Our Library

Reading

Central to our curriculum is an emphasis on reading and it has been constructed with an understanding of the links between reading performance, knowledge, cultural literacy, vocabulary and writing. Therefore, our curriculum is a deliberately sequenced, content rich journey embedded with specific vocabulary, designed to expose pupils to high quality texts which will therefore contribute to them being confident with accessing texts. Where reading presents a barrier to individual pupils accessing the curriculum, we act quickly to provide expert-led and research-informed literacy interventions.

“The school identifies the precise barriers as to why any pupils cannot read fluently. Staff support pupils to address these barriers quickly and effectively” Ofsted May 2024

Reading is fundamental as we know a strong reading ability directly correlates with a pupil’s ability to access the curriculum and achieve well. At the college we have several strategies in place to support pupils. Pupils will:

• Have regular reading tests. 
• Have a reading book as part of their daily equipment.
• Use a ruler in lessons to follow along during class reading.
• Use Bedrock Learning to support vocabulary and grammar development.
• Read at home with a family member as this helps to improve their fluency and comprehension skills. 

“Reading is promoted extensively. Pupils read widely and understand why this is important.” Ofsted May 2024

In the library we have a wide variety of high quality fiction, and non-fiction texts that help stretch, challenge and inspire students around specific academic subject areas. These resources help to engage students and keep them informed of what they should be reading, could be reading, and what comes next. 

Every half term KS3 students will have a library lesson where our librarian will recommend books or provide a deeper context session on the text studied in class. For example, when year 9 study An Inspector Calls, we look at the class system of Post-Edwardian England, using real life examples such as the Titanic. This helps students, when reading the text, to get a deeper understanding into the history of the time period and the story.

There are plenty of ways to get involved in our library -

• Junior Librarians
• Literature Trips
• Reading Clubs
• Creative Writing

Over the school year the library runs various activities and events. Weekly events such as quiet reading sessions and book clubs and yearly events such as our Harry Potter night (complete with live animals!), and trips to The British Library, the home of Charles Dickens, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, all inspire and encourage students to develop reading, writing and study skills.

Our Librarian is Mr Robert Welton, pictured above. 

"Where to start? Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin... I love reading. I adore being able to enthuse students to pick up a book and get lost in the story. I have been in the book business for almost 20 years as a bookseller and now as a Librarian. I often get asked for my favourite book - that's an impossible task. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Dumas Club... I'll read anything once!"

Read Mr Welton's feature in the EDP listing students top 10 fiction books in 2022