News & Letters

Key Stage 2


DEAR

Pause, open a book, and let your imagination soar. DEAR isn't just reading, it's the first step to endless possibilities

About DEAR at New Heights Key Stage 2

At New Heights, we believe in the transformative power of reading. Our Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) initiative for Key Stage 2 nurtures a love of books and fosters essential literacy skills in an engaging and inclusive way.

During dedicated DEAR sessions, students pause their daily activities to immerse themselves in stories that inspire curiosity and creativity. This program is designed to:

  • Cultivate a lifelong love of reading by exposing students to a wide variety of genres and authors.
  • Improve literacy skills by encouraging regular, focused reading practice.
  • Encourage independence and choice as students explore books that resonate with their personal interests.
  • Build a reading culture that celebrates storytelling, imagination, and knowledge.

 

DEAR is more than just a quiet reading time — it’s a cornerstone of our commitment to developing confident, thoughtful readers ready to achieve new heights in their academic journey and beyond

DEAR is Magical

Subject Content

  • Regular DEAR Sessions: DEAR happens at regular intervals during the school week, ensuring every child has structured, uninterrupted time for reading.
  • DEAR Signal: When the DEAR signal is given, students and staff alike stop their current activity, grab their books, and enjoy quiet reading time.
  • Book Selection: Children are encouraged to select books that interest them, whether from the school library, their classroom bookshelf, or their own collection at home.
  • Teacher Involvement: Teachers play a vital role by modelling reading behaviours, joining students in enjoying a good book during DEAR time.

Curriculum Principles

At New Heights, our DEAR initiative is built on key principles that ensure a fulfilling and supportive reading experience for all students:

  1. Reading for Pleasure
    DEAR nurtures a lifelong love of reading by encouraging children to explore books that spark their curiosity and imagination. This intrinsic motivation to read develops positive attitudes toward literacy, helping students see books as sources of joy and inspiration.
  2. Equity and Inclusion
    DEAR ensures that all students, regardless of ability or background, have access to high-quality reading opportunities. The program celebrates diversity in literature, providing books that reflect a range of cultures, experiences, and perspectives.
  3. Personalisation and Choice
    A key feature of DEAR is allowing children to choose their own reading material, empowering them to follow their interests and passions. This freedom fosters independence and helps build confident, self-directed learners.
  4. Skill Development
    Through consistent practice during DEAR sessions, children strengthen critical literacy skills such as:
  • Vocabulary expansion
  • Reading fluency
  • Comprehension
  • Analytical thinking

     These foundational skills support broader learning objectives across the curriculum.

  1. Role Modelling
    DEAR promotes a school-wide reading culture, with teachers and staff participating alongside students. By modelling enthusiasm for reading, adults inspire children to see themselves as readers.
  1. Community and Collaboration
    DEAR fosters a sense of shared purpose and community, where the whole school pauses to engage in reading together. It creates a unique, collective experience that values the importance of books and stories.
  1. Cross-Curricular Connections
    By encouraging wide reading, DEAR supports learning across all subjects. Exposure to different genres and topics deepens children’s understanding of the world and enhances their ability to think critically and creatively.
  1. Wellbeing and Mindfulness
    DEAR provides a calming, focused break in the day. This quiet, reflective time supports children’s mental well-being, offering them a chance to relax, decompress, and escape into the world of a good book.

Assessment and Feedback

In KS2, we ensure that our Topic curriculum helps children progress in their knowledge and skills across subjects like History, Geography, and more. We use a mix of assessment strategies to support this development:

  • Ongoing Assessments: Through observations, questioning, and class discussions to monitor understanding.
  • End-of-Unit Reviews: Tasks and projects that showcase learning and allow for reflection.

 

Feedback
Feedback is given in a clear and constructive way, encouraging improvement. We provide verbal, written, and peer feedback, helping children understand their strengths and next steps. This approach supports progress, builds confidence, and fosters a love for learning.

Links to Everyday Life

Our Topic curriculum connects learning to the real world, helping children understand their place in it. By exploring history, geography, and cultures, they gain insights into how the past shapes the present and learn about the environment, people, and events that impact daily life.

This practical approach fosters problem-solving, critical thinking, and global awareness, helping children apply their knowledge to everyday challenges. It equips them to make informed decisions, appreciate diversity, and contribute positively to their community and the wider world.

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