The Golden Beano comic: Free Edition Six

Children love comics and the Golden Beano Edition 6 is out now and it’s fantastic!

There are 6 FREE comics for all to enjoy! Why not share these in your school’s Christmas newsletter?

Reflecting Realities Research

The third report from CLPE (Centre for Literacy in Primary Education) reveals an improving yet still challenging picture of ethnic representation in UK children’s literature. For example, only 5% of main characters (in 2019 books) are from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic background, yet 33.5% of UK children are BAME. The report reminds us we need to use diversity in all its forms as a key criterion when choosing children’s books.

The Author’s Voice

This has been made by one of our own OU/ UKLA Reading Group Leaders, Kala Williams. It brings authors and teachers together to widen repertoires beyond the highly marketed texts and to discover diverse texts – essential stuff! There are new blethers each Sunday from 9am.

#OURfPBookBlether November THANKS TO ALL!

These one-hour Twitter chats were focused and popular- memories were evoked and new books bought! Comments included: “Thank you to all the fabulous hosts and for all the recommendations and tips” Jen O’Brien “Definitely need to continue these...I take away so much from each one!” Erin Hamilton. Thanks again to our TRG Leaders: Jon Biddle, Clare McGreevy, Ben Harris, Justine Lister, Rich Charlesworth, Nicola Mansfield Niemi, Sadie Philipps and Tom Brassington.

Fabulously, we now have over 100 TRGs running from Jan-June 2021!

Dates are going on the site daily so do join one near you. They are all virtual or blended but we hope to be in person by next summer.

REFRESHER SESSION FOR LEADERS
Sat 9^th January 10-11.30

Experienced Leaders who wish to join us for a refresher session are welcome, as are any new leaders or co-leaders who didn’t join us in November. We look forward to a good book blether and time to discuss how to make these CPD for RfP sessions interactive, engaging and effective.

Dubai TRG Update by Mary Rose Grieve

Brilliantly, everyone had found new ways to ensure RfP for all continued! Some teachers even felt online schooling had increased opportunities for book chat and reading aloud.  The atmosphere of a quiet RfP revolution permeated and everyone resolved to return for our 3rd year to continue the projects started, or to harness the new environment to bring about a RfP culture shift.

Coventry and Warwickshire TRG Update by Kala Williams

Our group has grown from strength to strength. Teachers completed their development plans and are looking forward to uploading their wonderful examples of practice. Our final session was filled with book blether and ways to encourage sharing books in our bubbles. Out of this experience, a new platform 'The Author's Voice' has been born.

Aylesbury and Buckinghamshire TRG Update by Stephanie Hilder

Whilst our original projects have stalled, our enthusiasm hasn’t. It’s a slow-burn, but realising our achievements (when we thought all was lost), has spurred us on to make a bigger difference this year – Covid or Novid! Four of us have secured RfP on the SDP, many have been involved in judging Book Awards and we’ve formed a vibrant Whatsapp group to keep sharing our reading!

5 ways to use your School Library to build Reading Communities, by Carol Carter

Carol is a Library and Resource Co-ordinator at Headlands primary school in Northampton. Her example of practice won the award for the School Reading Champion Category. Carol outlines 5 initiatives that she implemented to encourage reading communities, both within and beyond the school gates. If you’re looking for inspiration to build reading communities in your school - Carol’s example has a plethora of ideas to draw on.

Promoting RfP Through Online Bedtime Stories by Nigel Lungenmuss-Ward

Nigel, who won the Early Career Teacher RfP Award, works at St Margaret’s Primary Academy in Suffolk, where he is part of the Reading Leadership Team. Nigel explains how, even before the necessity of lockdown, his school harnessed the power of social media to bring teacher-read bed-time stories into children’s homes. Children were exposed to a diverse range of texts and experience different reading styles, as each teacher brought the stories to life with their own personality and approach.