What is Reading Champions?
Reading Champions is a reading incentive to encourage children to read at home and develop a love for reading. Reading at home is one of the most important ways in which you can help your child. At school we can teach children the skills they need to decode words but to consolidate these skills and grow more confident they need lots of practise. Children who read with their families develop these skills and an extensive bank of vocabulary much more quickly and develop a love of reading that can last a lifetime. At St Michael’s, we recognise the really important role parents have and want to support this in every way we can, and we hope this scheme will motivate the children to read at home.

How does it work?
Children in Reception to Year 3 must read their school book to an adult for at least 10 minutes at least 4 times a week. Children in Year 4 – Year 6 can read their book to themselves, or an adult, for at least 10 minutes at least 4 times a week. We then ask that the adult initials in the child’s reading record that the book, or part of the book, has been read. Children can then mark the date or colour a circle in their Reading Champion shield. Only one circle should be dated or coloured per day.

When the children have completed a shield, they will receive an award:
Bronze shield (40 reads) – Bronze pin badge
Silver shield (50 reads) – Reading certificate
Gold shield (50 reads) – Silver pin badge
Platinum shield (50 reads) – Gold pin badge and an invitation for a summer picnic with Mrs Robson. This will be held in term 6.

Finally, we ask that children are encouraged to read as often as possible to support them in earning their Reading Champion awards. Class reading percentages (those who have read 4 or more times in a week) are announced during our weekly Praise Service and shared with our families on our school Facebook page.