Reading

What is AAS's Reading Vision?

At AAS, we pride ourselves in being first and foremost, a reading school. Reading is the heart of our academy and in everything we do. This is because we know that reading is fundamental to scholars’ personal and academic success. We know that literacy levels are intrinsically linked to scholars’ life chances and ability to participate fully in society.

Scholars at AAS know that reading is the key to unlock our full potential, making us happier, smarter and more successful!

We understand that scholars who read for pleasure are more likely to obtain these achievements than those who do not read for pleasure. At Astrea Academy Sheffield, you will:

Develop habits which lead to a life-long relationship with reading
Have access to an exceptional, well-stocked library & expert librarians
Explore the best of what’s been thought and written in all of your subjects
Have protected reading time every day
Be rewarded for your commitment to reading

Midday Reading at AAS

Midday reading aims to implement a ‘reading for pleasure’ mindset and remains as a crucial part to the school curriculum. We dedicate twenty-five minutes every day for scholars to return to their form classes where they will enter what is essentially a whole-school book club.

Midday readings are split into two areas of reading: whole-class and independent. This experience enables all scholars to:

Experience the joy found in sharing stories because all scholars in their year group will be reading the same text.
Read a varied selection of fiction and non-fiction that has been put together to challenge, inspire, engage and educate.
Hear brilliant stories read aloud by their teachers and have the opportunity to read aloud to the group too.

Whole-class Reading

Four times a week, our scholars will embark on some great adventures from fictional, fantastical worlds to real non-fiction accounts of inspiring people who changed the course of the world. We have carefully selected genres and texts suited for all scholars to strengthen and challenge their understanding of the world and empathy for others.

The table below shows all the books we read throughout a scholar’s time at Astrea Academy Sheffield in 2023-24. Please note, some books are subject to change dependent on scholars’ interests.

Take a tour through whimsical, wonderful lands, eccentric and hilarious protagonists and real, influential role models, here at AAS our reading breadth will leave scholars with a wealth of cultural knowledge, imagination and empathy that will shape them and prepare them for all aspects of the real world.

Sparx Reader

Once a week, our scholars are able to engage in some independent reading via Sparx Reader, a reading platform in which scholars can access hundreds of online books that they can access and read from any device!

Scholars receive 25-minutes a week of Sparx reading time within school. Each week they are set with a reading task that is imperative that they complete.

Each scholar is expected to:

Achieve 300 Sparx Reader Points per week – this should equate to 30 minutes of careful reading each week. If this is not achieved within the 25-minute lesson, scholars should take responsibility for their own reading and ensure they conduct their reading in their own time to complete their compulsory tasks.
Once scholars have achieved their 300 points, they are encouraged to carry on reading as much as they would like to build up a habit of reading for pleasure.

Scholars also enter into Sparx reading competitions and have the chance to receive rewards for their commitment to reading!

Parents and guardians can also have access to Sparx Reader to check in with the reading progress their children have made. Please get in contact with the school if you would like any guidance on how to see your child’s progress.

Library Opening Times

The library is open every day during break, lunch and from 2:50pm – 4pm.

Scholars are encouraged to use the space to read and revise, as well as using the space to complete homework, quizzes and additional study. The library is stocked with revision materials and there will always be staff to support scholars in the space.
The library also offers some fantastic after school reading activities, such as:

Library Book Club
Sparx Reader Club
A quiet place with access to laptops/tablets to conduct general homework – or to kick back and relax with a good book!

The Sixth Form Library

If you are a scholar within our Sixth Form, you will be able to have access to a specialised selection adapted and chosen for KS5 scholars to read and utilise for both academic purposes and pleasure!

Our Sixth Form Library is hosted within the Sixth Form study space for you to browse at your own leisure.