All students in year 7 are tested in September and March. Students in year 8 and 9 with a standardised below 100 are tested every 6 months. This allows us to fully measure and evaluate the success and impact of interventions.

In Year 7 pupils are taught in mixed ability groups alongside a nurture group for pupils markedly below age-related expectations. The nurture group is taught by a primary specialist following a curriculum related to the mainstream English curriculum but specifically designed to boost their reading and, in time, support improved access to the wider curriculum.

Pupils in Year 8 and 9 who were identified as needing significant reading support continue to follow the literacy pathway, receiving 2 lessons of Literacy per week in place of Spanish lessons.

Pupils identified as needing intervention to raise their reading level follow the Reading Plus intervention and paired reading support from our Sixth Form Reading Leaders.

Beyond this, continued development of reading for both purpose and pleasure is a priority for all pupils. Frequent opportunities to develop skills are brought about through whole class reading, reading aloud, summarising, echo reading, the S3RQ approach, and breaking down key vocabulary.

Pupils complete reading homework on non-fiction texts with accompanying tasks that require them  to practice their reading and comprehension skills.

In tutor time, Literacy Tutor Books are used to expose pupils to a selection of extracts from books that they are encouraged to read.

Reading is encouraged and promoted throughout the school, with 'Book of the Term', 'Fiction Addiction', and 'Recommended Reads'.