Literacy & Numeracy at Painsley
500 word Malala Yousafzai competition
For additional information regarding numeracy at Painsley please click here to view or download a copy of the numeracy booklet.
For additional information regarding literacy at Painsley please click here to view or download a copy of the literacy booklet.
At Painsley, literacy skills are embedded into all subjects. In order to access the literacy marking codes, used by teachers in all subjects.
Painsley’s new library space offers pupils the opportunity to explore a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts in order to allow them to develop a permanent love of reading. Pupils are supported in choosing texts that are suitable, engaging and challenging and the library stocks the ‘100 essential reads’ as voted by the Times Educational Supplement. Furthermore, new and challenging literary non-fiction, such as travel writing and autobiographies, can be found in the library.
Year 8 pupils have the opportunity to become ‘Literacy Ambassadors’ and assist in the running and the development of the library space. Furthermore, the frequent and enthusiastic readers in each year group are celebrated and rewarded in half-termly rewards assemblies.
For more information on the library, including an electronic version of the library catalogue, click here
Reading at Painsley:
At Painsley, we encourage, promote and love reading. Pupils are challenged to read widely throughout their time at the college.
What we do for reading:
The Year 7 and 8 Reading Challenge:
Year 7 and 8 Emmaus groups have been challenged with a brand-new reading competition for the new academic year. Each Emmaus group has three copies of a fiction text: Year 7 Emmaus groups will read Berlie Doherty’s classic ‘Street Child’ documenting life in pre-1900 slums that lead to the creation of the ‘Dr Barnardo’s’ charity whilst Year 8 Emmaus groups will plunge themselves into the dystopian world of James Dashner’s ‘The Maze Runner’, following protagonist Thomas’s descent into the ‘Glade’.
All Emmaus groups have this term to have as many pupils as possible to ‘complete the read’. The more pupils that have read the book, the greater the chance of a prize.
Good luck to all Emmaus groups and remember- keep on reading.
Department books of the term: Year 7 and 8:
Year 7 and 8 pupils have been allocated a book of the term for many of their subjects. The chosen books fit, in some way, the topics that you are studying at some point during this first term. Pupils: Enjoy ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in English?- then why not try ‘Rani and Sukh’ by Bali Rai’? Do you enjoy the work that you have completed in history about the Second World War? Well, John Boyne’s ‘The boy at the top of the mountain’ will give you further perspectives. Pupils will see posters in department areas advertising these books and each department has three copies of each text to lend to pupils who want to borrow them.
Remember- you can also visit your local library in order to find many of these books.
Challenge yourself: can all of you read one of the books of the term?
There are prizes and achievement points available for the biggest readers. Get involved and keep reading.
Book of the term for website
Class readers:
Once a fortnight, all pupils in Years 7,8 and 9 will complete a reading lesson in English where they will enjoy challenging fiction as a class. All pupils in Year 7 and 8 will read three full texts throughout the year, and Year 9 will read one additional text.
From stories of war to dystopian lands. From the graveyard to the correction centre. From Sherlock’s Baker Street to Dr Jekyll’s misty London lab, new worlds are waiting to be discovered. Alongside reading, pupils will have to opportunity to discuss, predict and work on key literacy skills during these lessons. The main focus, however, is enjoyment. We are never too old for story time.
See below the 2021 list of readers. Pupils: any recommendations, requests or wishes? If so, please see your English teacher.
Class readers in English
Year 7:
The Michael Morpurgo collection
Holes-Louis Sachar
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas-John Boyne
Skellig-David Almond
Wolfbrother- Michelle Paver
The Ruby in the Smoke- Pullman (new for 2021)
Year 8:
Wonder-R.J Palacio
Stone Cold-Robert Swindells
Face-Benjamin Zephaniah
The Graveyard Book-Neil Gaiman
The Time Machine- H.G. Wells (New for 2021)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes- Arthur Conan Doyle (New for 2021)
I am David- Anne Holm (New for 2021)
Maladapted-Richard Kurti (New for 2021)
Year 9:
Buddy-Nigel Hinton
Kestrel for a Knave-Barry Hines
Salt to the Sea- Ruta Sepetys (New for 2021)
To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde- R.L. Stevenson (New for 2021)
The Time Machine-H.G. Wells (New for 2021)
Pupils: your teacher will let you know which book(s) you will read. Can you read any more in your own time?
Year 7 ‘Bookbuzz’:
Soon, Year 7 will be invited to take up the opportunity to be part of Bookbuzz. For no cost to themselves, every Year 7 pupil will be able to choose a brand-new book to read, enjoy and own. There will be a range of activities, quizzes and tasks that they can complete in order to win achievement points and prizes in college.
For more information on Bookbuzz, see the following link:
Year 7 and 8 book club
Year 7 and 8 pupils are all invited to be involved in the Year 7 and 8 book club, taking place on a Thursday lunchtime in SV2. Here, pupils will have chance to discuss their favourite reads, swap books and discuss everything that is reading. Year 7 pupils can swap their Bookbuzz books, and all members can enjoy their favourite subject books of the term, Emmaus Challenge reads or, indeed, their own favourite books.
Year 7 and 8: if you’re looking for a new read, you know where to go.