Literacy

What’s our vision?  

We believe literacy is powerful knowledge, so we make it stick. Academically, it enables students to read, write and speak like experts across a multitude of disciplines. This is why it is our vision to expand their vocabulary, allowing them to communicate with increasing confidence, fluency and comprehension. We want to foster a culture of reading across the school in which students read ambitious and diverse texts for pleasure, whilst gaining cultural capital. We want our students to develop the habits that enable them to read and speak with fluency and confidence throughout their academic journey and thrive in later life.  

Beyond academia, high levels of literacy will enable our students to flourish in a world beyond education that is fast-paced and rapidly changing. They will have the tools to become active citizens in which they ensure their voice is heard through challenging injustice and becoming part of the national conversation. Effective communication skills will ensure our students can articulate their emotions, own their relationships and compete in an ambitious and competitive labour market. High levels of literacy is therefore a social justice issue as it directly correlates to students living happy, healthy and successful lives no matter their starting point. 

How do we turn our vision into a reality? 

Drawing on the Education Endowment Foundation’s ‘Improving literacy in secondary schools’, Harris Academy Falconwood has identified five key principles for the intent and implementation of whole school literacy: 

1. Disciplinary vocabulary is specified in the curriculum and enables students to write and speak like experts; 

2. Vocabulary is explicitly instructed; 

3. Reading is prioritised and guided with vocabulary signposted; 

4. Writing opportunities are structured; 

5. Oracy is prioritised, modelled and structured. 

Guided reading 

At Harris Academy Falconwood, we believe that the embedded weekly practice of guided reading for twenty minutes, three times per week is essential in broadening tier 2 vocabulary, enriching cultural capital and ultimately improving exam performance. 

According to Renaissance UK’s biggest-ever literacy study of more than 1 million children across hundreds of schools from all different demographics, exam results improved massively where guided reading was routinely practiced. 

Guided reading helps students develop greater control over the reading process through the development of reading strategies which assist in decoding meaning as well as enhancing their oracy skills by being able to talk more confidently about great literature. The teacher guides or ‘scaffolds’ their students as they read, talk and think their way through a text, completing various small text directed, focused tasks such as sequencing, text completion, scanning, skimming and inferring. 

When readers have the opportunity to talk, think and read their way through a text, they build up self-confidence as well as their own systems in the future of decoding and ultimately enjoying reading. Quality literature is highly motivating to both students and teachers. Students prefer to learn with these texts and given the opportunity will choose these texts over traditional, ‘easy readers’. 

Moreover, coupled with reading eclectic and ground-breaking books, the students will also experience a diverse range of short non-fiction texts throughout the year linked thematically to the novels. These are designed to help students comprehend more challenging texts through activating prior knowledge outlined in research by Keene and Zimmerman; understanding issues such as racism, religious extremism or PTSD before encountering them within a novel. 

KS3 Morning Reading Curriculum Vision and Narrative 

Curriculum Narrative: Building Readers, Knowledge and Cultural Understanding 

The KS3 Morning Reading Curriculum has been carefully designed to develop students as confident, thoughtful and knowledgeable readers. Through a deliberately sequenced blend of contemporary fiction, literary heritage texts, diverse voices, short stories and contextual non-fiction, students encounter literature that steadily broadens their understanding of themselves, other people and the wider world. 

The curriculum is ambitious in both the themes it explores and the literary demands it places upon students. Across Key Stage 3, students move from accessible contemporary narratives rooted in familiar experiences to increasingly complex texts that require deeper inference, critical thinking and understanding of sophisticated literary techniques such as symbolism, satire, allegory and narrative perspective. 

The journey is structured around three interconnected themes: Identity, Belonging and Human Resilience; Power, Society and Human Nature; and Voices, Perspectives and Unexpected Truths. Within these themes, texts have been carefully selected to build knowledge and understanding cumulatively, ensuring that students revisit important ideas through increasingly challenging literary forms. 

At its heart, the curriculum seeks to achieve three interconnected aims: 

1. Develop reading for pleasure and reading stamina through regular engagement with complete texts. 

2. Build cultural capital and broaden horizons by exposing students to experiences, cultures, viewpoints and literary traditions beyond their own. 

