been truly inspiring to see the stories that our amazing ambassadors have chosen. Stories about everyone being welcome, stories which inspire us, whichever religion or race to strive for greatness and stories which touch on being a superhero: standing up for what we believe in and changing the future. 

Thank you to all of our reading ambassadors, who have shared. You demonstrated our learning powers by showing such self-belief and respect for others. Take a look at our facebook page where you can hear some of the read 'alouds' too! 

Here are just some of our brilliant ambassadors

World Book Day  is coming up

We will be celebrating all things reading for World Book Day! Our theme for the week will be exploring refugee challenges and experiences, whilst celebrating bravery and resilience.

Throughout the week, each class will be studying an inspiring text that recognises the struggles that refugees and asylum seekers face. We have carefully selected books, for this week, to represent bravery and resilience.  We want to help our children to challenge assumptions about migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. Linked to our learning values too, we will be helping them to develop mutual respect, empathy and understanding. 

Take a look at the texts each year group will be covering. Perhaps you could become familar with it too and promote some interesting and exciting conversations at home. 

EYFS - Paddington

Year 1 - The Day The War Came

Year 2 - King of the Sky 

Year 3/4 - Azzi

Year 5 - The Island

Year 6 - The Journey

Book Week promises to be an exciting week, filled with the love of reading. Do you want to get involved with the fun too? We are inviting volunteers to every classroom to come and be a Mystery Reader. We would love for you to come and share your favourite books with our children or even read the class sharing book. There is nothing more powerful than reading and  modelling that we, as parents and teachers, read too!

Miss Pott's recommended reads

This half term, I am focussing my recommended books on cross-curricular texts. In my suggested texts I have carefully thought about units our children have already covered across the curriculum and any units that are coming up. 

Is your child in Year 3/4? Have they been stunned by their stone age learning. Here's some books to continue igniting that flame:

Is your child in year five? Have they been glued to learning about the Greeks? If so, here are some books to keep that passion alive:

Is your child in Year 2? This year, they will go wild for their WW1 learning. Here's some books to get them hooked: 

What's New Out There

Empathy lab have just recently updated their selection of books that help enhance empathy. An expert panel has chosen forty wonderful books for children aged 3–11. Each one does a specific empathy-building job, like helping children develop new perspectives or naming and sharing emotions. They celebrate the way empathy underpins the relationships that help us feel seen and safe. They offer powerful insights into different ways of life and how it might feel to be homeless or caught up in war. Follow the link below to see some of the top entries.

https://irp.cdn-website.com/b2f3fbc2/files/uploaded/%21FINAL%20WEB%20PRIMARY%20EMPATHYLAB%20GUIDE%20web.pdf

I have collated some of my favourites below:

Miss Pott's top tips for building empathy in reading

.Empathy Power Reads This isn't reading as you know it, this is reading for empathy.

1) CHOOSE and READ an empathy-boosting book – use the brilliant Empathy Collection for inspiration

2)  SHARE and DISCUSS your chosen book 

3) WEAR a pair of empathy superpower glasses to help you see the story from the character’s point-of-view

4) STRIKE a power pose with your book and share it safely on social media

Empathy 360° See the world through the eyes of others.

• SWITCH ON your empathy superpower

• LOOK right around you – just stand still or go on an empathy walk

• NOTICE how the world might seem to someone you encounter

• REFLECT on your new 360° perspective

• DECIDE what YOU can do to make a difference

 Empathy Exchange Step out of your normal bubble & connect with someone you don't know well.

MAKE TIME to get to know someone better

• USE our conversation prompts to help you

• HAVE a friendly, open conversation

• LISTEN with 100% of your attention

• CHECK you’ve understood what they have told you

Parent Zone

Little Wandle updates:

There is a brilliant new video on Little Wandle that explains exactly how our practice and sharing books work. Just scroll down to the video part through the link below:

https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/resources/for-parents/

Some more information on the books

Back to top

December - Grow a Love of Reading blog 2022

What has been happening in school?

Reading ambassadors 

This half term has been a great one for promoting reading at Margaret Wix: we have appointed 10 new reading ambassadors! Every child, in school, had the opportunity to apply for the role; they had to fill out an application form to tell us why they would be a perfect candidate. The chosen applicants came up with some fantastic and innovative ideas on how to further promote a love of reading across the school. Our reading ambassadors have already begun doing just that: they have created reading scrapbooks; tidied the school library and class libraries; spoken to visitors about how reading is a top priority at Margaret Wix and some have even read to other parents and children at early morning library club.  We look forward to updating you soon with further achievements from the ambassadors.

