Reading
While the national lockdown continues and school is not open to all pupils, we are reviewing ways in which we can support the children reading at home.
Big Cat EBooks
We have signed up to Big Cat EBooks and have shared information about how you can log into this online library and access book banded texts that your child’s teacher has allocated for you to read at home. See letter below for further details.
Loaning Library
In addition to this, we are opening a loaning library from our school site. Mrs Pullen will be running sessions every Monday and Thursday where parents will be able to enter the school site and collect/return books that are levelled to your child’s ability.
We will be opening our loaning library every Monday and Thursday at the following times:
9.00am – 11.00am
1.15pm – 2.15pm
For more information, refer the letter sent on Class Dojo on Tuesday 2nd February.
Virtual Library
Please see our Oak Hill Virtual School Library. Click on the Virtual Library tab at the top of the Home page.
This will take you straight to our Virtual Library pages where you will find a range of texts, that when you click on them, will take you to a recorded version of the story to listen to. The books are arranged according to category, and these range from ‘feelings & emotions’, ‘similarities and differences’ and ‘around the world’.
Another recently launched website with access to stories you can read online:
https://library.thenational.academy/
Free Resoures:
To support you manage reading at home during this national lockdown period, several educational companies are offering free access to a range of texts and audible stories for children. While we don’t wish to overload parents or children while we get used to remote learning and working from home, we do believe reading regularly and listening to stories is one of the most important things for the children to continue doing regularly while school is not open to all pupils.
- · One way to ensure your child is accessing regular stories is to listen to some that have been recorded. Audible Stories, an Amazon company, is offering free access to all pupils so that you can have access to a wide range of story books to listen to. Follow this link and in moments your child can be listening to a favourite story: https://stories.audible.com/start-listen
- · The following link will take you to a website with several free story books, including one called ‘Staying Home’ which has been written for the Covid19/lockdown period and may help your child in the adjustment to home schooling: https://www.carylhart.com/special-projects/free-book-resources
- · This link will take you to links to stories being read aloud by famous authors: BooksForTopics: Storytime Online
- · There are also dozens of episodes of CBeebies Bedtime Stories on iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b00jdlm2/cbeebies-bedtime-stories
- · Harper Collins are offering free online reading activities and resources which may be of interest: Free Resources & Activities - HarperCollins Children's Books
- · If you are interested in purchasing any new books for your child to read during lockdown, the following website will take you to year group appropriate reading lists which link directly with Amazon: School reading list - recommended books for children and teens
- · And remember, you don’t need to leave the house to visit your nearest library. Sign up for an online account and download as many e-books as you can read: https://www.gov.uk/local-library-services
- · The following link will take you to downloadable activity books: https://readingeggs.co.uk/free-resources/
There are comprehension books, as well as downloadable books for spelling and handwriting. We know some parents were keen to purchase books such as these during the last lockdown, but here you can download them for free!