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Reading
At Great Western Academy, reading is part of every school day. We want students to read confidently, understand increasingly complex texts and discover books they genuinely enjoy.
Students in Years 7 to 11 have 20 minutes of protected Reading Time each day. This regular practice supports reading fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and access to learning across the curriculum. Students should bring a suitable independent reading book to school each day.
Daily Reading Time
Our Reading Time programme combines shared reading, independent practice and carefully selected non-fiction. The balance changes as students move through the school.
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Class Reads: Tutors read a shared novel aloud while students follow the same text. Hearing an experienced reader model accurate pronunciation, phrasing and expression helps students develop fluency and understand how meaning is shaped.
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Reading Plus: Students in Years 7 to 9 use Reading Plus as part of their Reading Time rota. The adaptive online programme gives students practice in fluency, comprehension and vocabulary at an appropriate level.
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Independent reading: Students choose an appropriate book and read silently for a sustained period. Independent reading gives students choice, builds reading stamina and helps them develop their own interests as readers. Our librarian and teaching staff can help students find a book that suits them.
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Topical articles: Students in Years 10 and 11 also read a centrally provided article linked to a current issue, event or wider cultural theme. These sessions help students practise skimming, retrieval, inference and discussion through a broad range of non-fiction.
The Library
Our library sits at the heart of the school and provides a welcoming place for students to read, browse and discover new authors. Students can use the library at break and lunchtime. Students in Years 7 to 9 also have dedicated library lessons.
Our librarian supports students with book choices and reading recommendations. Book clubs, author visits and other reading events help make reading a visible and enjoyable part of school life.
Reading across the curriculum
Reading belongs in every subject. Teachers explain important academic and subject-specific vocabulary, model how to approach challenging texts and teach students how successful readers find, interpret and evaluate information. Shared approaches help students transfer these skills between lessons.
Year 7
The Bone Sparrow - Zana Fraillon
The Tempest - William Shakespeare
Fight Back - A. M. Dassu
Check Mates - Stewart Foster
The Midnight Guardians - Ross Montgomery
Year 8
The Woman In Black - Susan Hill
Journey's End - R. C. Sherrif
Richard III - William Shakespeare
The Space We're In - Katya Balen
Terror Kid - Benjamin Zephaniah
Stone Cold - Robert Swindells
Year 9
Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
Much Ado About Nothing - William Shakespeare
Maggot Moon - Sally Gardner
Liccle Bit - Alex Wheatle
When The Guns Fall Silent - James Riordan
Year 10 and 11
Macbeth - William Shakespeare
A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
An Inspector Calls and Other Plays - J. B. Priestley
Heartstream - Tom Pollock
Guantanamo Boy - Anna Pereira
Salt to the Sea - Ruta Sepetys
Crossing the Line - Tia Fisher
And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie
The Blue Book of Nebo - Manon Steffan Ross
Identifying and supporting reading needs
We use reading and spelling age information, Reading Plus information, classroom assessment and staff knowledge to identify students who may need additional support. We consider the particular barrier for each student rather than relying on a score alone.
Support is matched to need and is designed to protect students’ confidence while keeping them connected to an ambitious curriculum. Depending on the student, this may include targeted fluency or vocabulary teaching, guided reading, additional literacy teaching, accessible texts, or other agreed adjustments. Where a student needs more individual support, we work with the student, family and relevant staff to agree the most appropriate plan.
Supporting reading at home
Families make an important contribution to reading. Parents and carers can help by:
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encouraging short, regular periods of reading at home
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asking what their child is reading and what they think about it
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helping their child bring a suitable reading book to school each day
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visiting a local library or using its e-book and audiobook services
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contacting the school when their child needs help choosing or accessing a book
Contact
For advice about books, library access or reading for pleasure, please contact Mrs Cockcroft, GWA Librarian, at jcockcroft@gwacademy.co.uk.
Questions about an individual student’s literacy support should be directed to their tutor in the first instance or to the school office.
Useful links