Take a look at our inspirational reading ambassadors below: 

New books alert

Miss Campbell-Pugh worked her magic and managed to source the school 100 new books! These books are written by BAME authors or have characters from different faiths or religions! Children can now borrow these from these from the library; it has been just magical to watch so many children ‘seeing themselves’ in these new texts. We will be updating our new in section often so remind your child to visit these shelves in the library.

Author visit for Cardinals’ class

Cardinal class were lucky enough to have an author speak with them remotely on Thursday 24^th of December.

Author Stephen Pass held an online workshop with pupils, reading from his illustrated children’s book ‘Madge the Mermaid’ about a mermaid created from items washed up on the beach. Stephen read the first two chapters to pupils, as well as showing them how the book was made. The children were inspired by the workshop and even had the chance to purchase copies of his new book!

Wondrous Writing

Although not reading focussed, It was such a pleasure to see so many of you in our classrooms during wondrous writing week. As we all know great readers make the best writers! The week kick started with a workshop lead by Mrs Gibbs and Miss Pott. Here we spoke about the journey of writing and the sequence teachers guide the children on to reach their extended writing. During the week, it was so great to see lots of parents and carers engaging with their children in their learning and the children were full of smiles having their parents/carers with them! Take a look on our website where you will find a handy link to how you can support your child with writing at home.

https://primarysite-prod-sorted.s3.amazonaws.com/margaret-wix-primary-school/UploadedDocument/79c32a15-23ea-47b4-a7d6-6b42fa200929/how-to-support-your-child-with-writing-at-home.docx.pdf

Father Christmas visited our library 

On a cold, frosty December morning the children who attended Friday morning library club were lucky enough to see Father Christmas! He read a beautiful story called Mog’s Christmas. Not only did he come to read with our children, but he also brought some presents with him too! Our wonderful elves (reading ambassadors) lead the way, with their bobble hats, and helped Santa hand out his gifts. It was so great to see so many children and parents there sharing the love of stories and the magic of Christmas. 

Give me 10 - 100 reads 

Has your child read every day since school began in September? If so, your child will have read 100 times on the last day of the autumn term. Remember even if they are a little behind, keep reading every night it really does make all the difference. The reading, vending machine is patiently waiting for those children that reach 275 reads. Let’s grow a love of reading together!

Miss Pott’s recommendations

Non-fiction December 

It's time to celebrate all things factual with my selection of recommended children's non-fiction books for readers that have a passion for information and knowledge. I’ve picked out non-fiction books filled with interesting facts and strong visual elements to keep young readers engaged, informed and entertained. Take a look at the books below and get reading!

If your choose to purchase any of these books, don't forget to use Amazon smile to support the Friends of Margaret Wix PTFA.

Parent Zone

Books for topics have produced some fantastic online ‘read aloud’ documents. Here they have created QR codes in which you can scan and be directed to a wealth of stories. What a great opportunity to listen to some high-quality texts with your child. Why not snuggle away from the cold and listen to a great book together at bedtime.

Age 9-11

https://www.booksfortopics.com/_files/ugd/df731a_925ddee6f6674df98fde8375dfe655de.pdf

Age 7-9

https://www.booksfortopics.com/_files/ugd/df731a_f79250f8f2ef4c8ab0ee989e2be06f70.pdf

Age 5-7

https://www.booksfortopics.com/_files/ugd/df731a_5c10aabf1d1e4a7b99fc8bef507ff197.pdf

Age 3-5

https://www.booksfortopics.com/_files/ugd/df731a_aa013e5600b64869a53f13140ae40a73.pdf

Struggling to think of Christmas gifts this year? There is nothing better than receiving a new book and delving into a different world. Check out the document above, in the top section, to find some Christmas recommended reads.

‘A book is a gift you can open again and again’

Happy reading and remember: together we will grow a love of reading

Miss Pott

October - Grow a Love of Reading 2022

What’s been going on in school

To kick of the school year, the whole school focussed on the brilliant story Geraffa Giraffa. This is the astonishing true story of Zeraffa, a giraffe, who was sent as a gift from Egypt to France in 1826. A young boy, Atir, takes care of Zeraffa on her epic journey and the sailors sing songs as she gazes down at them. In France, Atir leads her through the countryside, and thousands of people marvel at Zeraffa. Each class studied the text, gazed at the wonderful illustrations and soaked up all the ambitious vocabulary. From this, we wrote recounts on the event. Ask your child all about their writing and the magical story!

