Reading
Our Ethos
Developing a lifelong love of Language and Literature is at the core of what we are trying to achieve at Bishop Perowne. The English curriculum is designed by teachers who love reading in order to inspire a love of reading. However, we also acknowledge that reading is not just the responsibility of English teachers and offer a range of whole school opportunities to develop this vital skill.
Did you know?
Reading just twenty minutes per day builds empathy for others, creates a strong vocabulary, and positively affects and boosts your mental and physical health.
The Study Centre
Curriculum provision
Accelerated Reader
Accelerated Reader is a nationally recognised programme which tests pupils’ reading age and ability, before recommending books within a ‘Zone of Development’. Pupils who read books within this Zone have been proven to experience rapidly improved progress in reading. All pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 are enrolled on the programme and will have 1 dedicated English lesson per fortnight for Accelerated Reader in the Study Centre.
Students can also access Accelerated Reader from home – the link is in the Student Links under the “Parents + Students” menu above.
Drop Everything and Read
Known as ‘DEAR’ in school, Drop Everything and Read gives all pupils in Years 7-10 a chance to read for pleasure every day. For 15 minutes of the day, all pupils read independently in silence in order to improve reading proficiency.
Form time Reading
Cultural Capital
Reading Support
English Lessons
Guided Reading
In Years 7 and 8, pupils will have 1 English lesson per fortnight of Guided Reading. Classes will each read a modern classic together in order to enjoy a challenging text, whilst working on comprehension and literacy skills.
Year 7
In English, pupils will all read ‘War Horse’ by Michael Morpurgo as part of their Literature education in the Autumn term. In Guided Reading, pupils will read from a selection of modern classics, including Oliver Twist, Chinese Cinderella and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Year 7 will also begin to read Shakespearean texts, starting with Romeo and Juliet in the Summer term.
Year 8
In English, pupils will all read ‘The Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins in the Autumn term. For Guided Reading, pupils’ choices of modern and traditional classics include texts such as Animal Farm, War of the Worlds and The Book Thief. Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ is read by all pupils in the Summer term.
Year 9
For their Autumn term Literature study, pupils will read ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time’ by Mark Haddon. All pupils will also begin reading Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ in the Summer term.
Year 10
Pupils in Year 10 will study a range of Literature texts as part of their GCSE studies. The modern play ‘An Inspector Calls’ by J.B. Priestley is read in Autumn term, as well as a selection of poetry from the 19th and 20th centuries, before moving on to the Shakespearean classic ‘Macbeth’ in the Spring term. Pupils will also read a selection of 19th-21st century fiction extracts from a range of sources, including larger novels and short stories.
Year 11
In Year 11, pupils will continue their study of Literature by reading Dickens’ classic, ‘A Christmas Carol’ as well as Victorian and modern non-fiction extracts from autobiographies, letters, newspapers and journals.
To find out more about the English Curriculum have a look at our subject page here, or by going through the “Our Curriculum” menu above.
