Historians and geographers of the future

When a child makes the leap from reading because their teacher tells them they must, to reading for pleasure, they have picked up a good habit for a lifetime. True, not everybody is a great reader, and we all have our own unique skills to offer the world, but anybody’s reading can improve with time and patience. This is especially true for children who have the advantage of minds that are keen to learn and absorb information. That’s why helping children to keep gaining confidence in their reading, whatever their natural ability, is so fundamental and it is best achieved when the duty is shared by homes and schools.

As dates for the autumn term diary go, few hold more creative potential than National Poetry Day. This year, the theme for the UK-wide celebration is ‘Choice’ – so we’re encouraging teachers and pupils alike to choose to take part in the action! To help you along, here are Five Top Tips to encourage your pupils' engagement on Thursday 7 October and beyond.

Reading for pleasure is more than just a hobby. In fact, research across the decades suggests it is likely to be integral in fostering significant life skills for young learners.  

In our latest post, teacher Laura Meyrick shares findings about reading for pleasure at secondary level, along with some ideas to encourage teachers as role models.