The Re-launch of Give me 10

Give me 10 was launched in our celebration assembly where each teacher read an extract from their favourite story. The children were asked to guess the title of the books being read. Following from this, we had queue of children reaching the first milestone of 50 reads. Keep up the great work!

Black History Month

In school, we celebrated Black History Month. We researched and read about influential figures in History. Below is a list of Miss Pott’s most recommended texts. It is important to remember that here, at Margaret Wix, we believe these books are just as important all year round!

Coming to England

Baroness Floella Benjamin offers her own story of the 6000-mile journey from Trinidad to England, told for the youngest children in a picture book called Coming to England - An Inspiring True Story About the Windrush Generation.

The story explores and celebrates what it means to be a British person with Black Caribbean heritage, as well as opening doors to learning about the impact of Operation Windrush and experiences of racism.

Freedom (age 10 plus)

Catherine Johnson scooped the Little Rebels Award in 2019 with this short, middle-grade chapter book about the historical horrors of slavery.
The story follows a young boy called Nat, who is enslaved on a Jamaican plantation. When Nat is brought to England in the 1700s, he hopes to finally find freedom from bondage. Instead, Nat discovers the disappointing truth that slavery is still very much alive in England - and he witnesses the heavy role that Britain plays in operating the slave trade.

For mature readers in Upper KS2, Miss Pott recommends Queen of Freedom Defending Jamaica and A Nest of Vipers, which both also explore themes of slavery and race.

Diver’s Daughter

Part of a series called ‘Voices’, which celebrates untold stories and discovers hidden histories, Diver's Daughter gives a uniquely fascinating perspective into life in Tudor times. ​
 

Narrator Eve and her mother start the story in South London. Eve’s mother was stolen from Mozambique as a child and so the story offers insight into the lives of black families in England during this time.

I also recommend the rest of the books from the series. These include the three below. These would be excellent to read at home if your child is currently learning about the Victorians, WW2 History or the Romans.

Mental Health Awareness

It was World Mental Health Day during our first half term back. During this week, each class completed activities that promoted oracy and discussion with mental health at the forefront. Below is a list of texts that we may use in school but would be a great way to open conversations about mental health in age-appropriate ways.

https://www.booksfortopics.com/mental-health

Diversity and Inclusion

Check out what’s new in our library this half term:

Amazing Muslims that Changed the World

Do you think you know who first thought of the theory of evolution?
Have you ever wondered who created the oldest university in the world?
Is Joan of Arc is the only rebel girl who led an army that you've heard of?

If so, then you need to head to our library to read this stunningly illustrated treasure trove of iconic and hidden amazing Muslim heroes!

Why not browse the Book Trust’s website for their diversity and inclusion section. Here they have collated the best books to promote diversity and representation. Here you will find the books sorted into age groups. Have a browse and make sure you tell us any of your favourites.

https://www.booksfortopics.com/diversity

Books Miss Pott is loving this month

As always, like with every blog, I will update you on my recommended reads for the month and signpost you to any new books that are upcoming and look extra special

Parent Zone

It’s Halloween coming up! Do you have a little one who doesn’t like ghosts and ghouls? These are the perfect picture books to help them enjoy Halloween without any of the scares. Halloween can be brilliant fun for little ones, with trick or treating, cool costumes, and best of all – sharing stories about ghosts and ghouls! But for smaller children, sometimes all the spooky tales can get a bit scary.

For young readers who are more into silly skeletons and friendly ghosts than things that go bump in the night, here’s my top pick of the best gentle picture books for Halloween.

Halloween ABC by Jannie Ho

We’re Going on a Pumpkin Hunt by Goldie Hawk and Angie Rozelaar

Four Silly Skeletons by Mark Sperring and Sue Hendra

Gustavo the shy ghost by Flavia Drago

Mona the Vampire by Sonia Hollyman

Early reading

Do you have a child in Reception or Year 1? Take a look at the parent zone on the Little Wandle website (the scheme we use to teach and assess early reading) which will support you in helping your child at home. Here you will see how to pronounce each sound and the pictures that your child will be using in school to remember them. Listen to the handy videos too; with these you can hear exactly how to pronounce the sounds your child will be learning at school.

https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/resources/for-parents/

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”

Happy reading and remember: together, we will grow a love of reading.

