Since September 2022 Langafel Primary have been using Accelerated Reader (https://www.renlearn.co.uk/accelerated-reader/ )  to support our pupils with their reading. Initially trialled in our LKS2 phase, the programme has now been rolled out across all KS2 classes including our SLIC unit and also to children who are reading fluently in KS1.

Accelerated Reader is a whole class management and monitoring programme that aims to foster independent reading in primary and secondary school pupils. This well-regarded reading practice software is popular in schools across the UK and around the world. Developed by Renaissance Learning, it allows teachers to monitor the reading development and practices of their pupils and provides tools to quickly ascertain their reading level, reading age and comprehension level.

Pupils read a book, take an online quiz and get immediate feedback. They are aided in their selection of the next book by the monitoring software which will guide the level of difficulty for their choice. The programme encourages pupils to read independently and more importantly at their own pace and level. Ensuring pupils are choosing books within their reading level range, or Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), will help achieve the greatest possible reading growth. According to research carried out by Renaissance Learning, children who read for at least 25 minutes a day with a 90% comprehension rate on AR quizzes see the greatest gains.

As a school - funded through our fantastic FOLS - we have an extensive range of books at each level, to support pupils’ choices. Renaissance Learning assesses and assigns an AR Book level and book points to each of thousands of newly published books each year. Schools, pupils and parents can look up the Accelerated Reader™ Level of individual books using the AR Bookfinder ( https://www.arbookfind.co.uk)