Reading
At The King’s we know how important reading is to our students. Being able to read well is a key driver in students’ academic successes, prepares them for navigating adult life and allows them to explore their own interests outside of school. It is therefore our duty to prepare students to read with precision and insight.
We ensure that reading is a priority throughout all areas of school life; we have a well-stocked library, run a reading programme in Chapter Time, plan for reading across all curriculum areas and provide a range of extra-curricular enrichment opportunities which promote reading.
Our Library
We have a school librarian, Mrs Little, so that students can benefit from recommendations and borrow books and other reading materials. Mrs Little also organises Bookbuzz where all of our year 7s receive a free book, supports in reading lessons and with literacy competitions.
Sora
To facilitate reading for pleasure from home, the Sora app gives students FREE access to over 2,000 e-books and audiobooks via their phones or other electronic devices. All of the books have been carefully chosen with secondary age students in mind.
Students can share screenshots when they reach target ‘streaks’ with their Chapter Leader for Track-it rewards and we also promote whole school reading targets.
If you need help with a Sora username or password, you should contact reading@thekings.staffs.sch.uk
Chapter Time reading
During chapter time, students read from a range of fiction and non-fiction texts extracts as well as the whole-class reading of novels.
Here is a selection of the books being read by years 7 – 9 during Chapter Time:
- Trash – Andy Mulligan
- Can you see me? – Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott
- Noughts and Crosses – Marjorie Blackman
- Where the World Ends - Gillian McCaughrean
- The Extinction Trials – S. M. Wilson
- The Outsiders – S. E. Hinton
- To Kill a Mocking Bird – Harper Lee
- The Hate U Give – Angie Thomas
Reading across the curriculum
We encourage the use of VIPERS reading (vocabulary, inference, prediction, explanation, retrieval, and summarising) across the curriculum to allow for students to practise a range of skills with a range of fiction and non-fiction texts. This also exposes students to a range of vocabulary and writing styles.
Enrichment Opportunities
We regularly run a variety of reading and writing competitions across all year groups and have even had many students published! Some of these books are available at the school reception.
We reward enthusiastic readers via our school reward system to show the value it has in our school.
How to support reading at home: