Reading at Heath Park
Reading should be fun – not just a compulsory part of the curriculum. Unless it’s something that excites students, they’re unlikely to become an eager reader for life. That’s why we recommend students exploring the world of reading outside of what is taught in the class.
Recommended Reading List to support Complex Issues and Mental Health
Books to support Complex Issues and Mental Health
Our Reading Achievements
Revisit some of our amazing reading achievements and moments in the gallery below. You can also view the story behind some of these pictures in their related articles found here:
https://www.heathpark.net/student-publication-success-in-creative-writing-competition-2/
Student publication success in Creative Writing Competition – Heath Park
Author Talk – Alexandra Sheppard Oh My Gods
Robin Hood Hacking Heists Flaming Arrows – World Book Day
Festival of Literature – Year 7
The importance of reading
You will find the most recent advice for parents from the Education Endowment Foundation in these documents who are working closely with the government to minimise the impact of loss of schooling. Their info graphics are a useful tool for parents to maintain their child’s interest and engagement with reading. Some of the statements used are geared more towards Primary children but they give an idea of what conversations around reading could sound like and ways you can encourage it.
Top tips to support reading at home
Student Book Reviews
View the latest student book reviews
Audiobooks
Audiobooks can be the key to unlocking a child’s love of reading. Their very nature enables all children, regardless of their reading ability, to access and explore the incredible world of stories, which are bought to life by a range of exciting voices, different accents and sound effects.
Podcasts
Listening to podcasts can be a great way of getting young people interested and engaged in a range of topics.
Research by the National Literacy Trust also shows that children and young people who listen to podcasts are more likely to enjoy reading for pleasure, so we want to direct pupils to podcasts to encourage further reading around topics they are interested in or learning about in class, as well as promoting a love of storytelling.
Check out some of our podcast related resources below.
Free podcasts for young adults
Reading is Power – Podcasts Presentation
KS3 Recommended Reading List
While in KS3, students should try to read a wide variety of types of books. They should broaden their choices and not just stick to one author, or one genre. Experiment with something new. That is one reason why this list is arranged in genre-based sections. As well as reading books, don’t forget that non-fiction such as newspapers and magazines are also excellent reading material and will get students used to a range of reading experiences that will set them up well for GCSE and beyond, as well as broadening their knowledge and understanding of the world in which they live.
