At Kennet School, we believe reading is fundamental to academic success and personal growth. A rich reading experience not only enhances pupils’ knowledge and understanding but also broadens their perspectives, fosters empathy and nurtures a lifelong love of literature.

To support this, we have embedded reading into the fabric of our school day through a carefully designed tutor group reading programme. Every morning, for 15 minutes, pupils in Years 7 to 10 are read to in their tutor groups. We read a range of classic stories from different cultures, traditions and time periods, as well as carefully selected important works of non-fiction. By reading to them, we are able to supplement the text with valuable context that boosts their knowledge and understanding. In addition to providing our pupils with access to some of the best fiction and non-fiction ever written, the tutor group reading programme is also designed to complement the curriculum, drawing links to ideas, themes and figures studied in lessons.

At Kennet School, we prioritise reading across all subjects through our text-rich curriculum. Not only is there a strong link between how much pupils read and how successful they are in their examinations, but reading also exposes you to other people and cultures, teaches how to empathise with those different to you, and can bring endless hours of pleasure.