Writing at SCA 

Writing is how students communicate and express their ideas. In all lessons teachers demonstrate how students will do this in their particular subject specialism.  

At SCA the ‘Big Write’ programme encourages students’ confidence when writing extended answers, Big Writes take place at least one per term depending on the lesson and follow this structure.  

Oracy at SCA 

Oracy is how we communicate through spoken language this is woven through our curriculum both in and out of lessons.  

• Turn and Talk – Students are given the opportunity in lessons to grapple with difficult concepts, Turn and talk structures talk so that all students get chance to make a meaningful contribution.  

• Our oracy charter – Staff are committed to having the highest levels of spoken language and to promote this with students.  

• Subject Specific Vocabulary –. Key words and definitions are shared by teachers in every lesson. – students are encouraged to use these in their answers.   

• DEAR – Reading the same text as a tutor group forms a discussion point. Students will discuss different themes and how the text fits into their contextual knowledge.

DEAR – Drop Everything and Read 

We believe reading is incredibly important to academic success. We also acknowledge it has many benefits to young peoples’ wellbeing. Here are five reasons we are committed to DEAR at Salford City Academy.  

1. Staff reading to students removes barriers of all students from accessing difficult texts. It enables students to understand pace, where punctuation occurs and where tension is building.  

2. Reading together makes it more enjoyable. Children who enjoy reading are three times more likely to have good mental wellbeing than children who don’t enjoy it. 

3. Texts provide talking points. Our texts explore so many different these such as coming of age, politics, racism, economic issues, historical events, and so many more, By exposing students to new ideas - we know this will get them talking.  

4. Reciprocal reading strategies used in DEAR sessions can be used with many difficult texts across the curriculum helping students to become better readers. Reciprocal reading strategies include: activating prior knowledge, predicting, clarifying, questioning and summarising. 

5. Reading builds your vocabulary. The more words students know the easier they will find when encountering new words in any subject.  

DEAR Texts  

Reading Interventions  

We support students at every ability to improve their reading fluency and comprehension.  

Lexia – Wave 1  

What is Lexia? 

Lexia is one of the most rigorously researched reading programmes in the world and will help your child to develop critical reading and language skills through individualised, motivating learning paths via an online platform.  Lexia provides a balanced approach to reading covering six areas: phonological awareness, phonics, structural awareness, automaticity, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. 

Lexia begins with an assessment to place students at the appropriate starting point on the programme and the software then tracks pupils’ progress as they work independently, automatically providing extra practice on areas of difficulty where needed. 

Who is it for? 

Lexia is designed for students of all ages who would benefit from additional support with reading. We use the ‘National Group Reading Test’ to test every student’s Reading Age and Standard Age Score. At the Academy, using these results, we target students who are reading significantly below their chronological age. Once a student’s Reading Age has improved to a level where they can access our Secondary Curriculum, they will graduate from the Lexia programme. 

Why do we love Lexia at Salford City Academy? 

We love it because we know it works! We believe the combination of effective, teacher-led instruction combined with an interactive, user-centric experience, supports the varying cognitive abilities of all students and enables them to make excellent progress in their reading abilities and ages. 

Lexonik Advance – Wave 2 

Lexonik is a new intervention which we are very excited to offer to students this academic year over a six week period, It is a unique, research-based literacy intervention programme for schools, leveraging metacognition, repetition, decoding and automaticity. Lexonik Advance trains learners to develop phonological awareness and make links between unknown words using common prefix, stems and suffix definitions.  

The programme trains students to decode subject specific words quickly and effortlessly. It teaches them the complexities of the English language allowing them to develop a deeper understanding of the subjects they are being taught. 

We are excited to be able to offer Lexonik to our students and look forward to hearing about the progress being made by them. Find out more here. Lexonik Advance Literacy Intervention Programme - Lexonik 

1:1 Reading (Waves 1 & 2) and Peer Reading (Wave 2) 

Students will read with either a trained member of staff or a trained reading ambassador. This allows students to practice their reading fluency in a low stress environment and decode words to help them become a better reader, This programme sits alongside the other whole school strategies and interventions giving them the opportunity to become confident readers, Students’ progress is monitored and recorded to enable students to see the progress they have made in the sessions.  

Reading Enrichment (Waves 1 & 2) 

Students on waves 1 and 2 will attend enrichment on a specific night this will be facilitated by the Teaching Assistant assigned to their year group. It will allow them time to complete any tasks on Lexia or Sparx Reader and will also be time for students to read with the reading ambassadors. It will also be an opportunity to reflect on the progress they have made so far. Students will e expected to bring a reading book to this session. 

Reading to Learn Lessons – All Waves  

Students spend one English lesson each week focused completely on reading in the library. This gives them the opportunity to explore a text with their teacher using the reciprocal reading lessons students use in DEAR and English lessons. It also gives students the opportunity to read their own choice of book and read 1:1 with a member of staff.  

