Reading and literacy

Our vision is to ensure that every student makes at least expected progress in reading, based on their age and prior attainment. We are committed to developing a strong, inclusive culture of reading across the whole school—one where reading is not only a key academic skill but also a shared value, promoted and respected in every subject area.

To support this, we implement evidence-based intervention strategies tailored to the needs of key student groups, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), high prior attaining (HPA) students, boys, students with low reading ages, and those with English as an additional language (EAL). These targeted approaches help close attainment gaps and ensure that all learners are equipped to thrive as confident, capable readers.

We also place a strong emphasis on parental partnership, recognising the crucial role families play in supporting reading at home. We host regular reading information evenings and provide practical guidance for parents to engage with their child’s progress. In addition, we take reading beyond the classroom through a wide range of extracurricular activities—such as residential writing retreats, creative workshops, and reading clubs—that make reading an enjoyable and meaningful part of school life.

Together, these efforts help to create a positive reading culture that empowers all students and celebrates literacy as a foundation for lifelong learning.

Our Tavi Canon

Year 7 Text 1: Percy Jackson and the lightning thief by Rick Riordan.

The Lightning Thief follows the story of young Percy Jackson, a troubled 12-year-old boy with a secret unknown even to himself. Diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD, while being raised primarily by his mother, his life so far has not always been easy. Percy is repeatedly kicked out of school due to unexplainable events that aren’t really his fault. While on a sixth-grade field trip to a museum, Percy faces his strangest event yet. After an argument with a school bully, his math teacher, Mrs. Dodds, draws Percy aside to punish him. Mrs. Dodds suddenly transforms into a monster and attacks him. His favourite teacher, Mr. Brunner, rescues Percy by throwing him a ballpoint pen that changes into a sword.

Click here for more information about The Lightning Thief

Year 7 Text 2: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K Rowling.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone follows an ordinary boy, Harry Potter, who discovers on his eleventh birthday that he is a wizard and has been invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Leaving behind a life of neglect, Harry enters a hidden magical world filled with spells, strange creatures, and new friendships, while also beginning to learn about his mysterious past. As he settles into Hogwarts, Harry becomes involved in a puzzling mystery surrounding a powerful magical object, introducing him to both the wonder and the dangers of the wizarding world and marking the beginning of his journey toward understanding who he really is.

Click here for more information about Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Year 8 Text 1: The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd.

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd follows 13-year-old Ted, who has Asperger's syndrome, and his older sister, Kat, as they try to find their cousin, Salim. Salim disappears from a sealed pod on the London Eye, baffling the police. Ted's analytical mind and unique way of seeing the world become crucial assets as he and Kat follow a trail of clues across London to solve the mystery of Salim's vanishing.

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Year 8 Text 2: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games is set in the dystopian nation of Panem, where the ruling Capitol maintains control by forcing each district to send two young people to compete in a televised fight for survival known as the Hunger Games. The story follows Katniss Everdeen, a resourceful teenager from the impoverished District 12, who volunteers to take her sister’s place in the competition. As she is drawn into the spectacle, Katniss must navigate the dangers of the arena while also confronting the power, inequality, and manipulation at the heart of Panem’s society, setting the stage for a story that explores survival, morality, and resistance.

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Year 9 Text 1: Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

Noughts & Crosses is a Young Adult novel by Malorie Blackman set in a dystopian world where dark-skinned "Crosses" rule and white "Noughts" are an oppressed underclass. The story follows the forbidden romance between Sephy, a privileged Cross, and Callum, a Nought, as they navigate their intertwined lives amidst societal prejudice, racism, and political unrest. Their relationship is challenged by intense discrimination, particularly when Callum attends a mixed-race school with Sephy, and as his family becomes involved with the radical Liberation Militia fighting for Nought rights. The book uses this reversed racial dynamic to offer a thought-provoking exploration of prejudice and inequality, showcasing the struggles of two star-crossed lovers and their families.

Click here for more information about Noughts and Crosses

Year 9 Text 2: Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman

Northern Lights follows Lyra Belacqua, a bold and imaginative girl growing up at Jordan College, Oxford, in a parallel world where human souls exist as animal companions called daemons. When Lyra becomes aware of mysterious disappearances of children and a strange substance known as Dust, she is drawn into a journey far beyond the academic safety of her home. Armed with an unusual truth‑telling instrument and guided by her own curiosity, Lyra travels north into unfamiliar and dangerous territory, encountering powerful adults, hidden agendas, and new allies, as she begins to question authority, knowledge, and the nature of growing up.

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Year 10 are currently reading:

The War of the Worlds by HG Wells

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells describes a catastrophic invasion of Earth by technologically superior Martians, who descend from cylinders in fiery flashes and use advanced weapons like the Heat-Ray to devastating effect. The story follows an unnamed protagonist as he flees the ensuing chaos in Southern England, witnessing the collapse of society and battling for survival against the ruthless aliens who intend to conquer and deplete Earth's resources.

Tavistock College