Printed copies were provided for all students in school on Friday 20 March but you can view our Parent & Student Guide to Learning from Home here:
We will be updating this page regularly with more information, as soon as we are able to do so.
“Reading gives us somewhere to go when we have to stay where we are”
The quote above from American writer, Mason Cooley, sums up just how valuable reading is to your child while the academy remains closed. At this time, you are inevitably having to change how you organise your day, and you may find it useful to set aside a daily ‘chunk’ of time for your child to read as the importance of reading has never been a more relevant message to reiterate than today.
The following article offers some great tips as to how you can encourage your children to continue reading when they are not in school, including making reading a regular part of your family routine:
What this could look like?
Set an expectation that 30 minutes a day should be ‘reading time’. This could be broken into smaller chunks and could also involve wider reading around a school subject.
Consider using this time yourself to be seen reading, even it is a work-related text!
For some students, reading aloud to you will prove invaluable with aiding their fluency.
Many students may enjoy reading with you – you could take turns reading a paragraph each or reading the lines at the same time together.
Have a ‘family’ book that is read each day for a short period, with each member of the family taking turns to read out a page, or so. This can prove a very bonding experience. Take turns in who chooses the book.
Screen time, or additional screen time can be earnt by setting up a system of reading ‘credits’.
Finally, keep it light and work hard to keep it positive. Not all children enjoy reading, but it is something we should all be practising more often. Try not to be distracted from the task in hand by any objections!
Why should your child read?
Reading with speed, fluency and understanding is one of the most important ways we can help our children communicate and navigate their world. Being a skilled and regular reader supports success in all subjects – not just English.
Evidence has shown time and again that children who read daily not only achieve greater GCSE results and go on to earn more money in adulthood than non-readers, but they also enjoy better mental health. Reading just before going to sleep also switches off the brain and aids better quality sleep.
All students in Years 7 to 9 are still being set regular reading home learning that they can submit from home via Accelerated Reader. Mrs Turner-Smith is continuing to email students to remind them when this is due and be available to answer any questions they may have or issues they may be experiencing, including not knowing log in details for Accelerated Reader.
We are aware, however, once students have read and quizzed on the books they currently have on loan from the academy, they will not have a chance to change them for new ones. To address this, while the school is closed, we are allowing all students to read and quiz on any books they have at home, regardless of whether they have read them before or whether the books are outside of their reading range.
Logging into Accelerated Reader from home, weekdays between 9.00am – 5.00pm:
- Go to the school website https://www.westbourne.attrust.org.uk
- Select ‘Students’
- Then scroll down and select ‘Useful Links’
- Then select ‘other linked ‘Other linked websites and resources for students’
- Then select ‘Accelerated Reader’
Students can then log in using their normal details. If for any reason they cannot access this via the school website, they can do so through the following link: https://ukhosted5.renlearn.co.uk/2589695.
Why not get your child to read to their younger siblings and then they take the quiz together?
They can choose to re-read their favourite books from primary school or read books that they never got around to reading. To check if books at home can be quizzed on, students can look them up at https://www.arbookfind.co.uk/
We fully appreciate that some students may have a limited number of quizzable books at home. If this is the case, please encourage your children to read anything they can access from home, for example, newspapers, magazines and online articles.
As a reminder of our academy approach to ‘all things literacy’, please follow the following link: https://www.westbourne.attrust.org.uk/Literacy/ which can also be located under the ‘About’ tab on the academy website homepage. The following YouTube video is also well worth a watch as it explains the many health and wellbeing benefits of regular reading:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=pRTWFqhEDeo&feature=emb_title
Finally, and in addition to the above, as an alternative way of relaxing, chidren may enjoy listening to a story instead. Audible have made a large number of audiobooks available for children on their website. There is no sign up process and it is completely free to access from a desktop or laptop computer, tablet or mobile device.
The link to explore the range of stories on offer and start listening now is https://stories.audible.com/discovery
Until 31 August 2020, students have free access to 7000 online books via myON. This is the link to the website https://www.myon.co.uk/
Students needs to click on ‘myon Login’ and then answer 3 questions – the answers are the same for everyone at Westbourne.
The name of your school: Westbourne Academy
Your Username: westbourne695student
Your Password: read
Please make reading part of your child’s daily routine, it has so many associated benefits. In fact, why not treat yourself to some ‘me time’ and make reading part of your own daily routine too.
Should you have any questions about reading or literacy, please feel free to email either:
Mr A Smith – Assistant Principal
andy.smith@westbourne.attrust.org.uk
or
Mrs L Turner-Smith – Library Manager
To view the advice and tips document for Year 11 to help prepare themselves for their chosen post-16 pathway, click on the text below. The document gives a range of online tools, online resources and references to reading materials for the majority of post-16 courses available at Suffolk One, Suffolk New College and local 6th form colleges.
For help with log in and passwords for accessing online learning resources please click on the text below:
For students
The Sharp System – This is an in school support system for students who are worried about themselves, friends or family whilst we are off either due to the school closure or during the holidays.
Childline – A national counselling service for children and young people up to their 19th birthday in the United Kingdom provided by the NSPCC. They deal with any issues which cause distress or concern.
Thinkuknow – Advice from the National Crime Agency on how to stay safe online is a good site for young people with lots of advice on what to post and what not to post and video clips showing what could happen when you post something you shouldn’t.
Acceptable Use of IT – This is a document that sets out the responsibilities of students when using IT equipment, to keep them safe online.
For parents
UK Safer Internet Centre – A site where you can report and remove harmful online content.
CEOP – An agency that exists to help keep children and young people safe from sexual abuse and grooming online. They help thousands of children and young people every year who have been in a similar situations.
Internet Matters – Tips & Advice. From age-specific online safety checklists to guides on how to set parental controls on a range of devices, you’ll find a host of practical tips to help children get the most out of their digital world..
Net Aware – Support for parents and careers from the NSPCC has some good advice around TIK TOK and how to link the account to your phone as a parent so you can control what they post and what messages they receive.
Parent Info – A collaboration between Parent Zone and CEOP that gives help and advice for families in a digital world from leading experts and organisations.
Thinkuknow – Part of CEOPs, this service helps young people 5 – 17 years to identify the risks they may face online and know where they can go for help. To help parents during COVID-19 and the closure of schools, they are releasing new activity packs with simple 15 minute activities that parents can do with their child to support their online safety at a time when they will spending more time online at home. Download your first pack here today!
Mental Health
https://youngminds.org.uk/ – Advice on maintaining positive mental health for parents and students.
Am I eligible for free school meals?
We have been made aware that there are a number of scam emails and websites in circulation, allowing parents to check their eligibility for FSM and eventually taking their bank details. If you want to check if you are eligible to apply please go on https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals which will ensure a safe route to the local Council website where they can find details of how to apply.
Or you can go to the FSM page of our website here:
To read the latest updates from the government about the coronavirus and how it is affecting the UK and schools please go to our academy NEWS page here:
