School Apps

ClassCharts

This is an online and app based platform we use in the secondary phase that allows you to:

• View praise and behaviour comments
• Track attendance
• Report absence and medical appointments
• Check homework
• View detentions
• Receive notifications/letters /updates etc

There is a separate log-in for parents/carers and learners.

Parental/carer involvement in their child's learning through the app has been proven to aid learning and positive behaviour.

Things to look out for:

• If you find that your child takes either much more or much less than the time prescribed to complete their homework, you should speak to the Form Tutor.  You can do this via the messaging tool.
• Check that the time claimed to be spent on homework matches the amount of work produced or reading completed.
• If your child states that no homework has been set, or regularly maintains that they have done the homework at school, you should raise the matter with the Form Tutor. It is unlikely that all homework can be done in school to a satisfactory standard.
• If your child does not bring home their exercise or textbook in a given subject, ask the reason and follow up if necessary.
• Research work should be presented in learners' own words, not copied verbatim from sources.  Mere printing out of source material from resources including books, CD Roms or websites is unacceptable.  Guidance is given to learners about plagiarism and correct referencing, from the time they enter the school in Year 7.

Class Charts Communication Tool

ClassCharts Communication enables you to interact with school via the app:

• Report absences and appointments
• Respond to messages alerting you to your child's absence, if no reason has been given
• Communicate with your child's form tutor, who should be your first port of call for all queries/concerns
  
  

Sparx Reader

Sparx Reader is a reading, comprehension and vocabulary programme that gets all young people reading regularly to help improve their Literacy.

Year 7, 8 and 9 learners are set homework each week on Sparx Reader.  Learners are set the task of reading a book of their choice on the platform each week. They need to collect 200 SRP per week to complete their homework. This equates to around 20 minutes of slow, concise and accurate reading per week. SRP points, or Sparx Reader Points are awarded to students for completing their homework. This is how we track their learners' progress and engagement.

Once learners have completed a placement test, the ‘library’ on Sparx Reader will open and they can select a book to read for homework. As learners read, they will be asked some comprehension questions to check their understanding and to ensure they are completing their homework weekly. Tasks are personalised based on each learner's reading ability so that every young person can be successful with their reading. The books that a learner can choose from are carefully chosen so that the text is accessible yet suitably challenging.

Do learners read whole books?
Yes, they read whole e-books on the platform, not just short excerpts. Each story has been carefully broken up into passages, and at the end of a passage, a learner will be asked a few questions about that part of the story. When they complete the questions, they will move onto the next part of the book.

Does it have a range of books suitable for all reading ages?
We have e-books from a Sparx Level 1, which is roughly equivalent to a reading age of just over 6 up to 16+ which includes classic literature such as Wuthering Heights. Gold readers can read any paperback book from their school library - some books require teacher validation before they can be read. There are enough books so that learners at every level always have a choice of books to read. Learners identified as Gold Readers will record their reading onto the platform themselves as a record of their personal reading.

At what level are learners allowed to read books of their own choice?
Learners who are new to Sparx Reader will be given a selection of carefully selected e-books which they can work through over several weeks. This allows us to understand whether they are able to read carefully and are motivated to independently finish a book. Those that demonstrate they can do this will then be able to add their own books to the system. We do not use learners' level or reading age to decide when to unlock this feature, meaning weaker readers will be able to add their own books if they are reading carefully and are motivated to complete books independently. Similarly, if stronger readers cannot demonstrate that they can read the e-books carefully and remain motivated to complete books, they will continue to only have access to the Sparx Reader e-books.

How do I log in?
Learners should first select their school in the drop down menu and then enter their login details. These are the same login details they use for Sparx Maths. If a learner forgets their password, they can request a password change from their teacher directly.