Reading

Reading is at the heart of Belle Vue Girls' Academy

We aim to foster a love of reading, inspire a passion for words and equip students with the skills to access texts across their academic experience. We aim to give our students a truly exceptional reading experience. Strong reading skills are integral for students to be able to navigate the world and become confident learners, communicators and future citizens. Reading makes our students confident, empathetic, and knowledgeable.​

Our culture of reading within school gives students access to high-level texts in a nurturing library environment, book challenges to build confidence and diverse enrichment activities that support students’ academic wellbeing with the understanding that reading underpins their school experience. 

Through our reading culture, we aim to enrich students’ understanding of the wider world and their place within it, using a diverse range of texts to address current issues. Literature grows understanding and empathy, offering students a valuable insight into lives and experiences different to their own. At the same time, we know it is essential for students to see themselves represented in the texts they read so we ensure our students have access to diverse texts and authors that put underrepresented, characters and voices centre stage. The diversity of texts on offer in our library and our inclusion of a broad range of voices and experiences is a great strength of our reading provision. 

Reading for Pleasure

At BVGA, we want all of our students to find enjoyment in reading. Our Librarian, Mrs Brewis, has cultivated a welcoming, inclusive and safe environment where students are free to explore a diverse range of reading material and discover their literary passions. Click here to learn more about our library: Belle Vue Girls' Academy - The Hub

To help our Key Stage Three students engage with and track their reading, we use the BoomReader programme.

BoomReader is an award-winning digital reading record designed to replace the paper reading record. BoomReader captures reading progress for individual students as well as painting the reading landscape at class and whole school level. Promoting individuality, responsibility and developing reading for life, students are actively encouraged to log their reading for learning and reading for pleasure. BoomReader helps to increase students' motivation and aspirations. It is already proving to be very popular with our students since its launch in September 2025. You can learn more about BoomReader here: Join BoomReader | The Leading Digital Reading Platform for Schools

Reciprocal Reading

Reciprocal Reading is a discussion-based approach to reading comprehension which supports students to develop their understanding of longer pieces of text. We use this approach in lessons across many subject areas where students are required to read and understand new and often challenging reading material . A consistent and structured approach equips students with the skills they need to become active and confident readers in a broad range of contexts, preparing them to access texts in GCSE and A-Level examinations, and as future, life-long readers. 

Reading Across the Curriculum

Reading is embedded across the curriculum in all subject areas. In addition to the application of our Reciprocal Reading strategy, we take a disciplinary approach to teaching reading through subject-specific vocabulary instruction. We also guide students to reading materials that support and enhance their subject knowledge. Further information can be found on Curriculum Maps here: Belle Vue Girls' Academy - Subjects

Literacy Strategy

Our whole school Literacy Strategy outlines our approach in more detail, should you wish to learn more about this. Belle_Vue_Literacy_Strategy.pdf

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Information for Parents