Accelerated Reading

Accelerated Reader at Q3 Academy Tipton

At Q3 Academy Tipton, we believe that reading and comprehension is central to all learning. As well promoting reading proficiency and academic achievement, Accelerated Reader is also about sharing the enjoyment of reading and creating a culture of reading at Q3 Academy Tipton.

Why is reading important?

Children who are proficient readers are more likely to achieve higher grades at GCSE and beyond.
It can have a positive impact on pupils’ emotional and social behaviour.
It can have a positive impact on text comprehension and grammar.

What is Accelerated Reader?

Accelerated Reader (AR) is a software tool used by many schools to encourage progress in reading. At its heart, ‘Accelerated Reader’ (AR) is simple. A student reads a book, takes an online quiz, and gets an immediate report on their performance. The more books that students read and the more quizzes that they pass, the more progress they will make in reading.

AR reports reveal how much a student has been reading, at what level of complexity, and how well they have understood what they have read. Vocabulary growth and literacy skills are also measured, giving teachers insight into how well students have responded to reading schemes and class instruction.

The AR programme is designed to work out a reading level for students through the STAR testing. Students then read books within this level. All books in the library that are registered with AR have a coloured star label on the spine to help students to recognise books within their current reading level.

Who has Accelerated Reader lessons and what do they look like?

All students in Year 7 and 8 have one hour of AR as part of their weekly timetable.

In AR lessons, students spend the majority of the time reading independently or speaking to their teacher about their reading. Teachers also hear students read regularly to assess the fluency and accuracy of their reading.

Within AR lessons, students also complete written reflections on what they have read as well as creative tasks such as character profiles and diary entries to demonstrate their comprehension of their reading.

How do we reward reading efforts?

Students receive 5 Q-Points for every AR book quiz that is passed with a score above 80% and 2 Q-Points for every quiz taken.

Each cycle, we identify:

The ten students who have read the most words and reward them with 10 Q-points and a certificate to mark their achievement.
The students who have moved up a level in AR and reward them with 10 Q-points and a certificate to mark their achievement.
The students whose reading ages have improved and reward them with 5 Q-Points.
The students who have achieved Word Millionaire status and reward them with 20 Q-Points and a certificate to mark their achievement.
The students who achieve Gold reader status and reward them with 20 Q-Points, a certificate and badge to mark their achievement.

At the end of each academic year:

Students who have made 12 or more months of reading progress are placed into a draw to win a £20 gift voucher.
Students in the Word Millionaire club are placed into a draw to win a £20 gift voucher.
Students with Gold Reader status are placed into a draw to win a £20 gift voucher.

What is STAR testing?

The STAR test is an adaptive reading assessment which identifies the current reading level for each student. The test has two sections: a cloze activity which tests students’ ability to identify the correct word that fits into a sentence and short passage questions which test the students’ ability to make inferences and summarise information.

All students in years 7 to 11 take a STAR test every term during an English lesson to see how their reading has progressed. As soon as the tests are over, a report for each class is produced and staff analyse this data to identify students who may be at risk of underperforming. Teachers then have conversations with students whose progress has slowed to identify where and how further support can be provided.

How often should students be reading?

KS3 students are required to read independently for the majority of their weekly AR lesson.

In addition to this, students are encouraged to read at home for twenty minutes per day (preferably to an adult or older sibling) and to complete a reading diary. This forms part of their English homework

Other reading opportunities during the school day include D.E.A.R (Drop Everything And Read) sessions which are calendared throughout the year and whole class reading during tutor time once per week.

How can I support my child in making progress in reading?

Sign up for Home Connect (supporting materials are linked to this page) so that you can track your child’s reading progress. Home Connect can be accessed using this link:

Home Connect

Support our reading expectations by making it clear that a reading book is part of the equipment that is expected to be in their bags every day.
Remind them that reading is not a punishment but something we want to make fun and purposeful.
Encourage your child to read at home and listen to them read whenever you have time.

If at any point you have a question or would like some support with improving your child’s reading, please don’t hesitate to contact us:

KS3 Lead for English: v.hylton@q3tipton.org.uk

Assistant Director of English: r.hanson@q3tipton.org.uk

Director of English: v.mcdonald@q3tipton.org.uk

Assistant Headteacher: s.clegg@q3tipton.org.uk