Warblington - A Centre of Excellence
Warblington School has been recognised as one of the most successful schools in the UK with regards to our development of Accelerated Reader. The company Renaissance Learning is creating an exclusive partnership and Warblington has been chosen as one of only ten from the six hundred and sixty schools using Accelerated Reader and Accelerated Maths to become a 'Centre of Excellence'.   As a Centre of Excellence we will be among the first to use new, cutting-edge Renaissance Learning software, which will continue to benefit the learning experiences of our students here at Warblington.

Philosophy
Accelerated Reader has been embraced by Warblington and has become an intrinsic part of the curriculum. ‘Learning the Warblington Way’ has meant that students across Key Stage 3 use this customised reading programme to meet the needs of every individual student. 

We encourage students to read a wide variety of books through the guidance of their Zone of Proximal Development – their personalised Reading Range. Students are encouraged to reflect on their choice of books and then are challenged to complete on-line computerised quizzes to test their understanding of books read.

This highly motivational programme helps focus our students on different authors and genres enabling them to learn and use a wide variety of reading skills. These skills will enhance their ability to understand different levels of text in other subject areas.  

Students develop a love of reading and Accelerated Reader reinforces the need for students to have good literacy skills which will enable them to approach life in the 21st Century to the best of their ability.

Extra Curricular Activities
Parents are informed on how to access* ‘Home Connect’ (see below) which enables them to look on-line at what their children are reading and how well they are doing on the quizzes. This home-school connection is very informative for both staff and parents.

Warblington is also working in partnership with ladies from the Women’s Institute. They volunteer to come in on a regular basis and help readers improve their reading skills on a 1-1 basis.  These external Reading Mentors play a vital role in developing reading confidence.

Students Reading Mentors are also seen as key within the Accelerated Reader Programme, through our Peer Mentor scheme. Students read with other students during morning registration. 

Curriculum
All Key Stage 3 students complete Accelerated Reader as a lesson on its own where they read and improve their literacy skills.  It is also part of one of their English lessons.

Facilities
Accelerated Reader is taught in the Learning Resource Centre, which is reinforced through 'quiet' reading during mentor time. Computers in the Learning Resource Centre support this programme with students being able to complete quizzes when books have been read.

Achievements
Warblington School has been recognised through the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and has recently won the RATL Award (Raising Achievement Transforming Learning).  This Award acknowledges progress made in developing literacy across the curriculum.

Th School is seen as a 'Centre of Excellence' which has been certified by Renaissance Learning.

The Peer Mentor and Accelerated Reader schemes have won the School the Diana Award in both 2008 and 2009.

*Home Connect

Home Connect - See what your child/children are reading!
All parents of KS3 students have been sent a letter regarding the 'Home Connect' programme which is linked to Accelerated Reader.  Parents and carers can view their child/children's progress in reading by accessing Home Connect from any computer with Internet access.

With Home Connect you can view targets, results of the last quiz taken and your child's overall progress.  You can also find books that have Accelerated Reader quizzes on them.  A wonderful feature of Home Connect is that you can view 'My Bookshelf' which shows the books on which quizzes have been taken and their results.

Home Connect is truly a powerful tool in which parents/carers can see and celebrate with their child's success in Accelerated Reader.

Go to the following site to view a short video tutorial of Home Connect:

Home Connect Reading > http://www.renaissance-learning.co.uk/misc/rp08_2/

or log onto Home Connect's website:

> https://UKHOSTED1.renlearn.co.uk/1896026/HomeConnect/Login.aspx

User Name = 1st Initial of christian name then the first four of your child's surname,
eg FWall

Password = Both initials of Chrisitan and Surname,
eg FW

If you do have any difficulties regarding Home Connect or have any questions regarding your child's progress on Accelerated Reader please contact Warblington School's Project Manager for Accelerated Reader:

julie.hodge@warblington.hants.sch.uk

Buying your child a Reading Book
If you are going to buy a reading book for your child, please select from the Accelerated Reader book list.  Your child will then be able to complete the entire quiz to test their comprehension of the book.

> Click here to link to the Renaissance book website
When you get to the website, click on
• Online Shop
• Quiz Store
• Advanced Search
You can search for any book by the title/author/ISBN.

If you want a long list of titles to choose from click
• interest level

Choose from
• lower years
• middle years
• upper years
then click on ‘Go’.

Developing Lifelong Learners
who Love to Read
Reading is critical to everything we do as active members of society. Reading is a skill and like many skills, requires a teacher to teach and a student to practice.

Warblington School is successfully using the Accelerated Reader programme which is supported by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust with Renaissance Learning.  The Accelerated Reader programme is embedded in the Key Stage 3 curriculum and is suitable across the ability range to get students excited about books.  Every student should have 'a book in their bag'.  This programme encourages students to get 'back to basics' and enjoy books, enabling students, staff and parents to engage with each other and achieve the goal of becoming skilled lifelong readers who love to read.

Accelerated Reader provides three easy steps to continuously guide students to appropriate books within their zone of proximal development (ZPD) this helps teachers to give guidance on personalized reading instructions for individual students and helps staff to intervene with students who need extra support and guidance.

Students reading skills are assessed using STAR Reader

Step 1:  Students read a book.  All types of students reading are monitored, included guided, paired, literature-based and text book reading.

Step 2:  Students take a comprehension quiz on the book they have read.  Accelerated Reader offers more than 8,000 quizzes on library books, popular reading and textbooks.  The quizzes provide assessment information to help motivate reading, monitor progress and target instruction to accelerate reading growth.

Step 3:  Information is provided from quizzes in easy to read reports on the reading level and comprehension skill of each student to guide instruction and help student’s select more reading material.

Students in year 7, 8 and 9 will read for 30 minutes twice a week in Mentor time.   Students will also have access to the library at lunch time for extra reading time.  Students will be encouraged to take their reading books home to read in the evenings and at weekends.

The aim of this programme is to keep students challenged - using Accelerated Reader we can continuously guide students to appropriate books and curriculum within their ZPD.  This means we can ensure that every student is challenged without being frustrated.

Here at Warblington we aim to make our Library the hub of reading excitement, supported by strategies to build a culture of reading throughout the school.

Book Donations
If you have any reading books at home that are gathering dust on your bookshelves.  The school would be delighted if you were to donate them to our library.  Please bring any books into reception or if you have a particularly large box please ring the school and we will arrange to collect.