We use a range of techniques to support pupils to read more challenging texts, and explicitly teach subject-specific vocabulary to enrich knowledge and understanding of the world.
Reading is a powerful marker of education: educated individuals hear a reference to Dickens and can join in the conversation – with an understanding of the term ‘Dickensian’ and the phrase ‘Scrooge-like’. Our pupils are entitled to join in those conversations too, and so we select ambitious texts for them to rad. The knowledge of common cultural touchstones enables them to belong, wherever they are. It is our pupils' best chance to be included in the secret conversations of opportunity.
The School Library
We are incredibly proud of our school library, which opened on International Women's Day in 2018 and is named after the women’s suffrage campaigner, Sophia Duleep Singh. We are open every weekday from 7.45-16.30, and pupils are welcome to visit for studying, reading or attending academic events. We currently hold over 10,000 physical and digital resources.
The Sora Reading App
Pupils can access the library’s e-books and audio books on their smartphones and digital devices using the interactive Sora app. When viewing e-books on the Sora app, pupils can highlight text on the page, leave notes in the margins, quickly locate dictionary definitions and listen to a narrator for difficult passages in the text. Sora also encourages reading for pleasure: its 'suggested reading' feature puts forward new books based on pupils' reading history and preferences, and pupils can earn rewards for reaching reading milestones.
Please note: The Sora Reading App by OverDrive is a different app to Sora AI and is not affiliated with Sora AI. Please follow the link to the Sora Reading App here.
The Reading Cloud
The Reading Cloud offers Sixth Form pupils a library experience that mirrors that of university. On the Reading Cloud, pupils can:
- Use the library’s search engine to locate physical or digital books and resources
- Reserve books to be collected from the library
- Access tailored subject-specific reading lists for revision and homework
- Explore databases of safe and reputable websites and journals
- Write and share peer reviewed blogs and book reviews
- Access the library’s e-books and audiobooks