Miss Pott

Grow a Love of Reading - June 2022

What's been going on in school

Book Tastings

We hope you enjoyed the book tasting events that took place in June. It was so great to see so many of you eager to grow a love of reading in our school and at home. It was a great opportunity for our children to 'taste' a variety of books from different genres and experience sharing a story with you!

275 Reading Ambassadors

Well done to all of your children who have read EVERY SINGLE DAY since we started in September. It has been so fantastic to see the smiles on the children's faces as they place their token into the reading vending machine to receive a new book. There is still time to reach 275 so make sure to keep up the reading. 

This month’s Grow a Love of Reading is focused around transition and changes. Moving up a class can be a big deal for many children and transition days are a wonderful opportunity for teachers to break the ice and get to know a new class. With transition day just around the corner, 

I've handpicked a list of picture book recommendations to share and support your child to prepare for transition - grouped into themes of being yourself, starting a new class and new friendships. 

The following titles are books that focus on moving class

These next titles focus on being yourself

Finally, these books centre around old and new friendships

Miss Pott’s June recommended reads

Take a look at my further recommendations split into age ranges! 
 

3-5 year olds

Building a home

A beautifully illustrated picture book guide to exactly how an old building can become a brand new home.

Year 5-7

Curious Creatures Glowing in the Dark

A picture book that focuses on extraordinary stories. This series will capture children’s imaginations with lyrical prose, astonishing facts and wonderful illustrations. 

Year 7-9

Factopia 

Choose your own path through this a hilarious world of 400 facts. Every fact in this book is connected to the next in an ingenious trail of information. 

Year 9-11

Queens 

3,000 years of the most powerful women in history. Celebrating sting, brave women across the centuries and around the world. 

Parent Zone 

Do you often struggle to get your child to brush their teeth? The following author recommends his guide to support an easy morning and bedtime routine. Hygiene is key! 

https://www.booktrust.org.uk/news-and-features/features/2022/march/all-the-nonsense-in-my-teeth-the-tantrum-free-guide-to-getting-little-ones-to-brush-their-teeth/

The following link will re direct you to well-known authors sharing their favourite read alouds 

https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/everybody-read/section/author-films/

‘Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body’

Happy reading. Together we will grow a love of reading! 

Miss Pott

Grow a Love of Reading Blog - May 2022

Margaret Wix Book Tasting Events

A Book Tasting is a high-impact event that engages students in a fun activity while introducing them to a wide array of books. Groups of young readers are invited to come together (in this case with their parents/carers) and look at books they might never have seen before. And now we are planning a collection of book tasting events at Margaret Wix Primary School. 

At Book Tasting Events, students (and parents/carers) sit at tables that have been transformed into café tables, and the teacher/waiter will “serve” a tray of books to each table. Students are invited to look over the stack of books for five minutes or so, after which the teacher/waiter switches the tray of books so that everyone is looking at a new stack of books or the children simply move around tables. 

The process is repeated until each table has had a chance to “sample” each tray. After the Book Tasting is over, students are encouraged to select a few books to check out.

Setting the stage

Before the students arrive, the space will be transferred into a café. The café will contain:

Tablecloths or placemats placed on the tables.

Tables set to create the proper atmosphere. 

Blank menus are created that provides students a place to write down the titles that they find interesting so they can keep track of all the books they want to read.

Snacks are provided to ensure that it really feels like a "tasting!" Don't forget that the book is the main course!

High-interest books are chosen that are in good condition and encourage children to try out new books.

Make a morning of it

Parents and carers are invited to our school after drop off, on the dates below, to enjoy refreshments and a book tasting event with their children. See below for the dates:

Monday 27th June - Years 1 and 2 Book Tasting Event. 

Tuesday 28th June - Years 3 and 4 Book Tasting Event. 

Wednesday 29th June - Year 5 and 6 Book Tasting Event. 

Grow a Love of Reading - Margaret Wix Reading Blog (April)

What's happening in school?

We have a new diversity and inclusion intent document – Our commitment to diversity, inclusion and equality. 

Our range of inclusive texts allow our children to learn to be tolerant, respectful and inclusive of everybody, not only in school, but in the wider community. 

