Peppy has smashed through all previous reading records as he prepares to hit “30 million words read” since he joined us in Year 3. That’s 558 books read over the last five and a half years – an average of 100 books a year!!
“This is an incredible feat” explains Head of English Mrs Byrne.
“If we look at Peppy’s reading record, he has read a wide variety of genres, both children’s and young adult fiction, which ranges from Harry Potter (the complete set) and the Divergent series, to classics such as Swallows and Amazons, Hound of the Baskervilles and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
“His passion for reading and literature is also reflected in the quality of his creative writing, and fantastic use of vocabulary.
“He has certainly set the bar high for anyone coming though who wants to break the record, although younger brother Oli is hot on his heels!”
Encouraging children to read extensively and write with confidence is a core aim here at Perrott Hill, not least because reading is the thread that ties all academic learning together. We run Book Groups throughout the year; in-house creative writing events; enter numerous written word competitions and regularly invite authors to school.
In addition to our own marking, monitoring and assessments we are also supported by the ‘Accelerated Reader’ (AR) programme. This technology assesses reading abilities and levels, makes book recommendations and tests comprehension with fun, interactive quizzes.
“We have seen reading standards soar – across the board – since the introduction of AR,” said Mrs Byrne.
“Most importantly, every child here has a book on the go at all times, which they dip in to during their daily ‘reading rest’ sessions.”
So, while Peppy may be our headline-grabbing record-breaker, at Perrott Hill every pupil is on their own reading adventure. Whether it’s 30 million words or just the first chapter, we’re proud to see our pupils diving into books, growing in confidence, and discovering the joy of reading – one page at a time.
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