Reading Matters

The Department of Education tells us that 'children who read widely are 2.5 times more likely to achieve better GCSE grades'. As educators and parents, we understand that reading is the foundation of success.

We are committed to nurturing confident, capable readers. We invest time and resources into literacy initiatives such as Form Reads, where students and tutors read together every week, and well established intervention programmes such as Lexonik. Our Literacy Leaders programme pairs Year 12 Sixth Form students with Year 7s twice a week, an experience cherished by participants.

One Year 7 student shared that she 'learned interesting new words and what they mean' and despite feeling nervous at first, has gained the confidence to 'read out loud to people'. 

A Year 10 student praised the Lexonik programme saying it 'helped with lessons, pronunciation and understanding words more easily'. These small but powerful insights remind us how literacy shapes confidence, communication and academic success. 

Our goal is clear: to ensure every student becomes a skilled, enthusiastic reader. By fostering a culture of reading, we empower them to grow, express themselves and ultimately, join the ranks of those 2.5 times more likely to excel in their GCSEs. Because here, we don't just read, we read together, and we read because we love it. 

If you would like to know more about books that your child can read, please do look at the reading lists on the school website. Alternatively, speak to your child about the books and articles that they read on a weekly basis with their form.