At Melbourne Junior School, we're passionate about reading. In order to become proficient, independent learners, children need to be confident readers. During their time at our school, children will read and grow to love a variety of books. We hope to impart to them our passion for reading for pleasure.

You can support your child’s reading in the following ways:

• Read with your child, ideally four times a week or more.

Once you do, you can fill in your child's Home-School Diary to show their progress and any feedback you'd like to share with the class teacher. Your child will also receive a special Reading Reward sticker in their Home-School Diary, acknowledging that they have read at least four times.

Please note that, diaries are checked on a Friday so any weekend reading can be recorded in the next week.

Any reading can be recorded, not simply reading scheme books or library books. You can also write down other books that you read with/to your child, as this provides class teachers with a broader picture of your child’s reading experiences.

• You can encourage your child to change their library books at our school library. Each class has a library session a fortnight, on a nominated day (see link to timetable below).

By logging onto the school’ s Reading Cloud, you can see what books your child currently has on loan and past loans. If your child has particularly enjoyed a book, and wants to recommend it to others, they can write a book review and post it on the site.

You can access the system via the school website or directly using the following link:

https://u002007.microlibrarian.net.  

The children’s login information can be found in their homework diaries.

If you have access to an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Android phone, then you can also download a new App called ‘iMLS’ to access the library from those devices.  The app is available from the App Store and Android Market.

• Use our recommended reads list to find the right book for your child. These lists have been compiled from our favourite books and books we view as age appropriate (see below attachments). They are being added to all the time as exciting new books are published.

• Come along to any of our Book Fairs with your child and pick up books of interest.

• You can visit a local library with your child and take part in the annual Summer Reading Challenge.

• You can support your child during our exciting enrichment events over the year:

MJS Poetry Festival  - Autumn term

‘Big Read Week’ -  Spring term

Book Café sessions – termly

Book Swap sessions - termly

Various author visits

We value parent/ grandparent helpers. If you are available to help in school, supporting children with their reading or in the school library, please see your child’s teacher or Mrs.Missin.

Our mission is get our children reading, not just for work or research, but for enjoyment!

Thank you for your support.