A message from the LRC Manager/Librarian, Ms A Hickey. 

The Library (also known as the Learning Resource Centre or LRC) is staffed all day and open Monday to Friday. Students can access the facility before school, break and lunch (with a pass collected at break from the LRC, after school, and with their class teacher’s permission during lessons. 

The Library has recently had a re vamp and we now have a lovely tranquil reading corner where students can relax and read on beanbags. Along with 20 computers and laptops this makes it an ideal place for students.  

 We have a large selection of books here at the Academy library which are all on Accelerated Reader and colour coded making it very accessible for the students to choose their books at their reading level. Many new titles will be available from September. 

Homework Club runs in the library Monday – Friday 3pm – 4pm, homework can also be done at break and lunch times. 

The library can be used from 8.00am – 8.25am Monday – Friday. Students may also use the library at break and lunch to access computers, read a book or just socialise with friends. We also have a reading club every Friday after school where any student is welcome to attend. 

Year 7, 8 & 9 students take part in an Accelerated Reader (AR) Lesson in the library once a fortnight with myself and another member of staff, Accelerated Reader is where students take a quiz on the books they are reading. This shows us that they are understanding what they are reading and helps us to identify any problems they may be having with their reading.  

All new Year 7 students are given a library induction lesson when they start in September.  

Students in the academy can win prizes for reading the most words and we run competitions between the classes doing Accelerated Reader. We have a Millionaire wall where students can work their way up to reading a million words and over. For this they get rewarded with a certificate, a reading badge and a reading book of their choice. Presently we have 14 Word Millionaires!  Great work! Let's keep building on this.  

The library runs themed day competitions like Roald Dahl Day where you can win prizes especially if you find the Golden Ticket, it also runs many literacy based activities in the library to make it fun but learning at the same time. 

Reading Routes

Salford City Academy believes that reading is central to the development of our students and has implemented ‘Reading Routes’ for our students to encourage as many students as possible to read for pleasure.  A key aim of our ‘Reading Routes’ initiative is to foster a love of reading for leisure and pleasure whilst widening the cultural experiences of our students and ultimately broadening their learning beyond the core curriculum and opening their minds to a different world.

We  have launched reading routes to our students today who have reacted with excitement and have already started to choose the books on our routes. In addition, students will embrace the programme as they immerse themselves into a variety of different books that they previously might not have envisioned themselves reading. Whilst helping to improve their confidence and self-esteem through developing their reading skills. Reading Routes will also strengthen the school community through a shared reading experience.

As part of the nine main reading routes, students will be exposed to a range of genres:

• Sport
• Adventure
• Poetry
• Wellbeing
• Fantasy
• Comedy
• Gothic/Horror
• Classics
• Friendship

In addition, we have added our DEAR collection and our REACT Values to explore

Not only do our book choices encourage students to engage with genres they might not usually find themselves reading, but they will also be exposed to unfamiliar topics to broaden their understanding of the world around them. It is important that our books choices, in the form of both fiction and non-fiction books, reflect the range and interest of our students.

As part of the Reading Routes programme, there is a route map, which consists of 12 different routes (genres), with around 66 books in total along the routes.

Concurrently, staff will also be reading a book from each route to further encourage discussions and build a sense of community based around reading.  The act of collaborative reading will create further engagement for our students as they find a network of staff and students who are also reading the same book. This collaboration will allow us to explore the titles in detail through form leaning time, assemblies and by making a connection with our books’ authors.

As a further reward students are given a Reading Route Metro Pass for every book they read they receive a stamp. For every themed line they  complete they receive a prize.

Read 5 books for 50 House Points

Read 10 books for 100 House Points

Read 15 books for every 150 House Points

Read 20 books for 200 House Points

Read 25 books for a Special Prize

Click on the link below to view our reading routes map

Ms Hickey's Recommended Reads: Click on your year group to see the reccommendations.

About the Teaching & Learning Resource Centre 

Our exciting Teaching and Learning Resource Centre situated in the heart of the Academy offers state of the art provision for all our students.  Our full time Learning Resource Centre Manager Ms Hickey ensures that there are a plenty of activities and events to engage students and promote literacy. Some of these are Author Visits and the Salford Schools Book Award. 

Books are updated termly, while the school newsletter, magazines, Careers and College information and other assorted reading material are available in the LRC.

SCA students are using RENAISSANCE myON

A personalized digital library at every student’s fingertips

Renaissance myON® Reader is a student-catered, personalised literacy environment that gives students access to more than 6,000 enhanced digital books. Titles are dynamically matched to each individual student’s interests, year and Lexile® reading level. Combined with a suite of close reading tools and embedded supports, myON Reader fosters student engagement and achievement.

myON – Parents’ Guide on how to Access myON and AR Book finder

Hello parents,

Please find in the links below: Parents’ guides to myON and AR.

