Reading at Westleigh | The Westleigh School

Reading and Literacy at Westleigh

At The Westleigh School, we are committed to developing a strong culture of reading and literacy, ensuring every student has the skills and confidence to succeed in school and beyond. Literacy is at the heart of our curriculum, with a focus on enabling students to read, write and speak like an expert in every subject.

Literacy Across the Curriculum

Our approach to disciplinary literacy ensures students develop the reading, writing and communication skills needed to succeed in different subjects. Through explicitly teaching essential subject-specific vocabulary, students are able to develop their knowledge and communicate confidently. Teachers use strategies to support reading which also enables purposeful discussion.

Developing a Love of Reading

We aim to foster a positive reading culture by exposing students to a wide range of engaging and challenging texts. Through dedicated reading lessons at Key Stage 3, SPARX Reader, library opportunities and reading events, we encourage students to develop their reading skills and discover the enjoyment of reading for pleasure.

Supporting Every Reader

We recognise that students develop their literacy skills at different rates. Regular reading assessments help us identify individual strengths and areas for development. Where additional support is needed, targeted reading interventions provide opportunities to improve fluency, comprehension and confidence.

Our ambition is simple: to ensure every student becomes a confident reader, effective writer and articulate speaker, equipped with the literacy skills to thrive in education and future life.

Our Commitment to Reading

To foster a lifelong love of books and reading.
To create a strong and embedded reading culture through a rich language environment in classrooms and throughout the wider school.
To teach new and advanced subject vocabulary systematically so that pupils can apply and transfer it across the curriculum.
To develop confident and competent readers through shared strategies and skills, including fluency, accuracy, comprehension and prediction, by engaging with a wide range of literary genres and text types.
To develop digital literacy skills that enable pupils to navigate information online effectively.
To help pupils understand and respond to literature drawn from a range of cultures and literary traditions in English lessons.
To recognise the value of parents and carers as essential partners in supporting and developing children’s reading skills and love of reading.
To monitor and assess children’s progress in reading, identify those who require additional support, and intervene at an early stage.