Research consistently shows that engagement with reading is one of the strongest predictors of future success. Reading develops cognitive function and creates individuals who are articulate, informed, empathetic, and confident. At George Mitchell, we understand that literacy goes far beyond the basic ability to read and write. It includes the knowledge required to access complex texts, the resilience to tackle academic challenge, and the rich vocabulary needed to interpret meaning and express ideas with clarity
Crucially, we recognise that literacy looks different across disciplines. Being literate in science is not the same as being literate in history or mathematics. Departments design Curricula and lessons that explicitly teach the literacy skills required for success in their subject. Literacy is not a bolt-on; it is embedded through excellent curriculum design and high-quality teaching
There are numerous ways to access books and other reading resources, from your local library and bookshops to online audio books.
At George Mitchell we…
- Actively read in lessons
- Offer literacy intervention using evidence based programmes
- Expose pupils to either fiction or non-fiction texts
- Have tutors/class teachers reading to model prosody
- Have reading lessons in Year 7
- Visit the library before school, break times, lunchtimes and after school
Library
We at George Mitchell School believe the most important thing we can teach children today is a love of reading for pleasure. With so much emphasis on learning, reading for pleasure can be left behind as a treat only for the very young. It is because of this that we feel a library should be at the centre of every school.
A library should be a hub for learning, a place where reading is positively and actively promoted. It should be a centre where new technologies and book-based resources complement and reflect each other and enrich the curriculum. Our library aims to meet the needs of all students and teachers, having an “open-door policy” that welcomes everyone. This is true in both the Primary and Secondary phases. In the Primary phase, each classroom also has an inviting book corner that pupils can browse and enjoy. Both phases of the school are bristling with an exciting and diverse range of texts – as we know well, ‘There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book.”
Miss Ainsworth
School Librarian
Assessment and Intervention
Many of our children have English as an additional language: we value the wide range of languages spoken throughout our school. For children who are new to English, we provide additional practice and support through Flash Academy, an online programme to help children to achieve fluency in English. The aim of the programme is to give children a quick and solid English and reading foundation to enable them to access the curriculum with their peers in the classroom. Flash Academy also supports teachers by assessing a child’s current state of language knowledge, across speaking, listening, reading and writing.
We use phonics and standardised assessments (PIRA), alongside teacher assessment, across the Primary and Secondary phases to assess pupils’ reading. Where additional support is required, this is provided 1:1, in small groups or through structured interventions (such as Read, Write Inc.’s ‘Fresh Start’ programme for older children who have not yet mastered phonics or are struggling with reading fluency). All of these interventions are aimed at improving reading mastery, but also fostering a love of reading.
If you are concerned about your child’s reading, please speak to their teacher in the first instance, or contact one of the school’s SEND team.