3. Develop disciplinary reading skills such as inference, empathy, critical thinking, contextual understanding and intellectual curiosity. 

KS3 Reading Journey at a glance  

Year Group	Year Intent	Autumn Term: Identity, Belonging and Human Resilience	Spring Term: Power, Society and Human Nature	Summer Term: Voices, Perspectives and Unexpected Truths
Year 7	Building reading confidence and curiosity	High Rise Mystery, Sharna Jackson	The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams	Short-stories: Choices, Consequences and Hidden Truths
Year 8	Developing empathy and critical understanding	Face, Benjamin Zephaniah	Lord of the Flies, William Golding	Short-stories: Fear, Survival and Human Vulnerability
Year 9	Developing cultural literacy and critical awareness	The Bone Sparrow, Zana Fraillon	Animal Farm, George Orwell	The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon

 

 

 

Year 7: Building Reading Confidence and Curiosity 

Year 7 focuses on establishing positive reading habits while supporting students' transition into secondary school. The texts are engaging, accessible and relevant, allowing students to develop reading fluency, confidence and enthusiasm whilst introducing them to a diverse range of experiences and perspectives.

Students begin with High Rise Mystery by Sharna Jackson, a contemporary novel set within a multicultural London community. The text provides relatable characters and a familiar setting whilst encouraging students to think about identity, community, family and belonging. Through its mystery narrative, students are introduced to inference, prediction and evidence gathering, developing core reading skills within an accessible framework. At the same time, the novel offers valuable insight into modern Black British experiences and urban life. 

The curriculum then broadens through Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Whilst still highly engaging, this text introduces greater literary complexity through satire, absurdist humour and philosophical questioning. Students begin to consider how writers challenge assumptions about society, authority and human behaviour. The shift from contemporary realism to speculative fiction represents an important step in developing imagination and abstract thinking. 

The year concludes with the short story collection Choices, Consequences and Hidden Truths, which introduces students to a diverse range of authors, genres and literary traditions. Texts such as Roald Dahl's The Hitchhiker and Parson's Pleasure, Henry Slesar's The Test, Chinua Achebe's Dead Men's Path, Joanne Harris' The Toymaker and His Wife and Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince expose students to moral dilemmas, irony, symbolism and narrative twists. Students explore themes of greed, generosity, deception, tradition and progress whilst encountering both literary heritage and global perspectives. The collection develops students' understanding that writers can communicate complex messages about human behaviour in a wide variety of forms. 

By the end of Year 7, students have moved from exploring belonging within familiar communities to questioning assumptions and considering how individual choices shape outcomes. They have also encountered a range of literary forms including contemporary fiction, science fiction, satire and short stories, providing a strong foundation for future study. 

Year 8: Developing Empathy and Critical Understanding 

Year 8 builds upon this foundation by introducing texts that demand greater emotional maturity, stronger inference skills and more sophisticated engagement with moral and social issues. 

Face asks students to engage with complex questions surrounding identity, self-worth, appearance and belonging through the story of Martin, whose life changes dramatically following a life-altering accident. Through Benjamin Zephaniah's contemporary and accessible voice, students explore themes of resilience, prejudice, friendship and personal transformation, encouraging them to consider how identity is shaped by both individual experiences and societal attitudes. 

Students are then introduced to Lord of the Flies, a significant literary heritage text whose symbolism, allegorical elements and moral complexity demand deeper inference and analysis. As students move from the personal challenges faced by Martin in Face to Golding's exploration of civilisation, power and human nature, they are encouraged to think beyond individual experiences and consider broader questions about society and human behaviour. 

The year's short story collection, Fear, Survival and Human Vulnerability, further extends literary challenge through suspense, psychological fiction, dystopian literature and speculative fiction. Texts such as Roald Dahl's Lamb to the Slaughter, Daphne du Maurier's The Birds, Ray Bradbury's The Veldt, Octavia Butler's Speech Sounds and Never Stop on the Motorway expose students to narratives in which individuals confront uncertainty, technological change and societal breakdown. Through these texts, students explore how writers create tension, manipulate perspective and examine human behaviour under pressure. 

