Literacy

Whole School Reading Programme

Our tutor time reading programme is designed to build a whole-school culture of reading by giving all students regular exposure to high-quality texts. During these sessions, the teacher reads aloud while students follow the text, supporting comprehension, vocabulary development and fluency regardless of students’ individual reading levels. Listening to a skilled reader models effective reading strategies, pronunciation and expression, while shared reading helps students engage with challenging ideas and language they may not yet access independently. The programme also promotes enjoyment of reading, improves focus and creates a calm, purposeful start to the school day.

To further promote reading for pleasure across KS3, KS4 and KS5 students, and diversify the types of texts that our students are exposed to, we routinely read non-fiction articles and speeches during tutor time reading (KS3 and KS4) and the sixth form Best in Everyone sessions (KS5). These articles cover real-world topics in areas such as Science, history, current affairs, health and careers. For instance, during their Best in Everyone sessions, our sixth form students have read and had discussions on the assisted dying debate, artificial intelligence and art, and billionaires and climate, whilst our KS3 and KS4 topics have read inspiring articles and speeches from Nelson Mandela, Jane Goodall and Dr Maggie Aderin Pocock. These articles have sparked some great discussions between students about real-world issues, encourages critical thinking and supports oracy and listening skills in a low-stakes environment.

This year, students had four days to vote both online and on paper ballots to pick their winner, and competition was fierce. In the end we received an astonishing 42,662 votes in total (almost 9,000 paper votes, 33,000 online votes) spread across 26 candidates. Almost half of our candidates were men, and most departments were represented, including support staff. The top 10 included fantasy, sci-fi, literary fiction, biography, graphic novel, and a travelogue, chosen by staff in history, RS, maths, science, English, SLT, and support staff. The winning book was Hyperion, by Dan Simmons, receiving 12,000 votes, which was picked by Mr Wilson, one of our RS teachers! All of the books are stocked in the library and we have seen a very healthy demand for these books by students and staff.

SPARX Reader

At Bacon’s College, our KS3 and KS4 students have access to the online reading platform, SPARX reader. This platform is designed to help students improve their reading skills, vocabulary, and comprehension through regular, independent reading. It motivates pupils to read a wide range of texts tailored to their individual reading abilities and interests. By setting personalised reading goals, tracking progress, and providing feedback, SPARX reader develops students’ reading habits so that they build a greater confidence with reading and secures literacy progression across the curriculum.

Academic reading using JSTOR (KS5)

Our sixth form students have access to JSTOR, a comprehensive digital library that provides access to a wide range of academic journals, books, and primary sources across many subjects. It is widely used by students to supplement their knowledge and understanding the courses they study, by providing them with high-quality, reliable and peer reviewed reading material. JSTOR helps develop academic reading and research skills by enabling users to explore trustworthy sources and deepen their understanding of topics beyond textbooks.

Celebrating events and diversity through monthly display rotations in the library

We have a section in the library specifically used to display and celebrate topical writers, based on certain national awareness days/months, such as Black History Month, International Women’s day and Autism awareness month. These displays serve the function of demonstrating to the students that cultural diversity and neurodiversity are a normal aspect of life, while also bringing to light the fact that some of their favourite authors might be neurodivergent or POC, which they might not have known.