Sparx Information Letter Feb 25
Please note the important changes we are implementing for our Sparx Reader programme as we strive to enhance our students’ reading experience and skills.
Firstly, please be aware that homework for Sparx Reader will now run from Monday to Monday for all years 7-10. This adjustment aims to provide consistent time for our learners to engage with the material.
To encourage timely completion, please note that pupils who do not finish their homework by that deadline will automatically be set a detention on the Tuesday, which will be labelled as a ‘Sparx Reader Detention’ in the Arbor system. This is not really an opportunity to complete the work, but it will be an opportunity to discuss barriers to success and to find solutions. Although Monday is the deadline, we would prefer that students are able to use their weekends for rest, leisure and other pursuits so would recommend making the time during the week to earn their 300SRP rather than leaving it until the last minute.
We also want to remind you of the various accessibility features available within the Sparx Reader settings. Parents and students can customise elements such as font, text size, and overlay, and make use of helpful tools like a reading ruler and built-in dictionary to best suit individual learning preferences. Our goal is to ensure that every pupil can fully access and enjoy the reading material.
In addition, I’d like to highlight the opportunity for students to achieve the Gold Reader level. By completing an additional 300 points per week over five consecutive weeks, pupils can earn the opportunity to read their own physical books. We are conscious that many of our students are avidly reading for pleasure; whilst Sparx is designed as a tool to improve reading age and reading accuracy, it does have this Gold Reader function so that points can be earned on those books students are reading by their own choice too, so it is worth striving for, especially among the keen readers.
The implementation of Sparx Reader at Perins School is an exciting opportunity, and we highly encourage all students to give it a proper go throughout the next half-term. We understand that change is often unwelcome, that students already have a lot of independent learning to complete, and that reading is a particularly emotional barrier for some. We would not have introduced it if we did not think it was extremely valuable and justified even against these oppositions, so we would ask pupils to enter into it with optimism and ambition. We will be keen to obtain your feedback and that of your children regarding the programme, so after this period, we will be reaching out to collect thoughts and impressions.
Thank you for your continued support in fostering a rich reading environment for our children. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Warm regards,
Simon Barber
