Whole School Reading

Whole School Reading Programme designed to equip students with the skills and confidence to become fluent, independent life-long readers.  Our aim is to enrich  and broaden students’ education through the power of reading. 

Why we read

Research shows that there are clear links between independent readers and academic outcomes. Our Whole School Reading Programme is designed to engage students in a love of reading, building their independent reading skills over time to advance their academic and pastoral success.

  • Pupils who read well better access the curriculum
  • Pupils experience more rare academic vocabulary, language structures and cultural insights when they read widely
  • Reading influences knowledge, skills and vocabulary in every subject, in every discipline

When we read

Form tutors across years 7 to 10 read aloud with their tutor group three days a week, every week for 20 minutes with students following the reading with a reading ruler (seeing as well as hearing the words) in their own loaned copy of the text.

Comparing the engaged reading time of 2.2 million students, Kirsh found that reading for 15+ minutes a day provided accelerated reading gains. Results showed that students reading for 20 minutes a day were likely to score better than 90% of their peers in standardised tests. (National Center for Education Statistics).

What do we read?

The books that we select are always age appropriate, suitably challenging and reflect our school community. They are an important part of all students’ cultural capital, broadening minds and expanding horizons. Our Tutor Time Reading Programme texts are read on a rota system with students in each year group reading 6 texts across the academic year, alongside texts studied through the curriculum.

What our students say

   Reading together is a nice way to start the day, especially before lessons”

   “Really funny, and interesting to read, and led to some deep conversations about racism. The books put us in someone else’s position and make us feel what someone else is feeling.”

Year 8 student referring to ‘My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece’ by Annabel Pitcher

We also use the Sparx Reader website/app to encourage reading and to monitor reading ages. 


You can find out more at https://sparxreader.com/

United Learning comprises: United Learning Ltd (Registered in England No: 00018582. Charity No. 313999) UCST (Registered in England No: 2780748. Charity No. 1016538) and ULT (Registered in England No. 4439859. An Exempt Charity). Companies limited by guarantee. Registered address: United Learning, Worldwide House, Thorpe Wood, Peterborough, PE3 6SB.

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