By the end of Year 8, students have moved beyond questions of personal identity and individual choices towards broader explorations of responsibility, authority, morality and survival. They are increasingly able to analyse symbolism, recognise deeper meanings and engage critically with challenging ideas. It provides an important bridge between the accessible contemporary texts of Year 7 and the intellectually demanding literature of Year 9. 

Year 9: Developing Cultural Literacy and Critical Awareness 

Year 9 represents the culmination of the Key Stage 3 reading journey. Students encounter texts that require mature engagement with global issues, political ideas and complex perspectives whilst preparing them for the demands of Key Stage 4. 

Students begin with The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon, a powerful contemporary novel exploring displacement, refugee experiences and human rights. Building on earlier discussions of identity and belonging, students now consider these concepts on a global scale. Through carefully selected contextual reading focused on forced migration, refugee camps and asylum systems, students develop understanding of significant contemporary humanitarian issues whilst deepening their capacity for empathy and social awareness. 

The curriculum then introduces George Orwell's Animal Farm, one of the most influential political allegories of the twentieth century. This is the most demanding text students have encountered so far in terms of symbolism, satire and political commentary. Understanding the novel requires students to draw upon contextual knowledge of revolution, dictatorship and propaganda whilst recognising how writers use allegory to communicate ideas about power and inequality. The text builds directly upon the exploration of leadership and authority in Lord of the Flies, allowing students to revisit familiar concepts at a much more sophisticated level. 

The sequence culminates with Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Through its distinctive first-person narrative voice and exploration of neurodiversity, the novel challenges students to consider the relationship between perception, truth and understanding. Having spent three years encountering a growing range of perspectives, students are now asked to interrogate how different people experience and interpret the world. This provides a fitting conclusion to the curriculum, bringing together themes of identity, empathy, society and human experience through a highly original literary form. 

By the end of Year 9, students have progressed from accessible contemporary narratives to texts rich in symbolism, allegory, satire and complex narrative perspectives. They have explored communities, disability, refugee experiences, political power, neurodiversity, morality and human rights through literature that deliberately broadens their horizons and deepens their understanding of the world.

Overall Impact 

The curriculum takes students on a carefully sequenced journey from the familiar to the unfamiliar, from personal experiences to global issues, and from relatively straightforward narratives to increasingly sophisticated literary forms. 

Each text has been selected not only for its thematic significance but also for the way it prepares students for future reading. Students move progressively from contemporary realism to satire, allegory, speculative fiction, literary heritage texts and complex narrative perspectives. Along the way, they encounter voices from different cultures, historical periods and lived experiences, building both literary knowledge and cultural understanding. 

The result is a reading curriculum that develops far more than fluency alone. It cultivates curiosity, empathy, critical thinking and cultural literacy, ensuring that students leave Key Stage 3 as confident readers who are prepared for the academic demands of Key Stage 4 and equipped to engage thoughtfully with the wider world. 

Academic Reading 

Key Stage 5 students follow a carefully designed academic reading programme that supports both wider intellectual development and progression to ambitious future destinations. Students begin Year 12 by engaging with contemporary issues and current affairs, exploring topics such as crime and justice, global politics, technological innovation and the climate crisis. This ensures that students remain informed about the world around them whilst developing the cultural literacy and critical thinking skills expected of successful university applicants and future professionals. 

Students then select an academic pathway aligned to their intended post-18 destination. Each pathway provides a bespoke programme of reading, listening and wider scholarship, including academic texts, journal articles, podcasts and thought-provoking commentary designed to deepen subject knowledge and promote intellectual curiosity beyond the confines of examination specifications. 

This approach cultivates well-read, culturally aware and academically ambitious young people who are able to engage confidently with complex ideas and contemporary debates. It broadens students' horizons, strengthens their preparedness for competitive university courses and employment opportunities, and equips them with the cultural capital needed to thrive in increasingly demanding academic and professional environments. Importantly, it also enables students to sustain and develop interests that may not be represented within their formal programme of study, fostering independent scholarship and a lifelong commitment to learning. 

Reading for pleasure 

Not only can reading be highly enjoyable if someone finds the right genre to capture the imagination, but the evidence also tells us that the most successful people are all avid readers. Bill Gates still reads a minimum of 50 books per year and former US President Barack Obama described reading as ‘the gateway’ skill that makes all other learning possible. However, trends also tell us that many young people have fallen out of the habit of reading regularly as technology and other entertainment forms take the place of books.  

