Reading

We are passionate about Reading at BGS!

I think we would all agree that reading and literacy are hugely important and at Bingley Grammar School we are committed to ensuring that each and every student has the opportunity and support to develop the necessary skills not only to access the curriculum at secondary school but to provide a solid foundation for lifelong learning. 90% of new vocabulary is encountered in reading and not in everyday speech. Therefore, reading is so important for our learners to enable them to access the whole curriculum and to understand textbooks and exam paper questions in every subject, not just in English. With this in mind we are all teachers of Reading at BGS and your child will be supported to actively engage with texts in all their lessons.

We are also passionate about reading for pleasure and we believe that reading can take you places, widen your horizons and provide sanctuary from busy lives. Further on in life, reading can open doors and help you to fully understand the world around you. We have book groups in KS3 run by staff who love reading and these offer students an opportunity to eat lunch, relax and discuss books with their peers. New members are welcome at all times!

A group of students and a teacher reading together at lunchtime

At the heart of our Reading Culture at BGS we have a Reading Curriculum in Key Stage Three (Yrs 7-9). These dedicated reading lessons are in addition to our English Curriculum. Books are read aloud to students by staff and students read sections to their peers. The books are discussed paying particular attention to the topics they link to in our wider world. We read 3-4 extra books a year in addition to their taught texts in English. In KS3 we also link our homework to reading and students complete weekly Sparx Reader homework. Please see links below for our current reading books. We update these regularly by taking on board student feedback and choosing books that offer our students a diverse diet and engaging experience.

As part of our focus on developing reading skills students who may need extra support are identified and offered either specific interventions coordinated by our SEN department or offered an opportunity to work with our trained Sixth Form on Paired Reading.

In addition to all this we organise author visits and workshops with this year’s author Adam Baron visiting school to deliver exciting workshops to Year 7. Each Spring Term we have our World Book Day celebrations. This week is always a big talking point every year, with many competitions and activities going on to celebrate reading and our most loved books!

We would encourage your child to read as much at home as possible to foster their love of reading and to widen their vocabulary and understanding. You can find suggestions of books on this page that might be a good starting point, as well as some tips to support your child with reading at home.

‘Reading is the gateway skill that makes all our learning possible.’

Barack Obama