This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s comprehension skills through a reading of the opening chapter of Eva Ibbotson’s 'Ogre of Oglefort.’ The resource pack includes the extract and all of the activities for the session, which the class are guided through via a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation. The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. It also contains a vocabulary check immediately after the extract is read to clarify any unfamiliar/ difficult language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The session is best suited for children in KS2. I originally used this with Year 3-4 children, although with minor adaptations it could feasibly be used with slightly younger and older year groups. The session is also suitable for home/ remote learning.

This 16-page resource booklet contains a wide range of challenging and engaging comprehension activities for use throughout the reading of John Keats’ poem 'Ode to a Nightingale.’ Teachers have found the activities particularly useful throughout teaching, or for revision or guided reading sessions. Students have found these resources extremely engaging, and it is clearly highlighted within each task regarding which assessment strands the task is designed to demonstrate. It is provided in both Word (to allow for easy editing) and PDF (to ensure for consistency of formatting between computers). Activities within the booklet include (amongst many others): ‘Analysing Context’ - helping students to ‘Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written.’ ‘Analysing Subject Matter, Language and Structure’ - to help students to ‘Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.’ ‘Diary Entry’ - to help students to ‘Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation. Make an informed personal response, recognising that other responses to a text are possible and evaluating these.’ ‘The Speaker’ - to help students to ‘Read, understand and respond to texts. Students should be able to: maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations.’

This 16-page resource booklet contains a wide range of challenging and engaging comprehension activities for use throughout the reading of John Keats’ poem 'When I have fears that I may cease to be.’ Teachers have found the activities particularly useful throughout teaching, or for exam revision or guided reading sessions. They are perfect for aiding the progress of students towards meeting the key English Literature assessment objectives - suitable for all examining bodies. Students have found these resources extremely engaging, and it is clearly highlighted within each task regarding which assessment strands the task is designed to demonstrate. It is provided in both Word (to allow for easy editing) and PDF (to ensure for consistency of formatting between computers). Activities within the booklet include (amongst many others): ‘Analysing Context’ - helping students to ‘Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written.’ ‘Analysing Subject Matter, Language and Structure’ - to help students to ‘Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.’ ‘Diary Entry’ - to help students to ‘Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation. Make an informed personal response, recognising that other responses to a text are possible and evaluating these.’ ‘The Speaker’ - to help students to ‘Read, understand and respond to texts. Students should be able to: maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations.’

This resource pack of 2 whole class reading sessions aims to develop children’s comprehension skills whilst learning about the life and voyages of Christopher Columbus. Children read the text ‘You Wouldn’t Want to Sail With Christopher Columbus’ by Fiona McDonald in two stages (hyperlinked and PDFs). Each reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. It also contains a vocabulary check immediately after the extract is read to clarify any unfamiliar/ difficult language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The sessions are best suited for children in years 2-4, although with minor adaptations it could feasibly be used with slightly younger and older year groups.

This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s comprehension skills through reading the opening two chapters of Florence and Richard Atwater’s ‘Mr Popper’s Penguins.’ The resource pack includes the extract and all of the activities for the session, which the class are guided through via a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation. The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. It also contains a vocabulary check immediately after the extract is read to clarify any unfamiliar/ difficult language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The text for reading is hyperlinked at the bottom of the first slide. The session is best suited for children in years 3-4, although with only a few minor adaptations it could feasibly be used with slightly older and younger classes. The session is also suitable for home/ remote learning.

This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s comprehension skills through a reading of the prologue and opening chapter of Abi Elphinstone’s ‘The Night Spinner.’ The resource pack includes the extract and all of the activities for the session, which the class are guided through via a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation. The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. It also contains a vocabulary check immediately after the extract is read to clarify any unfamiliar/ difficult language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The session is best suited for children in Years 4-6, but it could feasibly be used with slightly younger and older year groups. The session is also suitable for home/ remote learning.

This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s comprehension of the blurb and opening chapter of Gill Lewis’s ‘Swang Song.’ The extract needed is provided as a PDF. The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. It also contains a vocabulary check immediately after the extract is read to clarify any unfamiliar/ difficult language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The session is best suited for children in years 3-4, although with minor adaptations it could feasibly be used with slightly younger and older year groups.

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for children learning about Virginia Woolf, particularly those studying her works in English or completing a history study of ‘Significant Individuals.’ It contains comprehensive sections entitled: Overview; Times in Her Life; Important Vocabulary; Virginia Woolf Timeline; Answers to the Important Questions; Top Ten Facts. The resource is designed to be printed onto either A4 or A3, and is provided as both a PDF and a Word version (so that you can edit if you want to). All images are licensed for commercial use.

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for children learning about Emily Dickinson, particularly those studying her works in English or completing a history study of ‘Significant Individuals.’ It contains comprehensive sections entitled: Overview; Times in Her Life; Important Vocabulary; Emily Dickinson Timeline; Answers to the Important Questions; Top Ten Facts. The resource is designed to be printed onto either A4 or A3, and is provided as both a PDF and a Word version (so that you can edit if you want to). All images are licensed for commercial use.

