Abbey Multi-Academy Trust is proud to be a ‘talk rich trust’, where every child’s voice is valued. We are committed to developing the vital communication skills of all our young people so that they are supported and empowered to become the confident, articulate and globally minded citizens of the future. We are proud to be developing a culture of fluent, proficient communication within our academies, which has innovative teaching and learning at the heart of its philosophy: to work in partnership to educate, nurture and empower.
Literacy is at the heart of teaching and learning here at Abbey Grange. It refers to the essential communication skills of reading and writing; literate pupils communicate with a high level of fluency and sophistication, in both written and verbal forms. Literacy skills form a ‘toolkit’ which will enable them to experience a high degree of success across the curriculum and throughout their time at secondary school and beyond.
For one week every half term, in English lessons, students in Year 7, 8 and 9 take part in Forensic Reading lessons. The definition of Forensic Reading means the critical, independent or collaborative examination of reading materials in order to arrive at robust evidentially-based conclusions as to authorial intent, purpose and viewpoint.
It is a topical programme which encourages reading for pleasure, enhance students’ cultural capital, ability to analyse language in challenging texts and enhance students’ oracy skills. Students will engage with thought-provoking and challenging multi-modal texts intended to spark discussion, interest and debate. Ultimately, Forensic Reading seeks to engage all young people in the enjoyment of reading for pleasure widely; it seeks to engage them in high quality material and stimuli that, otherwise, they would not be privy to. Forensic Reading strives to captivate the imagination of young people and our wider community which, in turn, will raise attainment and writing ability, especially in terms of text comprehension and breadth of vocabulary. In addition, students will develop positive reading attitudes, greater self-confidence as readers and find pleasure and set personal goals for reading in later life.
Current topics include: Women, Suffrage and Misogyny and Journeys and Futures. Students will apply their previous knowledge and understanding to historical and current social and political constructs, the human condition and the spirit and journey of life.
‘A number of studies have shown that boys enjoy reading less than girls; and that children from lower socio-economic backgrounds read less for enjoyment than children from more privileged social classes.’ (Clark and Rumbold 2008; Clark and Douglas 2011).
We aim to provide all students with the benefits that are synonymous with reading widely: general knowledge; a better understanding of other cultures; community participation; a greater insight into human nature and decision-making. Young people who read widely in their youth grow into adults who: value the viewpoints of others; speculate and formulate new ideas; and challenge the assumptions of the world around them.
At Abbey Grange, we are committed to ensuring that all students become confident, fluent readers who can access the full secondary curriculum. Strong reading skills are essential for success across all subject areas, and our reading programme combines targeted interventions, adaptive literacy support and research-informed practice to meet the needs of every learner.
Bedrock Literacy Programme
We use Bedrock — an evidence-informed digital literacy platform — to build students’ vocabulary, comprehension, grammar and reading confidence. Bedrock delivers personalised learning pathways that adapt to each student’s strengths and areas for growth. Students engage with carefully selected texts and activities that help deepen understanding, expand academic vocabulary, and improve reading stamina.
Bedrock is used in lessons, tutor time and as a guided homework activity to reinforce reading skills across the curriculum.
For students who require additional support with decoding and word-reading skills, we offer a structured phonics intervention. This intervention focuses on the building blocks of reading — including phonemic awareness, blending, segmenting and spelling patterns — to strengthen the foundations of fluent reading.
Delivered in small groups, the programme uses systematic, multisensory approaches that help students develop confidence and accuracy when reading unfamiliar words. This intervention is especially effective for learners who have not yet mastered foundational phonics skills or for whom reading remains effortful.
All students are regularly assessed to identify reading needs and monitor progress. Early identification allows us to tailor interventions precisely, ensuring that students access the right support at the right time. Progress is tracked through reading assessments, teacher observations, and student reflections, enabling us to adjust programmes as needed.
Reading skills are embedded in all subjects. Subject teachers reinforce literacy strategies in their classrooms to build comprehension, subject-specific vocabulary and critical reading skills. We promote a culture of reading for pleasure through access to high-quality texts, library engagement, and reading events.
Once a week, the whole school participate in Drop Everything And Read. This is a hugely popular and successful strategy used in schools nationwide. This is timetabled on a rota to occur once a week for 30 minutes where all students and staff read a book of their choice to encourage reading for pleasure. At least once a half term, subject teachers will lead the session by reading to students a text relevant to their subject to encourage a breadth of reading and vocabulary.
“It’s magical watching the whole school stop and really get their teeth in to a book.”
We offer breadth of interventions for students who need additional support. Please see the document ‘Literacy Intervention Overview’ for further details.
‘Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.’ —Emilie Buchwald