At Margaret Wix Primary School, we want to see a generation of children starting school who confidently choose a book from a shelf and ask an adult to read it to them. We want to see a generation of children who identify as readers and who read to create space to reflect and relax, to be themselves and to understand the world around them. And within this, our priority is to support economically disadvantaged children and families, and those from vulnerable family backgrounds, to become readers.

We are committed to embedding and promoting diversity, inclusivity and equality in all that we do, to deliver this real and lasting change for children. Our aim is to enable fair access to the benefits of reading for all children and provide support that takes into account the diverse backgrounds, context and environment of all our children and families.

New resources to support you in growing a love of reading at home

New growing a love of reading leaflets emailed out to parents and carers. Take a look at the powerpoint that offers some more advice and support for helping your child at home. Just click on the link below, which will direct you to these documents.

PowerPoint Presentation (primarysite-prod-sorted.s3.amazonaws.com)

Phonics Worskhop for Parents of Children in Year 1 and 2

This week saw our fabulous Year 1 and Reception teachers deliver a phonics workshop to parents and carers. Here, they spoke about how to best support your child at home with phonics and early reading; showed our parents some of the fantastic resources we use in school during our phonics sessions; and discussed key vocabulary and terminology that their children are being taught and using. If you missed it, don't worry, just click on the link below and select 'Reception and Year 1 Phonics Workshop.'

Reception and Year 1 Phonics Workshop (primarysite-prod-sorted.s3.amazonaws.com)

Let's hear it for the grandparents

Take a look at some of our favourite books about the grandparents in our life.

They're perfect for your child to share with their own granny or grandad, but otherwise with you – giving you the chance to chat about why grandparents are just so wise and wonderful. More seriously, a couple of these books also touch very well on some sad and delicate themes about the older relatives we love, and have loved, so much. 

New Books Miss Pott loves this month

Ages 4-5 

A Bear's Guide to Beekeeping

Author: Pip Cornell Illustrator: Alex G Griffiths

This entertaining picture book is a step-by-step guide for any bear who wants to become a successful beekeeper. Attractive, colourful artwork depicting Bear’s mishaps is full of witty detail.

Windrush Child

Author: John Agard Illustrator: Sophie Bass

In this bold and vibrant picture book, John Agard’s touching poem Windrush
Child is brought to life for young readers.

Ages 6-8

Hello Star

Author: Stephanie V W Lucianovic Illustrator: Vashti Harrison

Hello, Star captures something of the magic and mystery of space, and a sense of how all of us are connected: even a giant blue supernova and a small girl. A truly lovely and moving book.

Luma and the Pet Dragon

Author: Leah Mohammed Illustrator: Loretta Schauer

This book is the first in a series and contains two short stories about Luma and the talking baby dragon Timir. Their magical adventures are accompanied by amusing black-and-white illustrations, which bring the characters to life. Full of mischief and mayhem.

Ages 9-11 and up 

Beyond belief: The Science of the Future 

Featuring chapters about space colonies, time travel, super-intelligent machines, invisibility, superhumans, nanotechnology, cloning, nuclear fusion and much more, this brilliant book is seriously inspiring – and a great source for parents and teachers of curious kids. 

Like a Charm 

Author: Elle McNicoll

Readers of all ages will fall in love with this neurodivergent, beret-rocking protagonist. Thankfully, the promise of a sequel suggests that they can be reunited with her soon. 

Need more reccommendations? Take a look at April's top picks

Parent zone

Click on the link below to view all the documents and information Margaret Wix offers to support your child at home.

Support at Home | Margaret Wix Primary School

Phonics Screening update

Is your child in Year 1 and struggling with those cheeky alien words? Follow the link below to a handy video explaining what they are in order to support you at home. Remember it is so important your child doesn't try and change this world to a 'real word' but reads it exactly as it is using their decoding skills. 

Quick guide to Alien words - Bing video

Another handy document to tell you a little more about the upcoming Phonics Screening check and some activities you can complete with your child at home.

phonics-screening-check-support.pdf (primarysite-prod-sorted.s3.amazonaws.com)

Thank you for reading the latest Grow a Love of Reading Blog

'There is more treasure in books than in all the Pirate's loot on Treasure Island.'

Miss Pott

Grow a Love of Reading - Book Week Update

What's been happening in School?

