Case Studies

Hear from schools

Take inspiration from the teachers putting reading for pleasure into practice in their classrooms with case studies from our Reading for Pleasure Awards.

Author Choice Reading for Pleasure Award Winner - Increasing teacher knowledge of diverse texts

Find out how the latest winner of our author choice category developed a culture of peer-to-peer recommendations and gave her pupils ownership over their reading choices by diversifying her book shelves.

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Storytime as the beating heart of reading for pleasure Winner of the 2024 Experienced Teacher category, Chris, describes how he developed a culture of reading for pleasure and progress using storytime at his school.

Building a lifelong love of poetry Poetry can be an amazing and accessible way to get pupils engaged with reading for pleasure. Hear how Imogen put poetry in the spotlight at her school using a range of innovative activities and initiatives.

Celebrating representation and diversity in reading Hear how Charlotte developed a culture of peer-to-peer recommendations and gave her pupils ownership over their reading choices by diversifying her book shelves.

Teenage and young adult virtual book club for cancer patients Hear how Cathy’s virtual book clubs provided escapism, community, ownership and agency, as well as a love of reading for cancer patients in Birmingham.

The role of the school library Hear how school reading champion, Henrietta, promoted the school library to embed reading for pleasure into KS3 and KS4.

Modelling desired behaviour Katheryn, school reading champion at Sir Donald Bailey Academy, talks of how she inspired her pupils by sharing her love of books, promoted peer to peer recommendations amongst pupils and staff, and embedded a culture of reading across the school.

Making connections with the community English and KS1 lead, Fern, outlines how she built a community of readers in her school by embedding strategies such as increasing teacher knowledge of books and investing in reading spaces, which then enabled the school to develop connections with the wider local community.

Pupil voice and choice Discover how Kiran from Wallbrook Primary focussed on putting choice at the centre of reading for pleasure to improve attitudes to reading and encourage informal book talk. We love the Battle of the Books initiative!

Navigating reading – increasing Informal book talk Read about the amazing activities and initiatives put in place by Katy of Spotland Primary, designed to inspire conversations about reading in the classroom and increase knowledge of children’s books.

My books, my story! Hear from Amanda and Stephanie how the My Books, My Story project created an exhibition of artwork inspired by books, created and co-curated by children and young people in care, with the aim of supporting, enhancing, embedding, sharing and celebrating reading for pleasure.

Reading rivers Amy from South Wilford Endowed Primary School talks about how reading rivers in early years helped to build confidence and inspire pupils to realise their reading identity.

The Bookling book awards School librarian, Lucas, discusses how setting up a book award in their school book club helped to engage pupils with new and diverse books and cultivate social reading environments across the school.

Widening children’s experiences of authors Claire discusses how providing pupil choice and diversifying bookshelves through initiatives such as their ‘Lending Library’ and author visits inspired pupils to discover who they were as readers.

Building on the foundations Lockdown did not deter Jon of Moorlands Primary from setting up a series of innovative interventions designed to develop reading relationships between pupils, families and the school and increase knowledge of children’s books.

Developing whole school reading relationships Reading champion and English coordinator, Jon, talks about how introducing reading buddies for vulnerable or less engaged readers resulted in a cultural shift towards positive attitudes to reading amongst pupils and staff.

Inspiring teachers Hear how early career teacher, Emily, prioritised developing teachers as readers and making reading time in the classroom fun through book corners and book clubs.

Developing reading communities Laura discusses how she inspired excitement about books through targeted interventions including investment in the school library for EYFS and KS1, developing links with public libraries, and engaging parents in reading for pleasure.

Hear from schools

Author Choice Reading for Pleasure Award Winner - Increasing teacher knowledge of diverse texts

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