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.
With this in mind we have put together a bunch of resources which students can use to explore the world of reading. Alongside the information below we also have a Twitter account @HeathParkReads
Recommended Reading List to support Complex Issues and Mental Health
Books to support Complex Issues and Mental Health
Independent Learning – Reading
Week 1 – Discrimination – Where did discrimination come from and why is it still an issue?
Independent learning week 1 – Discrimination KS4
Independent learning week 1 – Discrimination KS3
Week 2 – Society – What happens when society breaks down?
Independent learning week 2 – Society KS4
Independent learning week 2 – Society KS3
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
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
Netflix and Novels
Reading page – Netflix and Novels
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
Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone – Free Audiobook & more
The Wizarding World brings you Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone,read and recorded by different celebrities every chapter. Follow the links in the document below to take you to each chapter, first up is Harry Potter himself (Daniel Radcliffe) who reads chapter 1. Further to the audio book you can find: chapter challenges, quizzes, craft ideas and more on their website.
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.
KS4 Recommended Reading List
Literary classics online reading lists
KS3
- Lamb to the Slaughter, by Roald Dahl
- The Landlady, by Roald Dahl
- The Adventure of the Speckled Band, by Arthur Conan Doyle
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain
- Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott
- The Time Machine, by H. G. Wells
- Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
- The Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe
- Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson
- Grimms’ Fairy Tales, by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm
- Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens
KS4
- Macbeth, by William Shakespeare
- Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare
- Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare
- The Tempest, by William Shakespeare
- The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare
- Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare
- The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, by Robert Lois Stevenson
- A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
- Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë
- Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
- Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
- The Sign of the Four, by Arthur Conan Doyle
- An Inspector Calls, by J. B. Priestley
- Blood Brothers, by Willy Russell
- DNA, by Dennis Kelly
- A Taste of Honey, by Shelagh Delaney
- Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
- Animal Farm, by George Orwell