A recent poll by the Independent newspaper found that gifting books as a Christmas present has declined by almost half in the past decade and this number is even higher amongst children. Thus, it is our mission to help our students develop a love of reading that will not only benefit their intellectual journey but also help build confidence, cultural capital and in many instances, support mental health. Reading is proven to help use the experiences they read about to develop empathy for people in the outside world – and to use their skills in ways that boost their self-esteem and confidence.  

What is the HAF reading challenge? 

Because we know the powerful benefits of reading, we launched a reading challenge for all our students from Year 7, right the way through to Year 13. The Literacy team have compiled a reading list for our students to encourage them, indeed even challenge them, to find a book that captures their interest and give reading a go. For those who are already avid readers, this list provides a breadth of stimulating reads, including fiction and non-fiction, that we believe will broaden their horizons and hopefully open them up to a whole new world of diverse and inspiring stories.  

How was the reading list selected? 

Many of the texts have won awards, such as the Carnegie award, or been selected as part of national reading competitions. In addition, we believe the breadth of titles reflects our ambition to offer a broad, ambitious and diverse curriculum where all of our students can see their personal characteristics reflected in literature. 

Additionally, the list is divided into sections and categories as such:  

• Key Stage 3 has two sections, one with titles for confident readers of reading age 11+ and one for developing readers of reading age 10 or below. This is simply as a guide to help select titles at this stage but any student can read any title; 

• Key stages 3, 4 and 5 have also been divided into genres of culture and identity, thriller, adventure and mystery, and fantasy, sci-fi or dystopian (Key stage 5 also has some philosophical titles) 

We have divided the list this way in order to support students and parents/carers select texts that will be age appropriate, both in their content and in the level of challenge posed by the book. However, we understand that just like these books, all students are different and these categories are merely a guide and any student is welcome to read any of the texts that intrigue them. All of these titles are already in our school library so can be easily borrowed.

How does the reading challenge work? 

• For every book read, students will be awarded 10 Achievement Points; 

• Once a student has read three books from the list, they will receive a Bronze award; 

• Once a student has read seven books from the list, they will receive a Silver award; 

• Once a student has read ten books from the list, they will receive a Gold award; 

• Once a student has read 15 books from the list, they will receive a Diamond award and an additional prize. 

 

All students have to do is produce a short book review once they have read it, summarising the plot and their opinion on- how much did they enjoy it and why. This can be in the form of: 

• Written report; 

• A book video recording;  

• A creative response such as a musical song, live action-drama video, poetry, or art. 

Reading in the classroom 

Research from educational academic Tom Sherrington found that in many secondary schools across the country, some students can go an entire week only having actually read six words. This is because reading is either not prioritised in lessons or reading routines are not accountable, meaning they do not require students to actively engage with reading a text. Therefore, HAF prioritises reading in lessons by utilising a range of approaches to ensure all our students are encouraged and required not only to read each week but read aloud; an important skill when entering the world of work. These techniques include: 

Choral or ‘Echo’ reading: once the teacher has read a passage of writing or test, students will all read either the same piece or a new piece simultaneously aloud.  

Paired reading: Students take turns to read sections of a passage of writing or text to each other  

Both of these approaches avoid students being expected only ever to follow as a smaller number of more confident students read aloud. 

Juniper and Carnegie reading challenges 

HAF annually has plenty of students who voluntarily enter the national Juniper and Carnegie book awards. The Juniper award in particular has attracted a lot of interest and has seen many of our young people be nominated and win prizes for their reviews of shortlisted books.

Writing and Vocabulary 

Heads of Department have selected and sequenced tier 3 (disciplinary knowledge) and tier 2 vocabulary within their curriculum. This vocabulary is embedded in curriculum documents and much of it is added to topic glossaries and homework knowledge organisers at KS3. This vocabulary is then explicitly instructed using the process ‘select, define, demonstrate, practice’ (an adaptation of the Frayer Model), to make vocabulary stick. Vocabulary when instructed will form part of the success criteria for students to reach the intended end point of a lesson, ensuring students are given opportunities to use it within the appropriate context. 