Sparx Reader – All Waves  

Sparx reader is reading, comprehension and vocabulary programme that gets all young people reading regularly to help improve their Literacy. 

Year 7 students are set homework each week on Sparx Reader. Students are set the task of reading a book of their choice on the platform each week. Students need to collect 300 SRP per week to complete their homework. This equates to around 30 minutes of slow, concise and accurate reading per week. SRP points, or Sparx Reader Points are awarded to students for completing their homework. This is how we track their student’s progress and engagement. Once students have completed a placement test, the ‘library’ on Sparx Reader will open and students can select a book to read for homework. As students read, they will be asked some comprehension questions to check their understanding and to ensure they are completing their homework weekly. Tasks are personalised based on each student's reading ability so that every student can be successful with their reading. The books that a student can choose from are carefully chosen so that the text is accessible yet suitably challenging. 

Do students read whole e-books? 

Yes, students read whole e-books on the platform, not just short excerpts. Each story has been carefully broken up into passages, and at the end of a passage, a student will be asked a few questions about that part of the story. When they complete the questions, they will move onto the next part of the book. 

Does it have a range of books suitable for all reading ages? 

We have e-books from a Sparx Level 1, which is roughly equivalent to a reading age of just over 6 up to 16+  which includes classic literature such as Wuthering Heights. Gold readers can read any paperback book from their school library - some books require teacher validation before they can be read. There are enough books so that students at every level always have a choice of books to read. Students identified as Gold Readers will record their reading onto the platform themselves as a record of their personal reading. 

At what level are students allowed to read books of their own choice? 

Students who are new to Sparx Reader will be given a selection of carefully selected e-books which they can work through over several weeks. This allows us to understand whether they are able to read carefully and are motivated to independently finish a book. Those that demonstrate they can do this will then be able to add their own books to the system. We do not use students' level or reading age to decide when to unlock this feature, meaning weaker readers will be able to add their own books if they are reading carefully and are motivated to complete books independently. Similarly, if stronger readers cannot demonstrate that they can read the e-books carefully and remain motivated to complete books, they will continue to only have access to the Sparx Reader e-books. 

How do I log in? 

Students should first select their school in the drop down menu and then enter their login details. These are the same login details they use for Sparx Maths. If a student forgets their password, they can request a password change from their teacher directly. 

Frequently asked Questions  

Q: My daughter isn’t interested in reading. In her spare time - she either goes out or is on her phone. What can I do?  

Try to find things for her to read that are about her interests and let her choose what she wants to read as much as you can. Get her to help you to research something on the internet like a holiday or a career path or a recipe. All of these things still involve reading, Praise when she is doing her Sparx Reader homework – log on together and look at her progress. Keep any reading you do together short and fun. Even though it is worrying, pushing your daughter too hard or making reading a chore will put her off even more.  

Q; My son will read the same book over and over. Is that normal?  

Children often re-read books they have enjoyed or will stick to a particular genre (for example, horror) or series. Reading the same books or same type of books over and over helps them to build reading confidence, and children will usually move on at their own pace. Don’t stop them reading books again – interfering with what children choose to read can often put them off. If you are worried, you could make some suggestions for other books they might enjoy based on what they are already reading. For example, a child who enjoys Goosebumps might enjoy the Series of Unfortunate Events books. Ask your son’s teacher, a librarian or a bookseller for advice on suitable titles 

Q: I think my daughter might be dyslexic. What do I do?  

If you are worried that your child is struggling with reading, it is best to make an appointment to see your child’s form tutor. You can do this by calling the academy and asking to speak to them by name or if you don’t know this, give the name of your child and ask to be put through to their form tutor. It is best to call either before or after the school day – be prepared to leave a message. When you do speak to the form tutor, outline your worries (it may be helpful to write some notes to remind you before making the call) and ask to make an appointment to see them to discuss what can be done for your child. They can refer your child to the SEND team who will screen for dyslexia or another learning difficulty.  

Q: I’m worried my son isn’t being challenged to read difficult texts. How can I make sure he is reading at the right level?  

It is important for teachers and parents to have high but realistic expectations. Make sure that your child is not being put off reading by finding the books they are reading too easy or uninteresting. Don’t force your child to read a book you think they should read. It is much better to talk to them about what they like reading and help them to choose books they will enjoy. Booksellers, librarians and teachers can help with book choices. If you are still worried, speak to your child’s English teacher. You can talk about your concerns over the phone, or set up a meeting to discuss it further. It is best to call either before or after the school day – be prepared to leave a message 

Q: I’m not great at reading myself. I’m worried I can’t help my daughter and could make her reading worse!  

Research has shown that talking to children about what they are reading, and having books and magazines at home make a difference to children’s progress even if parents have problems with reading themselves. If you want help with reading or have a friend you think needs help, check your local library for information on local classes and support.