At St John's Meads, we believe that reading for pleasure is one of the most powerful ways to help children thrive both in their learning and in their wider lives. When children choose to read because they enjoy it, they develop stronger language skills, richer imaginations, and greater confidence in their abilities.

Reading for pleasure has been shown to support achievement across all subjects, not just English. Children who read regularly often show improved concentration, better memory, stronger empathy, and greater emotional wellbeing. It also opens doors to new ideas, cultures, and experiences, helping children understand the world around them.

Most importantly, reading for pleasure helps children develop a lifelong love of books. Whether they enjoy stories, facts, comics, or poetry, every reading experience builds curiosity and joy. By nurturing this love of reading at school and at home, we give children a gift that lasts far beyond their primary years.

 

      

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Reading in School

Reading Programme:

Accelerated Reader (AR) is a programme that supports children in developing a love of reading while helping us track their progress. After a short quiz to find their reading level, children choose books that are matched to their ability. When they finish a book, they complete a quick online quiz to check their understanding.

This approach encourages regular reading, helps teachers monitor progress, and ensures every child is reading books that are right for them.

With this system, pupils grow in confidence as they see their own progress and achievements develop, making reading an enjoyable and rewarding part of their day.

Reading Sessions:

Reading lessons take place every morning, supported by additional dedicated sessions for reading for pleasure. During this time, pupils can enjoy books of their own choice, while teachers also share a range of engaging texts with the class. This helps foster a love of reading and builds a rich reading culture across the school.

Reading Buddies:

Our Year 6 Reading Buddies programme pairs each Year 6 pupil with a Reception child for weekly shared reading time. During these sessions, older pupils read stories to their younger buddies, helping to spark excitement, joy and a love of books from the very start of school life.

This special partnership not only supports early reading skills but also builds confidence, friendship and a strong sense of community across the school. It’s a highlight of the week for both year groups and a wonderful way to promote reading for pleasure.

Reading Volunteers:

We are delighted that every class has a dedicated reading volunteer who visits each week to listen to children read. This valuable support helps pupils build confidence, practise their skills, and enjoy sharing books with an enthusiastic adult.

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Did you know?

Children who read for pleasure are more likely to succeed academically and later in life.

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Top Tips for Reading with Your Child

Read together every day for 10 minutes.

A short daily session boosts achievement, confidence, wellbeing, focus and empathy.
Just 10 minutes can make a big difference.

Make reading enjoyable

Try to:

• Create a calm, cosy atmosphere.
• Show enthusiasm: “This looks fun… I wonder what will happen.”
• Read the story straight through, so your child enjoys the flow.
• Repeat favourites - children love hearing stories again and again.

Return to the story

Then:

• Pause to look at the pictures and talk about what your child notices.
• Explain tricky parts simply: “I think this means…”
• Chat about the events: “Why do you think she did that?”
• Link the story to your own experiences: “This reminds me of when we…”
• Connect it to other stories your child knows.
• Encourage your child to join in with familiar words or phrases.