At Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School we take pride in our focus on reading for pleasure as well as always working hard in lessons to ensure we are equipping our students with the skills they need to become knowledgeable and strategic readers.
The reason we focus on reading so carefully is because it is the gateway for so much of our learning journey. Developing a regular reading habit can help us in so many ways. Studies have shown consistently that fostering an enjoyment of reading results in young people with enhanced reading ages which in turn allows greater understanding of learning materials and better achievement. Studies also show that reading for pleasure has been linked to reduced stress and anxiety, as well as enhanced memory, improved vocabulary usage and the vital importance of developing empathy.
We recommend at least 15 minutes of reading per day to relax and unwind away from screens and electronic devices. Thank you in advance for your support of helping our students establish reading habits which will benefit them academically and personally.
Reading Strategy Video & Information
Please click on this link to watch a brief video about our whole school Reading and Literacy strategy at Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School.
The below video that we made in March 2021 lets you know about all the reading activities that occur daily at Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School. We also share some strategies we use in classrooms to help students access challenging learning material.
If you wanted to experiment with the Quigley Jigsaw Strategy I talk about on the video, please use this accompanying PowerPoint to set yourself a challenge!
Reading Weeks
Reading Weeks take place regularly throughout the year. During this week students spend the first ten minutes of each lesson reading a book of their choice with the aim of simply reading for pleasure.
During the week one of the days is dedicated to DHFS Shared ‘Reading for Empathy’ where we enjoy a whole school reading of a short story or an excerpt from a book. On this day, the first ten minutes of all DHFS lessons are dedicated to reading and discussing segments with a view to enriching our students’ Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development. Stories often provide a window into a culture or setting very different to our own, developing skills in empathy, understanding and acceptance – we’re keen to develop these skills in our young people and hope they’ll enjoy the shared short story element of the celebrations.
Reading Week 3rd -7th October 2022
Below you will find the texts for the first DHFS Shared Reading event of this academic year. As it is also National Poetry Day, the shared reading event this time features five poems – one to read and explore in the first 10 minutes of each period throughout the day. The poems selected also support our celebrations for Black History Month and connect with this term’s SMSC theme of Rights, Responsibilities and British Values.
Support from Home
We encourage you to help your child to sustain a reading for pleasure habit at home and are keen for students to experience opportunities to talk about reading as regularly as possible. We know that family members – parents, carers, grandparents and siblings – are some of the most powerful role models our young people have in their lives and we appreciate any support you can give to this vital strand of their learning experience.
As you know, the reason we focus on reading so carefully at DHFS is because it is the gateway for so much of our learning journey. Developing a regular reading habit can help us in so many ways. Studies have shown consistently that fostering an enjoyment of reading results in young people with enhanced reading ages which in turn allows greater access to and understanding of learning materials and better achievement. Research has also found that reading for pleasure has been linked to reduced stress and anxiety, as well as enhanced memory, improved vocabulary usage and the vital importance of developing empathy.
Finally, we would like to again take this opportunity to recommend at least 15 minutes of reading per day to relax and unwind away from screens and electronic devices. Thank you in advance for your support of helping our students establish reading habits which will benefit them academically and personally throughout their lives.