That’s Me - Book Week, March 2022

At Margaret Wix, we want all of our children to feel that they, their families and their peers are represented in the texts they are exposed to and the lessons they learn. As a school, we promote No Outsiders: everybody equal, everybody included. Since this message is so important to the staff at Margaret Wix, we have just purchased new books that promote this message. These are available for your child to peruse in their library sessions. 
 

During Book Week, every class studied texts that illustrated this message. Through the week, we read stories that promoted gender expression; smashed gender stereotypes; appreciated visible and silent disabilities; included families of all different setups and showcased influential and inspiring people of colour throughout history.

Take a look at the different texts that each year group studied:

We also created art work inspired by the illustrations in the books we were studying. What do you think?

Also during Book Week, we took part in a Book Tasting. We 'tasted' a series of books and categories including: fantasy, action and adventure, diversity and inclusion, poems  and non fiction. We all took part in trying out a book from each genre. We wrote book reviews and requested to take home or read our favourites. 

We also took part in the book relay. Each day, a different book that promotes inclusion and diversity, was passed from Year 6 all the way down to Early Years. The book was read with the children and then discussed as a class. There were some fantastic lessons and morals that each book touched upon.

Ask your child all about Book Week and the importance of promoting diversity and inclusion; they will be sure to impress you with their mature outlook on No Outsiders: everybody equal, everybody included! 
 

Grow a Love of Reading - Margaret Wix’s Reading blog 2

Welcome to our new Reading Blog- Grow a Love of Reading. A page where we will update you on all things READING. Here you will find recommended reads, suggested links to support your child at home, reading events that are taking place in school and much much more!

What’s happening in school? 

World Book Week

As a school, we will be dressing up in our favourite characters' costumes or snuggling in our pyjamas. The dress up day will be on the 4.3.22. Want more information about Book Week? Check our our letters to parents/carers page on the website to find out more. 

Brand new fully decodable texts

We have stocked the shelves with new reading material! All our books are now phonetically decodable. Your child's practice book even has handy tips and prompts at the back. Why not test your child on their knowledge and ask them to read you the sounds.

The Margaret Wix Big Book Swap W.C. 17.1.22

It has been great to see so many children bringing in their much-loved reading books to be swapped. Our classrooms are filling up with books ready to swap this week! Thank you to those who brought in books and created a bookmark to accompany it! Enjoy reading your new book!

Reading question prompts displayed in all classrooms

Each week, every class will pose a reading question to prompt thought and discussion about reading. Throughout the week, the children get a chance to respond to the question and discuss it with their classmates. It’s a great way to encourage ‘book talk.’ Admirals were asked ‘If you could turn any book into a film, what would it be and why?’ Why not ask your child what reading question they have this week and discuss it!

New Books to look forward to this year

I've picked out top ten recommendations to watch out for from January to April 2022. See below my top picks and check the date for when they will be released. Which will be your favourite?

Read for Empathy Research

"Science shows that empathy is learnable and that reading is an important empathy-building tool. This collection will help parents and educators to surround children with empathy experiences, inspiring them to understand others better, and tackle societal problems like racism.” EmpathyLab Founder Miranda McKearney OBE.

EmpathyLab launched its 2022 Read for Empathy book collection at a time when empathy has never been needed more. An expert judging panel has selected 60 books for 4-16 year-olds, each chosen to empower an empathy-educated generation. Take a look at some of the books that were shortlisted.

Hit the link below to see the full list

https://irp.cdnwebsite.com/b2f3fbc2/files/uploaded/PRIMARY%20EMPATHYLAB%20GUIDE%20150dpi.pdf

Miss Pott’s top tips for Growing a Love of Reading 

1. Find a calm spot where your child feels comfortable
2. Why not be brave and read somewhere a little different once in a while. Somewhere unusual is sometimes fun – what about in the bath or up the stairs.
3. Reading shouldn’t just be reserved for bedtime. Some books are perfect for winding down at bedtime but what about all those wonderful books just crying out for silly voices and actions or those books that offer the opportunity for really good discussion or debate? Growing a love of reading takes more than quickly reading a book at bedtime. Create an environment where reading is encouraged at any time of the day –what about introducing DEAR - Drop Everything And Read - to do just that.
4. Embrace reading books over and over again, this will give your children a powerful advantage in learning how language works!
5. Read to the dog! And no we're not barking suggesting to your child that sometimes, they might want to read to your pet perhaps seems a little odd but the reality is that a dog, cat, hamster or even a favourite stuffed toy, never judges. Fear of making a mistake or not being quite good enough often holds a child back when they are asked to read aloud, but, if they are confident their audience won’t critique their performance, they might be more willing to give it a go.
6. Why not try this model to support your child with reading.

TOP NOTCH NON-FICTION

It's time to celebrate all things factual with my selection of recommended children's non-fiction books for readers that have a passion for information and knowledge. I’ve picked four non-fiction books filled with interesting facts and strong visual elements to keep readers engaged, informed and entertained.

Space is full of amazing things! Let's meet some of them in this marvellous book. From comets and asteroids to stars, solar systems and rockets, learn all about the universe with POP-UPS on each page (3-5 years).

Ever wondered what causes thunderstorms, how snowflakes form, or why our climate is changing? Get all the answers to these questions and more in this children's book about the weather! (5-7 years)

Our world is WONDERFUL - and it's worth protecting.

From the author of the BBC's children's book Blue Planet II, this book takes you on a breathtaking tour of our planet - from towering mountaintops, through grasslands, jungles, rivers, deserts, polar wildernesses and into the blue ocean - to discover the incredible variety of life that calls it home. Along the way, read the stories of 35 inspiring Earth Shakers - children and adults, from tree-planters to scientists, from all around the world - who have taken action to protect it (7-9 years).

These short biographies tell the stories of people who have faced unique challenges which have not stopped them from becoming trailblazers, innovators, advocates and makers. Each person is a leading figure in their field, be it sport, science, maths, art, breakdance or the world of pop (9-11 years)

Informative websites

Read for empathy - Launch (as mentioned above)

https://www.booksfortopics.com/post/news-read-for-empathy-2022-collection-announced

Take a look at the lifting limits website, here they have some fantastic recommended reads for all age groups that lift the limits on stereotypes and encourage inclusivity.

https://www.liftinglimits.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Book-list-age-7-11.pdf

Parent Zone

For all parents

Want some handy hints on how best to support your child with reading at home? Click on the link that will redirect you to the video

https://www.margaretwix.herts.sch.uk/english/

For Parents of children in EYFS and Year 1

Have a look at the support page from our Phonics programme. Here you will see some supportive videos on how to pronounce the sounds your children are learning at school.

https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/resources/for-parents/

'Reading is the special key to take you where you want to be.' 

Let's continue to ‘Grow a Love of Reading’ together!

Miss Pott

Grow a Love of Reading - Margaret Wix’s Reading blog 1

Welcome to our new Reading Blog- Grow a Love of Reading. A page where we will update you on all things READING. Here you will find recommended reads, suggested links to support your child at home, reading events that are taking place in school and much much more!

What’s happening in school? 

Whole school text – Coming to England

Over the past few weeks, we have been inspired by Baroness Floella Benjamin and her story ‘Coming to England.’

Our children have produced some fantastic written work based around her life and have reflected on the 'journey' her family made on 'Coming to England'. She has written 2 beautiful books (see above). Please do ask your children all about their learning around this inspiring text.

A story about the triumph of hope, love, and determination, Coming to England is the inspiring true story of Baroness Floella Benjamin: from Trinidad, to London as part of the Windrush generation, to the House of Lords. When she was ten years old, Floella Benjamin, along with her older sister and two younger brothers, set sail from Trinidad to London, to be reunited with the rest of their family. Alone on a huge ship for two weeks, then tumbled into a cold and unfriendly London.

Coming to England is both deeply personal and universally relevant – Floella’s experiences of moving home and making friends will resonate with young children, who will be inspired by her trademark optimism and joy. at all what Floella had expected.

For younger readers…and me! A delightful Picture book, I even bought a copy myself!

Chapter book: For older readers in KS2 and confident Y2 readers!

Picture book: For KS1 and EYFS

Reading question prompts displayed in all classrooms

Each week, every class will pose a reading question to prompt thought and discussion about reading. Throughout the week the children get a chance to respond to the question and discuss it with their classmates. It’s a great way to encourage ‘book talk.’ Admirals were asked ‘If you could turn any book into a film, what would it be and why?’ Why not ask your child what reading question they have this week and discuss it!

Miss Pott’s recommended reads

I have carefully selected these books to represent diversity and inclusivity. We want every child in our school to feel that they, their families, and their peers are represented in texts. How great would it be if we could all pick up a book, read it and say: ‘That’s me!’

