Who wants to be a millionaire?

The Open Learning Centre’s Launch of Accelerated Reader has delivered thirteen millionaires! The Centre was proud and excited to introduce the scheme, which is designed to encourage regular reading for pleasure. Our launch encompassed a range of reading incentives and rewards, devised by the school, to support and enhance the introduction of Accelerated Reader. Our personalised ‘Millionaires Club’ acknowledges and praises students who have read one million words or more through sweet delights, certificates and whole-school recognition.

The total number of words read is recorded to chart students’ performance towards ‘The Millionaires’ Club’. They will then be added to the ‘Millionaires’ Wall of Fame’ in the Open Learning Centre. In addition, a termly event, ‘The Millionaires’ Tea Party’ is held in the OLC to celebrate their achievements. We have closed the Open Learning Centre during some social times and issued students on Accelerated Reader with VIP passes (Very Important Pupils). Students were eager to receive their VIP passes and use their exclusive access to explore books, take AR quizzes and assess their own progression.

For students who read at a more leisurely pace, rewards, treats and certificates are issued based on comprehension, which is also measured through the Accelerated Reader quizzes; likewise, each book is worth an allocated amount of points and what do points make? Prizes! The Open Learning Centre has also launched a new morning club for students, ‘Books for Breakfast’. No student, regardless of ability, is left behind. All students’ progression is relevant and is rewarded. Confidence and ability in reading can be a source of personal satisfaction and through Accelerated Reader, we aim to instil in our students a life-long love of reading.

According to the DFE, aside from the sheer joy of exercising the imagination, research shows reading improves literacy, social skills and learning outcomes. On an academic level, reading helps students to build vocabulary and develop language and grammar skills. Reading is also important for students because it exposes them to a wealth of places, characters, social situations and issues that can stimulate their personal and social development. Accelerated Reader is a programme that helps encourage reading for pleasure whilst managing and monitoring students’ independent reading practice. Pupils pick books at their own level and read them at their own pace. It gives students and teachers’ feedback based on the quiz results, which is then used to help set targets and ongoing reading practice.

Already on our Millionaires’ Roll of Honour are: Rowan Airey: 3,562,027, Holly Buckworth: 2,198,596, Michael Reeve: 1,564,176, Matthew Hill: 1,304,843, Toby Rudge:1,288,588, Kate Ridley1,276,143 Emma Sedgwick: 1,189,793, Byron Woodhouse: 1,169,151, Evie Cambage: 1,127,748, Hana Jones: 1,113,515, Preston Morrison: 1,065,259, Amelia Cree: 1,005,584 and Charlotte Chambers: 1,002,725.