Library & Reading

The library is the heart of the school and we want the students to respect and use the library as an academic resource, where reading is promoted and with the same dignity they would have in a public library. The library is not a social club. We want the library to have the best resourcing we can provide.

The library offers the following:

• A varied and attractive display/ rotation of books that helps to engage students and keep them informed of what they should be reading, could be reading and what comes next

• Key Stage 3 students will have regular lessons in the library during which they will learn how to use, then respect a library space

• A wide variety of high quality fiction, but also non-fiction texts that can help stretch, challenge and inspire students around specific academic subject areas.

• Monthly promotion of authors and books including the chance for students to have met either an author or poet at some point during the year

• Monthly events or competitions to support reading and the acquisition of vocab

• A national newspaper

• Access to a wide variety of high quality weekly / monthly periodicals and magazines across a variety of subjects

• The promotion of key areas to raise awareness, such as LGBT issues, women's rights and disabilities.

• There will be a selection of puzzle style booklets for students who wish to use these.

Reading is promoted through: 

• A reading book is part of the school equipment and all students should carry a reading book with them at all times

• This could be, but is not necessarily, the Hewett Canon, which the students will be reading during their weekly library lessons

• Our library will promote high values, classic texts that help to develop both the reading age of the students but also their cultural capital

• The library will also focus on providing students with a “what’s next…” theme where they can choose further books based on others they have enjoyed

• Each week some form times are dedicated to reading

• Each department in the school will be issuing a list of books they recommend students who are interested in their subjects should read. All of these books will be available in the school library

• As part of the library sessions, students will be helped to focus on pre-learning key pieces of tier 2 vocabulary which will help them to access the texts

• In their English lessons, students will be taught a direct instruction grammar scheme to help them perfect written English.

Take a look at the Inspiration Trust Secondary Reading Strategy here