EYFS

This book just begs to be picked up.... Purely magical. Perfect for exploring together at bedtime or for children to browse independently, a gorgeous invitation for children of all backgrounds, and especially for black girls, to learn about black women who were pioneers.

KS1:

Encourages us to treat everyone with a little more tolerance and kindness, however they may look Ideal for younger readers. Perfect for helping them understand differences.

Lower KS2:

When Alfie goes to Airport Lost Property, he finds more than he bargained for. A lot more. Because there's a giant robot called Eric hidden away on the shelves. Eric has lost one leg and half his memory. A strong message of healing and supporting others when they may need your support.

Upper KS2:

40 neurologically and physically diverse people that broke stereotypes. The world is full of people who are a little different. Our uniqueness makes us who we are. We are all 'different; not less'.

This is a collection of the true stories of 40 inspirational figures from around the world, all of whom are physically or neurologically diverse. Each story includes struggles and triumphs, a motivational quote and information on each condition.

Miss Pott’s top tips for Growing a Love of Reading 

1. Find a calm spot where your child feels comfortable
2. Why not be brave and read somewhere a little different once in a while. Somewhere unusual is sometimes fun – what about in the bath or up the stairs.
3. Reading shouldn’t just be reserved for bedtime. Some books are perfect for winding down at bedtime but what about all those wonderful books just crying out for silly voices and actions or those books that offer the opportunity for really good discussion or debate? Growing a love of reading takes more than quickly reading a book at bedtime. Create an environment where reading is encouraged at any time of the day –what about introducing DEAR - Drop Everything And Read - to do just that.
4. Embrace reading books over and over again, this will give your children a powerful advantage in learning how language works!
5. Read to the dog! And no we're not barking suggesting to your child that sometimes, they might want to read to your pet perhaps seems a little odd but the reality is that a dog, cat, hamster or even a favourite stuffed toy, never judges. Fear of making a mistake or not being quite good enough often holds a child back when they are asked to read aloud, but, if they are confident their audience won’t critique their performance, they might be more willing to give it a go.
6. Why not try this model to support your child with reading.

Monthly Top Picks

It's easy to feel lost in the flood of so many new children's books available. Each month, I will pick five of our recently published favourites.

TOP NOTCH NON-FICTION

It's time to celebrate all things factual with my selection of recommended children's non-fiction books for readers that have a passion for information and knowledge. I’ve picked three non-fiction books filled with interesting facts and strong visual elements to keep readers engaged, informed and entertained.

The Big Book of the Blue: Yuval Zommer (The Big Book series)

Why do octopuses have eight arms?
Why do crabs run sideways?
Are jellyfish made of jelly?
Yuval Zommer’s beautiful new book provides the answers to these and many more fishy questions. His wonderfully quirky illustrations show off all kinds of slippery, shimmery and surprising sea creatures, including sea turtles, whales, sharks, rays and seahorses. Chatty, funny and full of amazing facts, it will be devoured by children eager to find out about the most exciting creatures from the deep blue.

Help your little ones to put their worries aside following COVID-19 and Meet the Microbes!
With fun, playful text by expert Dr Emily Grossman and bright, characterful illustrations help your kids to discover just how vital microbes are to life on earth. These tiny organisms - that can only be seen under a microscope - are absolutely EVERYWHERE. In fact, they're even living inside our bodies, travelling through outer space and swimming in the world's seas. And while some microbes can make us sick, many of them actually keep us well, and even help to keep our planet happy and healthy.

This book by Georgina Stevens is about changing the world for the better.

It’s about how we all have the power to make a real difference.

And it’s also about the many incredible young people, just like you, who are already taking action at a time when change is most needed.

Informative websites

Take a look at the lifting limits website, here they have some fantastic recommended reads for all age groups that lift the limits on stereotypes and encourage inclusivity.

https://www.liftinglimits.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Book-list-age-7-11.pdf

Parent Zone

For all parents

Want some handy hints on how best to support your child with reading at home? Click on the link that will redirect you to the video

https://www.margaretwix.herts.sch.uk/english/

For Parents of children in EYFS and Year 1

Have a look at the support page from our Phonics programme. Here you will see some supportive videos on how to pronounce the sounds your children are learning at school.

https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/resources/for-parents/

'Between the pages of a book is a lovely place to be.' 

Let's continue to ‘Grow a Love of Reading’ together!

Miss Pott