Purple Route 

The Purple Route Scholars initiative gives all students from Key Stages 3-5 the opportunity to explore academic subjects beyond the taught curriculum. Typically, students engage with a stimulus text, such as a newspaper article, academic extract or opinion piece, before producing a written response. This approach develops students' ability to write for a range of purposes and audiences, including informative, persuasive, analytical, evaluative and discursive writing. 

Through regular exposure to high-quality texts, students develop their understanding of how writers construct arguments, present information and communicate complex ideas. The writing tasks require students to organise their thoughts coherently, select appropriate evidence, adapt their tone and register, and structure responses effectively according to the demands of the task. 

Over time, this supports the development of key disciplinary literacy skills, including summarising, synthesising information from multiple sources, constructing balanced arguments, evaluating viewpoints and communicating ideas with clarity and precision. Students also broaden their vocabulary and improve their command of academic language, enabling them to write with increasing sophistication across a variety of formats. 

As a result, the Purple Route Scholars programme not only extends students' knowledge and cultural capital but also strengthens the writing skills required for success across the curriculum, at GCSE and A Level, and in future academic study. 

Writing competitions 

Poetry and creative writing competitions are held throughout the year; students have the opportunity to have their work published internally and borrowed or sold in the school library. Competitions always run in conjunction with national or international celebrations such as Black History Month, LGBTQ+ History Month, International Women’s Day or World Book Day.  

Oracy

At Harris Academy Falconwood, we believe that every student should develop the confidence and capability to communicate effectively in a wide variety of contexts. Inspired by our work with Voice 21, we recognise that spoken language is not only a vital life skill but also a powerful tool for learning. Our ambition is that students are able to speak like experts within the classroom, using subject-specific vocabulary and disciplinary knowledge with precision, whilst also developing the fluency, confidence and presence to communicate effectively beyond the classroom in future education, employment and wider society. 

To achieve this, Heads of Department have carefully planned and embedded structured opportunities for oracy across the curriculum. These opportunities can broadly be categorised into two complementary strands: 

Exploratory Talk 

Students regularly engage in purposeful discussion that helps them develop and refine their thinking, test ideas, build arguments and respond to the views of others. Through these opportunities, students learn to articulate their understanding with increasing clarity and sophistication. 

Examples include: 

• Extended classroom discussions and dialogic learning activities. 

• Structured debates across a range of subjects and topics. 

• Collaborative tasks that require students to justify opinions, challenge ideas and build on the contributions of others. 

• A Year 8 History debate examining why women were granted the right to vote in 1918, which is completed in place of an extended written essay. 

These experiences support students in developing the habits of academic discussion, enabling them to explain concepts, evaluate evidence and communicate their thinking with confidence and precision. 

Presentational Talk 

Alongside exploratory discussion, students are given regular opportunities to present their ideas to an audience. These experiences develop confidence, fluency and the ability to adapt communication for different purposes and contexts. 

Examples include: 

• Students across Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 presenting, explaining and evaluating their creative work in Art. 

• Drama students preparing and performing monologues, scripted performances and ensemble pieces. 

• Student Council election hustings, where students communicate their ideas and leadership ambitions to their peers. 

• Student-led assemblies throughout the year, including Black History Month and Winter Festival celebrations, supported through coaching and mentoring. 

• Key Stage 5 students developing interview and professional communication skills through the Employability enrichment programme. 

These opportunities enable students to develop their presence, audience awareness and confidence when communicating to both familiar and unfamiliar audiences. 

Beyond the Classroom 

Our commitment to oracy extends beyond everyday classroom practice. The academy participates in a range of national programmes and competitions that celebrate and promote high-quality spoken communication, including: 

• The Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge 

• English-Speaking Union competitions in debating, public speaking and Shakespeare performance 

Through these experiences, students learn that effective communication is a powerful tool for influence, leadership and personal success. 

Collectively, our approach to oracy ensures that students become confident communicators who can think critically, listen actively and express themselves with clarity. By combining opportunities for exploratory discussion and presentational speaking, we support students to develop both the academic language required to succeed in their subjects and the confidence to communicate effectively in the wider world.