Case Studies – Collins

A photo of five women standing in a line smiling. One of them is holding an award.

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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Reading for Pleasure Awards case study cover - Storytime as the beating heart of reading for pleasure'

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.

Reading for Pleasure Award case study cover - 'Building a lifelong love of poetry'

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.

Reading for Pleasure Awards case study cover - 'Celebrating representation and diversity in reading'

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.

Reading for Pleasure Awards case study cover - 'Teenage and young adult virtual book club for cancer patients'

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.

Reading for Pleasure Awards case study cover ' 'When research and anecdote chime in harmony, then we know we're onto something'

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.

Reading for Pleasure Awards case study cover - Developing reading for pleasure by modelling desired behaviour'

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.

Reading for Pleasure Awards case study cover - 'Making connections with our community through reading'

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.

Reading for Pleasure Awards case study cover - 'Pupil voice and choice'

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!

Reading for Pleasure Awards case study cover - 'Navigating reading'

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.

Reading for Pleasure Awards case study cover - 'My books, my story!'

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 for Pleasure Awards case study cover - 'Reading rivers'

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.

Reading for Pleasure Awards case study cover - 'The Bookling Book Award'

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.

Reading for Pleasure Awards case study cover - 'Widening children's experiences of authors when reading for pleasure'

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.

Reading for Pleasure Awards case study cover - 'Building on the foundations'

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.

Reading for Pleasure Awards case study cover - 'Developing whole school reading relationships'

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.

Reading for Pleasure Awards case study cover - 'Inspiring readers'

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.

Reading for Pleasure Awards case study cover - 'Developing reading communities'

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.