12:22pm Tuesday 15th December 2009
By Peter Magill
PRINCE Charles has lauded the efforts of a Rossendale school for its efforts in improving English skills among valley students.
Reading passports were issued to Year 6 pupils at feeder primary schools serving Fearns Community Sports College in Stack-steads last summer.
And by the time classes started in September, the youngsters were well prepared for lessons, having spent the summer holiday embarking on a number of read-ing missions.
This earned Fearns a kitemark from the Prince’s Teaching Institute and headteacher Mark Smallwood an invitation to a reception at Clarence House.
Only one of 73 to make the grade nationally this year, the Fearns Moss school is just the third in Lancashire to secure such a distinction.
Teachers from Fearns will now benefit from a new training package, linked to Cambridge University, to further improve their subject knowledge.
Mr Smallwood said: “It is all about having enthusiasm and a passion for the subject.
"The Prince set up the institute because he felt there was a need to inspire teachers and where he sees there is a need he tries to put something into action.”
“It is a great honour for the school to be picked to be a part of the institute.”
The literacy passports were handed out at the school’s new parents evening, last summer, in partnership with Bacup Library.
Mr Smallwood said: “Our intention was for them to continue to read and write over the summer break, to negate the learning dip which can occur between Key Stages 2 and 3.
"The passport contained reading and award activities relating to a variety of genres.
"We forged a link with the library, so pupils could get their passport stamped before they moved to the next genre.
“There were also research activities to do with the inspirational sports figures who inspired the school’s teams.”
Teachers found that many Year 7 pupils arrived in September with ‘full’ passports, having completed all the exercises.
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