Literacy at Penair School

At Penair School, we believe that literacy is the foundation of all learning. It empowers students to access the curriculum, express themselves clearly, and engage confidently with the world around them. Our commitment to literacy is embedded in every aspect of school life—from structured reading programmes to everyday classroom practice.

Why Literacy Matters

Literacy is more than just reading and writing—it’s the key to unlocking potential. Strong literacy skills:

Improve academic performance across all subjects
Enhance communication and critical thinking
Foster independence and lifelong learning
Open doors to future education and employment opportunities

Despite the UK’s overall literacy rate of 99%, challenges remain. Around 20% of 15-year-olds in England and Scotland do not meet minimum literacy proficiency levels, and reading enjoyment among secondary students is at its lowest since 2005. These figures highlight the urgent need for continued literacy support throughout secondary education.

Tutor Reading Programme

Every week, students at Penair take part in our Tutor Reading Programme, (link to tutor reading page) a dedicated time where tutors and tutees read together. This initiative:

Builds a shared culture of reading across year groups
Exposes students to a wide range of high-quality texts
Encourages discussion, comprehension, and vocabulary development
Strengthens relationships between students and tutors through shared stories

Literacy in the Classroom

Literacy is woven into every subject at Penair. Our teachers:

Use subject-specific vocabulary and model academic language
Teach reading strategies to help students access complex texts
Encourage extended writing and structured discussion
Provide targeted support for students who need additional help

We follow the Education Endowment Foundation’s (EEF) guidance on disciplinary literacy, which emphasises that literacy is not just the responsibility of English teachers, but of every teacher across the curriculum.

Reading for Pleasure

We believe that reading should be a joy, not a chore. That’s why we promote Reading for Pleasure through:

A well-stocked and welcoming school library (link to library page)
Author visits and book-themed events
Reading challenges and book clubs
Student book recommendations and displays (link to PDF of book recommendations)

Research shows that reading for pleasure is important for cognitive development and is linked to better mental wellbeing, empathy, and academic success. Students who read regularly perform better in vocabulary, maths, and spelling tests.

Weekly KS3 Reading Homework with Sparx Reader

To support independent reading and comprehension, all Key Stage 3 students at Penair complete weekly reading homework using Sparx Reader (link to Sparx Sparx Reader – A parent’s guide to Sparx Reader). This digital platform:

Provides engaging, age-appropriate texts tailored to each student’s reading level
Tracks progress and comprehension through interactive quizzes
Encourages consistent reading habits outside the classroom
Supports vocabulary development and critical thinking

Sparx Reader allows teachers to monitor engagement and provide targeted support, ensuring that every student benefits from regular, meaningful reading practice.

How Parents Can Support Literacy At Home

Parents and carers play a vital role in supporting literacy development at home. Here are some simple but powerful ways to help:

Encourage daily reading: Set aside time for your child to read each day, whether it’s a novel, magazine, or online article.
Talk about books: Discuss what your child is reading—ask questions, share opinions, and explore themes together.
Model reading: Let your child see you reading for pleasure. It sends a strong message that reading is valuable and enjoyable.
Visit libraries and bookshops: Explore new genres and authors together. Let your child choose books that interest them.
Support writing at home: Encourage journaling, creative writing, or even writing letters and emails to family members.
Limit distractions: Create a quiet, comfortable space for reading and homework, away from screens and noise.

Together, we can build a strong literacy foundation that supports your child’s success both in school and beyond.

Separate page for tutor reading programme:

Tutor Reading Programme at Penair School

At Penair School, we are proud to run a dedicated Tutor Reading Programme that places reading at the heart of our school culture. This initiative is designed to foster a love of reading, improve literacy skills, and build meaningful connections between students and tutors.

What Is the Tutor Reading Programme?

The Tutor Reading Programme is a twice-weekly, structured reading session that takes place during tutor time. Each tutor group reads a shared text together, guided by their tutor. This approach:

Promotes reading fluency and comprehension
Encourages discussion and critical thinking
Builds vocabulary and confidence
Creates a shared reading experience across the school

Whether it’s a gripping novel, a thought-provoking short story, or a non-fiction piece, the texts are carefully selected to engage students and spark conversation.

Why It Matters

Reading is a gateway to learning across the curriculum. Research shows that regular reading:

Improves academic performance across all subjects
Enhances empathy and emotional intelligence
Supports mental wellbeing and resilience
Is one of the most effective ways to close the attainment gap

By embedding reading into the school day, we ensure that every student benefits from the power of stories and the richness of language.

How It Works

Regular sessions: Tutor groups read together twice a week during tutor time
Shared texts: All students in a year group read the same book, creating a common experience
Pre–teaching: Key vocabulary and unfamiliar contexts/locations are explored to add meaning to the texts students encounter in the reading sessions.
Guided reading: Tutors lead the reading, model fluency, and facilitate discussion
Inclusive approach: Texts are chosen to reflect diverse voices and experiences

Students are encouraged to listen actively, follow along, and contribute to discussions. The programme is designed to be inclusive and accessible to all reading levels.

What Are We Reading?

Each year students will read at least two texts and a series of non-fiction articles.

Year 7

Artemis Fowl, Eoin Coifer

When The Sky Falls, Phil Earle

Year 8

The London Eye Mystery, Siobhan Dowd

TBC

Year 9

When the World Was Ours, Liz Earle

The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

Year 10

The Inheritance Games, Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Boy Who Steals Houses (and the girl who steals his heart), C.G. Drews

These books are selected not only for their literary quality but also for their relevance to young people’s lives and the wider world, their links to our PSHE curriculum and our school values.

Success Stories from Tutors

“One of my Year 9 students who rarely spoke in tutor time started contributing regularly during our reading sessions. The book gave him a voice and a safe space to express his thoughts.”
— Year 9 Tutor

“Reading together has helped build a stronger sense of community in our tutor group. Students are respectful, more curious, and more willing to listen to each other’s perspectives.”
— Year 10 Tutor

These stories reflect the transformative power of shared reading—not just in literacy, but in confidence, communication, and connection.

How Parents Can Support

Parents and carers can help by:

Asking about the book being read in tutor time
Encouraging discussion at home
Visiting the library or bookshop together
Sharing their own reading experiences

Together, we can build a strong reading culture that extends beyond the classroom.