Peterborough Reads:
Becky Marrs is the National Literacy Trust Hub Manager in Peterborough. She links with a range of partners, including schools across Peterborough to support the implementation of projects that includes the distribution of free books and activities to support the enjoyment of reading.
Since 2014, Peterborough Reads has brought together local partners to tackle literacy issues in the city. Peterborough Reads inspires families to read together and helps parents to support their children’s literacy skills with a particular focus on School Readiness and enjoyment for reading for Primary school children and their families.
Find out more by clicking here: https://literacytrust.org.uk/communities/peterborough/families/
The National Literacy Trust:
The National Literacy Trust are dedicated to raising literacy levels across the UK. We work to improve the reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in the UK's most disadvantaged communities, where one in three people have low levels of literacy. Because low literacy is intergenerational, we focus our work on families, young people and children.
We help to transform lives through literacy. We do this by:
· Establishing literacy projects to inspire and support children and families to improve their literacy skills in the most disadvantaged communities. We call these our National Literacy Trust Hubs
· Supporting schools by sharing our analysis, promoting best practice and offering programmes and resources for schools and early years settings
· Campaigning to make literacy a priority for politicians and parents
· Conducting research and analysis that make us the leading authority on literacy
National Literacy Trust Peterborough runner up in the Wicked writing competition: Congratulations to Natalia
"Sign Language is more than powerful because our hands are like superpowers, magically expressing joy and fun."
Natalia Hrickova, 10, from Thomas Deacon Academy Junior School in Peterborough, is the runner up in the 9-11 age group, and her experience as a deaf student fuelled an inspiring and persuasive argument for British Sign Language to become a mandatory lesson in school.
The judges said, “It was a very emotional piece, speaking from the heart. Natalia tells us that our “hands are like superpowers” and asks us to all learn sign language as a call to action.”
Natalia hopes to keep inspiring others, telling us, "Being a runner up in this competition has made me feel so proud. It has given me confidence and demonstrated that deaf people can do anything. I hope my success will encourage others to learn BSL and inspire other deaf children and young people to go after their dreams."
Literacy Champion Bite Size Training on "Welcoming new or returning students
Starting nursery and reception: wellbeing resources
These easy-to-deliver resources are designed to help children settle into the nursery and classroom environment, and will allow them to develop their communication, language, and literacy skills.
Books such as Ruby's Worry and Ravi's Roar by Tom Percival, published by Bloomsbury, can help children to recognise the different emotions that they may be feeling and help them to articulate these emotions. The session plans linked to these stories, use the books to provide strategies for children to cope with the transition of starting school or nursery.
The main message of these sessions is that it is okay to feel uncertain, anxious, or worried and that sharing these feelings and working things out together will help. Younger children will benefit from hearing these messages, even if they cannot articulate these emotions themselves.
Link to the National Literacy Trust site below.
https://literacytrust.org.uk/resources/starting-nursery-and-reception-wellbeing-resources/
Welcoming your class back to school
The excitement of the new school year provides a great opportunity to embed reading for pleasure as part of everyday life at school and at home.
To help you welcome pupils back to school and settle them into your classroom, we've put together a range of transition activities that will kick-start your year with reading at its heart!
Using these resources
The resources are designed for pupils aged 5-7 (KS1/P2-P3), 7-11 (KS2/P4-P7) and 11-14 (KS3/S1-S3). Each resource includes:
- Quick-fire icebreakers to support pupils to get to know each other and you, whilst refreshing core speaking and listening skills
- Fun, easy to deliver, reading for pleasure activities to help create a buzz about books!
- A suggested read for the first week back, with discussion questions to encourage book talk and book response activities. The recommended read focuses on the theme of transition and change.
Link to the National Literacy Trust site below.
https://literacytrust.org.uk/resources/back-to-school-reading-for-pleasure-transition-activities/
For further information, please contact Becky Marrs ~ becky.marrs@literacytrust.org.uk
