---
title: "Reading"
url: "https://lsmchs.com/parents/reading"
school: "St Mary's Catholic High School"
---
# Reading
**THE IMPORTANCE OF READING**
Reading Ages:
We test pupils’ reading ages using the National Reading Group Tests (NGRT). You can find further information about NGRT by following the link below. We test reading ages twice a year for most pupils (pupils receiving reading interventions will be tested termly).
---
How we use Reading Ages in School:
All teachers are aware of the reading ages of the pupils in their class and use this information to inform their planning and the support they give in lesson.
Pupils with reading ages below a certain threshold will receive specialist intervention, using the Abigail Steele Phonics Reading Programme. We also have a wonderful group of key stage four pupils that have volunteered to read with some of our KS3 children.
All pupils will also read on a far more regular basis in school. Your child will encounter varied texts across the curriculum in every subject, will read more in English and pupils in year seven will participate in Form Time reading. Reading more, reading more regularly and reading a varied range of texts will help your child to improve their reading ages – bringing a host of benefits. Higher reading ages will aid your child in every subject in school and will help lead your child to better outcomes at GCSE. Reading regularly – and higher reading ages – have also been linked to greater levels of happiness and wellbeing and to better opportunities in the workplace.
[Why Reading Matters – Wise Words Literacy](http://wisewordsliteracy.com/why-reading-matters/)
[Reading facts \| Reading Agency](http://readingagency.org.uk/about/impact/002-reading-facts-1/)
---
How You Can Help Your Child at Home:
Firefly has a Recommended Reading page with subject-specific choices:
| | Firefly Recommended Reading [Visit website](https://st-edwards.fireflycloud.net/recommending-reading) |
|---|---|
The DfE have released an information leaflet that outlines several tips and provides detailed guidance on how to encourage children – particularly older children – to read more at home:
| | Supporting Parents to Read with Children (DFE) [Download (pdf)](https://www.st-edwards.co.uk/force_download.cfm?id=3880) |
|---|---|
We have also produced a supporting your child with reading booklet for our parents which is linked below
### Reading
Supporting your Child with Reading 1.42 MB [Open for printing](https://files.schudio.com/st-mary-s-catholic-high-school/files/documents/Reading/supporting_your_child_leaflet.pdf)
We have also had some interesting conversations with pupils that tell us about their experiences reading before bed with parents when they were younger – and they really miss this! The bedtime story can be an extremely effective way to introduce more reading into your child’s daily routine – and can even be a powerful force at KS4!
*‘Now I am in Year 10, mum and I we don’t read stories together any more, but we do sit down at the kitchen table at the weekend and read the newspaper together on an iPad! I enjoy it because I get to hear my Dad’s opinion.’*
[Reading with our teenagers and keeping the bedtime story alive (lexonik.co.uk)](http://lexonik.co.uk/parent-platform/reading-with-our-teenagers-and-keeping-the-bedtime-story-alive/)
Recommendations – often from young people themselves – can be found on this website:
[Children's Book Reviews, Recommendations and Free Opening Extracts \| Lovereading4kids UK](http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/)
### Parents\\Carers
- [New Starters ](https://lsmchs.com/parents/yr7sept26)
- [Arbor Parent Portal](https://lsmchs.com/arbor-parent-portal)
- [Attendance](https://lsmchs.com/parents/attendance)
- [Behaviour](https://lsmchs.com/parents/behaviour)
- [Calendar](https://lsmchs.com/calendar)
- [Community Support](https://lsmchs.com/parents/community-support)
- [Padlet](https://padlet.com/mentalhealthresources/resource-hub-8d9ue4tz57qcaj29)
- [e-Safety](https://lsmchs.com/parents/e-safety)
- [Events](https://lsmchs.com/events)
- [External Agencies and Professionals](https://lsmchs.com/parents/external-agencies-and-professionals)
- [Image & Video Consent](https://lsmchs.com/parents/image-and-video-parental-consent)
- [Immunisation](https://lsmchs.com/parents/immunisation)
- [Letters Home](https://lsmchs.com/parents/letters-home)
- [News](https://lsmchs.com/news)
- [Newsletters](https://lsmchs.com/parents/letters-home/newsletters)
- [Parental and Carers Support Evening](https://lsmchs.com/parents/parental-carer-support-evening)
- [Parents Evening System](https://stmaryschs.schoolcloud.co.uk)
- [Parents Information Evenings](https://lsmchs.com/parents/parents-information-evenings)
- [Parent Voice](https://lsmchs.com/parents/parent-voice)
- [Prospectus 2026](https://lsmchs.com/parents/prospectus)
- [Reading](https://lsmchs.com/parents/reading)
- [Report Cyber Abuse](https://lsmchs.com/cyber-abuse)
- [Revision Support](https://lsmchs.com/parents/revision-support)
- [Requesting a Leave of Absence](https://lsmchs.com/parents/requesting-a-leave-of-absence)
- [Safeguarding Reporting](https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/Yr7GhASRMe)
- [School Meals](https://lsmchs.com/parents/school-meals)
- [School Transport](https://lsmchs.com/parents/school-transport)
- [Term Dates](https://lsmchs.com/termdates)
- [Uniform & Appearance](https://lsmchs.com/parents/uniform-appearance)
#### St Mary's Catholic High School
St Mary's Catholic High School
Royal Avenue
Leyland
PR25 1BS
01772 421909
#### Useful Links
- [Admissions](https://lsmchs.com/statutory-information/consultation-for-admissions-2026-27)
- [Term Dates](https://lsmchs.com/termdates)
- [Ofsted](https://lsmchs.com/statutory-information/ofsted-report)
- [Letters Home](https://lsmchs.com/news)
#### Social Media
- [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/StMarysLeyland/)
- [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/leylandstmarys/)
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