Reading & Library

“Reading is the master skill of secondary school.” Alex Quigley 

At the academies we are acutely aware that the complex skill of reading underpins a student’s ability to access all areas of the curriculum successfully. Not only that, we know it also expands our worlds and sharpens our minds promoting social, emotional and economic benefits throughout our lives. We aim to build on students’ budding reading skills from primary school and nurture them into full bloom as they grow and thrive in all areas of their lives.  

Specialised reading for each subject 

At the academies we acknowledge that different types of reading skills are necessary for each if the subjects we teach. Subject leaders and teachers are responsible for reading in their subjects and their lessons. Students gain knowledge about their subjects through reading about them and reading content is part of all lessons.  This includes teachers frequently reading aloud to their classes, supporting students to read aloud, facilitating independent reading, using strategies to support comprehension, text decoding and pronunciation, and vocabulary instruction. We ensure that staff are regularly trained to ensure that they deliver these strategies effectively. 

National Year of Reading and extra-curricular 

As supporters of the National Year of Reading we are also promoting a culture of reading throughout the school, through tutor time sessions where students are encouraged to talk more about what they read outside of school and how they can find texts that interest them as well as reading challenges, such as genre of the month, and the termly book vending machine reading awards. We also encourage teachers to model “going all in” with their reading by talking to students about their reading choices and experiences.  

We also run a Book Club on Tuesdays after school where we do book related crafts, play games, visit the school library and participate in the Carnegie Book Awards Shadowing Programme. Furthermore, we participate in a variety of events run by the National Literacy Trust, such as the Young Poet Laureate programme, run an annual book fair, invite authors in to speak to our students and run workshops with them.   

Our reading programme is delivered during tutor time where KS3 students experience a range of texts which are stimulating and appropriate for their year group. The books we read are carefully chosen to ensure challenge, engagement and exposure to a variety of classic and modern texts.  

Our books are read aloud by tutors and students and student discussions around the reading take place; we use reciprocal reading strategies that develop the analytical thinking of a skilled reader. We provide opportunities each session to enable the students to comment on and engage with the book their tutor group is reading.