This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s reading comprehension skills, whilst simultaneously building their understanding of Roman Mosaics. The resource pack includes the full text (adapted from an internet information article for kids) and all of the activities for the session, which the class are guided through via a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation. The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. It also contains a vocabulary check immediately after the text is read to clarify any unfamiliar/ difficult language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The session is best suited for children in lower KS2, although with minor adaptations it could feasibly be used with slightly older or younger year groups. This resource is suitable for home/ remote learning. These resources are also suitable for home/ remote learning.

This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s fluency and comprehension skills through reading Brenda Williams’ poem ‘St. David’s Day.’ The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. It also contains a vocabulary check immediately after the text is read to clarify any unfamiliar/ difficult language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The text is hyperlinked on the first slide and is also included as a PDF. The session is best suited for children in years 1-2, although with minor adaptations it could feasibly be used with slightly younger and older year groups.

This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s fluency and comprehension skills, through reading an informative and age-appropriate non-fiction text. The text is a news article about the birthday of the world’s oldest land animal: Jonathan the tortoise. The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. It also contains a vocabulary check immediately after the extract is read to clarify any unfamiliar/ difficult language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The age-appropriate reading text is produced by Kids News - it has been downloaded as a PDF and is included in the resource pack, and the link for the source is also provided on the first slide of the PowerPoint presentation. The session is best suited for children in KS2 (particularly years 3-4), although with minor adaptations it could feasibly be used with slightly younger and older year groups.

This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s fluency and comprehension skills, whilst developing their understanding of news and information texts. In this session, they read, comprehend and analyse an uplifting BBC News article focusing on the success of a revolutionary cancer treatment for a young girl from Leicester. The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. It also contains a vocabulary check immediately after the extract is read to clarify any unfamiliar/ difficult language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The age-appropriate reading text has been downloaded and reformatted into Word/PDF for ease of formatting/printing, however the source URL link and is also provided on the first slide of the PowerPoint presentation. The session is best suited for children in upper KS2 or lower KS3.

These whole class reading sessions aim to develop children’s fluency and comprehension skills, whilst enabling them to gain a deeper understanding of the country of China, through reading a comprehensive age-appropriate non-fiction text about the east Asian nation. The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. It also contains a vocabulary check immediately after the extract is read to clarify any unfamiliar/ difficult language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The text is well-presented, clear and informative and is freely available on Epic (the link to the text is hyperlinked into the first slide of both PowerPoint presentations). The session is best suited for children in years 4-6 although with suitable adaptations it could feasibly be used with slightly younger and older year groups.

This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s fluency and comprehension skills, whilst enabling them to gain a deeper understanding of Machu Picchu, through reading an age-appropriate ‘National Geographic Kids’ non-fiction text about its history and important features. The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. It also contains a vocabulary check immediately after the extract is read to clarify any unfamiliar/ difficult language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The text has been adapted from a web source to ensure that it is clear and age-appropriate. It is provided in both PDF and Word, so that you can make any additional alterations should you wish to. The session is best suited for children in years 3-4, although with minor adaptations it could feasibly be used with slightly younger and older year groups.

This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s fluency and comprehension skills through reading the opening to Anne Fine’s ‘The Diary of a Killer Cat.’ The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. It also contains a vocabulary check immediately after the extract is read to clarify any unfamiliar/ difficult language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The extract needed is provided as a PDF. The session is best suited for children in years 2-3, although with minor adaptations it could feasibly be used with slightly younger and older year groups.

This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s fluency and comprehension skills, whilst enabling them to gain a deeper understanding of autism spectrum disorder, achieved through reading the text ‘My Life with Autism’ by Mari Schuh. The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. It also contains a vocabulary check immediately after the extract is read to clarify any unfamiliar/ difficult language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The text is freely available on Epic - the hyperlink is provided on the first slide. The session is best suited for children in years 2-4, although with minor adaptations it could feasibly be used with slightly younger and older year groups.

This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s fluency and comprehension skills, whilst enabling them to gain a deeper understanding of the life of Jamie Oliver, through reading a short, age-appropriate non-fiction text about his life and achievements. The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. It also contains a vocabulary check immediately after the extract is read to clarify any unfamiliar/ difficult language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The text has been adapted from a web source to ensure that it is clear and age-appropriate. It is provided in both PDF and Word, so that you can make any additional alterations should you wish to. The session is best suited for children in years 2-4, although with minor adaptations it could feasibly be used with slightly younger and older year groups.

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for KS2 children when writing villanelles. The organiser is also perfect for teachers, parents and English subject leaders - aiding their planning and supporting of children’s knowledge development for this poetic form. The organiser has a particular focus on the content, language and structural features required to write effective villanelles. It contains distinct sections covering: -Overview: Villanelles; -Content: What to include, the five senses, communicating a message, content features, subject matter; -Language: Word choices, word types, rhyme, alliteration, similes, metaphors, alliteration and onomatopoeia, punctuation checklist etc. -Structure: Poem length, line lengths, line breaks, stanzas; -Key Vocabulary. The resource was originally designed for KS2 children. It is designed to be printed onto A3 (however can also be printed in A4) and is provided as both a PDF and a Word version (so that you can edit if you want to).

This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s comprehension skills through a reading of the opening section of David Owen’s ‘Alex Neptune: Dragon Thief.’ The resource pack includes the extract needed. Reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. A vocabulary check helps to secure children’s understanding of any new or unfamiliar language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The session is best suited for children in years 5-6, although with minor adaptations it could feasibly be used with slightly younger and older year groups.