Growing a Love of Reading at Norton Hill School
Reading is celebrated at Norton Hill: it promotes wellbeing, it develops a lifelong passion, and it supports learning in the classroom.
At Norton Hill, we recognise that reading is a collaboration between students, parents and teachers to support students on their learning journey from Y7 to Y13.
We look to ensure that parents also have the tools to support their child to become a fluent and active reader.
We understand that there are often hurdles to developing reading, and look to overcome these with specialist support in school, and collaboration with parents to support reading outside of school.
If you have any further questions about reading that are not answered in this website, then please contact Mr Phillips, Deputy Head, via enquiries@nortonhillschool.com
Further information can be found on the LEFT about how reading is both encouraged and taught.
Please continue below to learn more about the importance of reading.
Our ambition for reading
At Norton Hill School our ambition is for all students to be reading at or above their chronological age by the end of Year 9, and to have experienced a wide range of challenging and enjoyable texts of their own choosing, or with their teachers and tutors.
Reading is central to the success of all students at Norton Hill School. It is recognised as the key way to improve the success of students in exams, through development of vocabulary, comprehension of complex ideas and themes, and development of cultural awareness, historically and globally.
How does reading help with exams?
All Exam papers at GCSE have a reading age of at least 15 years. Often, exam questions use varied vocabulary, and assume an understanding of customs and cultures not directly covered in an exam syllabus. This is one of the reasons why we are passionate about ensuring students read widely and regularly, as it provides a different way of making connections about the world, and the knowledge they cover in lessons. It provides another opportunity for students to practise their understanding of the world around them, and the views of others.
How does reading make students more rounded individuals?
As well as securing success, reading has an equally important role in building a habit that becomes an enjoyable activity throughout life, and also acting as an exciting way to engage students in discussions and debates.
Reading widely allows students to engage with BIG questions about relationships and society. It allows them to see how other characters respond to issues dealing with our Key Character strengths (Curiosity / Determination / Empathy / Enthusiasm / Optimism / Respect / Self-Control) as they discover and explore situations where these are promoted, and the consequences when they are not.
Reading widely means that students engage with more and more new words in each book. It is estimated that reading 20 minutes a day means that a student will read over one million words a year. If they read only 20 minutes a week, this falls significantly - and so does their opportunity to encounter new words, and new worlds.
Join us in encouraging children to read, read, read!
What research is there that reading is valuable to the success of students?
Much research has been undertaken recently that underpins our belief in the importance of reading in school and at home:
“The active encouragement of reading for pleasure should be a core part of every child’s curriculum entitlement because extensive reading and exposure to a wide range of texts make a huge contribution to students’ educational achievement.” All-Party Parliamentary Group for Education
“Developing a love of reading can be more important for a child’s educational success than their family’s socio-economic background.” Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
“Young people who enjoy reading very much are three times as likely to read above the level expected for their age as young people who do not enjoy reading at all. “ Children’s and Young People’s Reading, National Literacy Trust
“Other benefits include an increased breadth of vocabulary, pleasure in reading in later life, a better understanding of other cultures, better general knowledge and even ‘a greater insight into human nature’.” Reading for Pleasure: A research overview, National Literacy Trust