Our reading strategy at Birkdale falls under three key areas:

1. Fostering a love of reading

2. Interdisciplinary reading

3. Targeted reading interventions

We strive to ensure that our boys are encouraged to read widely and for pleasure. We have timetabled fortnightly library lessons for years 7 and 8 in our library. Our library has been developed to ensure that it is stocked with engaging and relevant titles. We have our Birkdale 100 which is a collated set of 100 texts that we encourage boys to read as many as they can during their time with us at Birkdale.

Across the academic year, we build in reads across the day where all students and teachers read a story over the course of a school day in installments. They practise applying reciprocal reading strategies to these texts.

We also have a program of tutor time reading. These texts are carefully chosen to cover a range of themes that enhance our Personal Development curriculum. Forms enjoy these texts together, building belonging through a collective reading experience as well as benefiting from being read to by a fluent reader.

All staff are trained in the strategy of reciprocal reading: predict, clarify, question and summarise. We acknowledge that all teachers are teachers of reading.

In years 7 and 8 we have reading anthologies which are used across all subjects to really consolidate the notion that we are all teachers of reading. These are hinterland-based extracts that enhance the curriculum offer. All extracts are read exploiting the strategies of reciprocal reading.

We also place emphasis on the importance of direct vocabulary instruction to support students with their reading. We have a bespoke tier two vocabulary curriculum for years 7 and 8 where each subject has selected tier two vocabulary choices that are explicitly taught and assessed at our cumulative tracking points. These words are deliberately

chosen to broaden students’ vocabulary and give them a wealth of tier two vocabulary that can be used flexibly in multiple contexts.

We rigorously assess, monitor and intervene with students’ reading to ensure that all students are getting the support needed to access the curriculum. All students in years 7-10 sit two NGRT reading tests each year. Following analysis of these results, students are identified who may require further support.

Following an investigation into the area of need and most suitable interventions, students are placed accordingly. We run group interventions as well as 1:1 interventions where required. This might be a phonics intervention if gaps are identified here, it might be a fluency-based intervention or it could be focused on comprehension through application and scaffolded reciprocal reading strategies. Our learning support assistants are trained through Catch up Literacy and some students receive 1:1 sessions using this methodology.