Parents’ guide to myON – http://www.renlearn.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Parent-Guide-to-myON-1.pdf

Parents’ Guide for AR Book finder – http://doc.renlearn.com/KMNet/R004185509GH709B.pdf

Accelerated Reader puts our students in the driver’s seat.

Accelerated Reader (AR) is a popular computer based reading program we use in school.  We use it to monitor reading practice and progress helping our students to become better readers. Students take short quizzes after reading a book to check if they’ve understood it. This program has a special feature called Renaissance Home Connect, which your child and you can access outside of school from any computer with an Internet connection. Renaissance Home Connect is fun and easy to use. It

allows the teacher, you and your child to share information about their progress in reading in Accelerated Reader.

You can log in to Renaissance Home Connect from any computer with an Internet connection and

compatible browser. For a list of compatible browsers, type the following URL in any browser:

http://support.renlearn.com/techkb/techkb/10624292e.asp

To log in to Renaissance Home Connect

Website: https://Ukhosted31.renlearn.co.uk/2054715/HomeConnect

Type in their User Name and Password that they use in school.

If you'd like to receive emails showing your child’s quiz or test results, click the Email Setup link

in Renaissance Home Connect and follow the directions. To be sure these emails reach your inbox,

add homeconnectautodelivery@renlearnrp.com to your address book.

If you have questions about Renaissance Home Connect, please contact Ms Hickey Learning Resource Manager at SCA

What is Accelerated Reader (AR)?

Accelerated Reader is for all of our Year 7, 8 and  students. Readers are expected to do a minimum of 20 minutes at home each day to make progress towards their half-term target. When you successfully complete an online quiz, you accumulate points and add to your total word count. By doing regular reading level tests, we provide readers with a ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) to help you find challenging books at a level that's right for you.

Form Tutors will offer you encouragement over the coming months and the English Department and Library Team currently monitor and advise students on progress. The Library occasionally contacts home to discuss progress with parents, If you have any concerns please feel free to contact Ms Hickey in the Library who will be happy to discuss your child’s progress.

Involving Parents/Carers with Accelerated Reader

Can parents and students keep track of progress?

Yes! Year 7, 8 and 9 students and parents can sign up for automatic email updates and view your reading progress through Accelerated Reader Home Connect . Apply the same username and password you use to quiz about books at school.

In the top right you can sign up for automatic email updates. On the main screen you'll see the results of your most recent quiz, and total progress and point's achieved this term. You can change the marking period to display results for the whole year. You can also open the bookshelf to display the full range your quizzed books. Quizzing is only possible during school hours.

Happy quizzing, and good luck!!!

How do I access Accelerated Reader?

To search for a book or access your library account, click here.

Find children's books in general by genre, suitability or level of difficulty by using 'AR Bookfinder'

What is the AR Level?

The lower the AR level, the more accessible the book is for weaker readers. The higher the points rating, the longer the book.

Students in Years 7 to 9 will have their current ZPD Reading Range written in their English workbook. This range is set by their Star Reader Test undertaken 4 times per year. Books they choose should lie within their own ZPD reading range to offer the best mix of understanding and challenge.

Academic Reading Lists:

Library Newletter - Edition 1

SCA Reading Dog

Meet Fly SCA reading Dog. He will be visiting the school once a month to encourage some of our students with their reading . Fly also works with the Police as their Wellbeing dog and regularly visits residents in Nursing homes.

Reading to dogs helps children develop their reading skills, encourages positive behaviour and helps build confidence and self-esteem. Reading to dogs inspires children to have fun and enjoy the experience of reading. All over the country, children are learning to love reading with the support of these amazing doggy companions.

Reading aloud and storytelling has always been very important to me reading stories aloud can help build confidence and improve literacy skills. Reading to dogs is a fantastic, innovative idea – it will help boost the confidence of children who are nervous of reading aloud in front of a class, for example, and will encourage a lifelong love of books and reading.

• Stock resources to aid and enhance teaching and learning, to stimulate leisure interests and the personal reading of staff and students. 

• Foster positive attitudes to reading, books, learning and information and communication technology. 

• Provide an appropriate environment for learning, including facilities for using a variety of media. 

• Help pupils gain an interest in books and reading to help them long term in varied walks of life. 

• A large number of fiction books, a collection of non-fiction books on many subjects. 

• A computerised book catalogue (Accelerated Reader) 

• Computers connected to the Academy network to use for research and homework. 

• Regular competitions all literacy based 

• Themed days -World Book Day  

Borrowing from the Library

Students can borrow two books for up to two weeks, the return date will be stamped with the date they are due back. No fines are charged for late books, however if a book is lost or damaged payment for the book will be asked for by a letter being sent home or a replacement book will be asked for. Books need to be renewed if students wish to keep them for longer. 

Students are welcome to request new titles. New stock is added all year round of non-fiction and fiction books.