#readersareleaders
‘Reading is the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible… If you know how to read, the whole world opens up to you.’
Barack Obama
Rationale
Reading is the foundation of learning. The ability to read fluently and accurately is imperative to students, not just in terms of their exam results and test scores but also in terms of their likelihood to be successful in wider life and access the job market. Reading is all around us: road signs, recipes, letters from authorities, news reports and instruction manuals. At King Arthur’s, we believe that it is our moral imperative to ensure that every student leaves us with the ability to read to a functional level and with confidence so that they can live fulfilled lives in the future.
However, national research around students’ reading for pleasure in the UK demonstrates that enjoyment in reading amongst 11-16 year olds is at a 20 year low. In 2024, only 34.6% of children reported reading in their free time (the lowest level since 2005) and the downward trend continued in 2025, dropping to 32.7%. Just 18.7% of children in this age group read daily (National Literacy Trust, 2025) Unfortunately, enjoyment is lowest in boys.
Studies by UCL Institute of Education show that reading for pleasure boosts vocabulary by 26% and has lasting effects into adulthood. Furthermore, students who read regularly out-perform their peers in all subjects including Maths and demonstrate higher cognitive performance. The benefits of reading are not just academic; 60% of young people between 8-18 who read regularly report better mental health and the ability to relax and feel happy when lost in a book. Additionally, readers are able to build social and emotional skills through their ability to understand others and empathise with different human experiences
At King Arthur’s there are several layers to our whole school reading programme:
– Tutor time reading in KS3
– Reading lessons as part of the English curriculum
– Reading aloud in lessons across the school
– The school library
– Reading interventions to identify and support those whose reading skills fall below their peers
The importance of reading is also demonstrated through its inclusion in our school values: Ready, Respectful, Responsive, Reader.
Tutor time reading
To encourage our students to build the desire to read for pleasure, from September 2025, students in KS3 will spend two tutor time sessions of 30 mins a week reading with their tutor group. Students are read to by their tutor and follow along, line by line with their ‘readers are leaders’ reading ruler, in their own copy of the book. This is important as pupils can benefit from hearing the story through enthusiastic, fluent and expert reading where the adult can breathe life into the dialogue and add drama. This policy also ensures that readers at all levels are supported to engage in the programme. However, the expectation that students track is vital as it is this (according to extensive research) that improves accuracy and speed in reading, as well as developing vocabulary awareness.
The books have been chosen by our reading lead because they are recognized as being high quality, rich literature. They also aim to cover a range of different subjects and genres, while also building cultural capital in our students by exposing them to experiences and voices from a range of different sources and perspectives.
Each year group will read 4 books per year, meaning that every child will have read a minimum of 12 texts by the end of Year 9. Each text provides opportunities for discussion around characters and plot in order to ignite students’ curiosity about the world around them, developing their foundational knowledge about society.
At the end of each book, students will provided with ‘recommended reads’ that they can access from the library and continue to read in their free time. We will be setting regular reading challenges in each year group to encourage our students to continue to build good reading habits and inspire a lifetime of enjoyment in reading.
Strong engagement and positive attitudes to reading in tutor time will be rewarded with ‘Reader’ house points.
If you require any further information about any of the texts selected or how tutor time reading works, please contact Miss Howell (laura.howell@kingarthurs.org.uk)
Reading Lessons
Students in KS3 have a scheduled reading lesson as part of their English curriculum. These are run by English teachers who are experts in how to support students with developing reading skills and supporting good reading habits.
The lessons are split into two halves. For 30 mins, pupils will ‘read for pleasure’ from a book of their choice which must be brought with them to lessons as part of their equipment. At appropriate points, we will allow students to access the library to browse the thousands of books we have on offer and borrow/return reading material. At King Arthur’s, we do expect students to read in silence for this time so that everyone (including the teacher) is able to concentrate and get lost in the magical world their individual text provides.
For the remaining 30 mins, the English teacher will lead a reading support session using extract booklets. The class will share short extracts of high quality fiction and non-fiction together and then follow up reading with comprehension activities, vocabulary instruction and discussion around key debates. Students will be encouraged to regularly read aloud as part of this and will be rewarded with ‘Reader’ house points.
If you have any further questions about reading lessons, please contact Mrs. Bell, CTL for English (anita.bell@kingarthurs.org.uk)
Reading aloud in lessons
Developing literacy skills is not just the job of the English department. All department areas have a role to play in ensuring that King Arthur’s students are reading regularly.
When appropriate, pupils may be required to read aloud from textbooks, handouts, PowerPoint slides or other lesson material. A reading aloud activity is indicated to students using this teaching and learning icon:
King Arthur’s staff are proud to work as a ‘family’ and our small, inclusive community means that we know our students well. Teachers will use their professional judgement to ensure that students feel comfortable to do this.
Reading aloud is rewarded by teachers through the ‘Reader’ housepoint.
Library
Our library is a wonderful space in the school. It has been stocked with a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction texts designed to engage our students in reading for pleasure.
In Summer 2025, we reached out to our community to support with fundraising to allow us to update our library stock and purchase a ‘wish list’ generated from extensive student voice. Thanks to the fantastic generosity of local businesses and families, we have been able to buy a huge number of new books including non-fiction and graphic novels.
The library is open to students on selected lunchtimes and during their reading lessons. We ask that all books borrowed from the library are respected and returned/renewed within 2 weeks.
Reading Interventions
While we know that many of our pupils join us in Year 7 meeting age-related benchmarks for literacy, we understand that there can be many barriers to reading that mean that this may not be the case. These include (but are not limited to):
– Phonics awareness (the sounds that make up individual words)
– Comprehension (understanding and retaining what has been read)
– Fluency (the ability to read clearly and at a reasonable pace)
King Arthur’s pupils are screened on their arrival in Year 7 and again at regular intervals throughout KS3. This allows us to routinely identify students who would benefit from further intervention with their reading. We have an expert, experienced team who work closely with these students using different strategies designed to support them in making progress. For some, this includes further work on phonics instruction and for others it is support with understanding and reading English when it is not a first language.
Our interventions in this area are often very bespoke and pathways can be difficult to summarise in a generic manner. For further information, please contact our SENDCO Mrs. Moynihan (irene.moynihan@kingarthurs.org.uk)