Literacy
Literacy is at the core of our values at Beulah Hill. We believe in helping students improve their literacy as this is key to attaining academic excellence and improving their life chances. All teachers are teachers of literacy, instrumental in spearheading the use of oracy, developing reading and vocabulary acquisition and writing.
We believe that promoting literacy is a whole academy responsibility and not just that of the English department. We also invite you to join us in developing your child's literacy at home.
Reading and literacy skills are the key to learning and pleasure. They open doors and allow our students to access all aspects of the curriculum, whilst improving oracy, communication and problem-solving skills.
You can read more on our vision in our 2023-24 Literacy Policy here.
Books, glorious books!
Reading is very important for young people for many reasons. Reading helps improve literacy skills, expands vocabulary, enhances cognitive development, fosters creativity and imagination, improves concentration and focus, boosts empathy and understanding of others, and can even reduce stress and anxiety. Additionally, reading can open up new worlds, ideas, and perspectives to young readers, helping them to learn about different cultures, histories, and experiences.
Encouraging young people to read from a young age can have long-lasting benefits that extend into adulthood. It's never too early to start instilling a love of reading in children and fostering a lifelong habit that can bring joy and knowledge throughout their lives.
Reading with tutors
Students enjoy a time of shared reading with tutors in the mornings before their lessons. At these times, they engage with novels exploring genres such as Social Issues, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Realistic Fiction and Science Fiction with young protagonists who experience relatable topics and journey towards growth and maturity. Our tutors are instrumental in facilitating an environment where students delve into reading.
Our Library
The HABH library is a vibrant space where students engage with reading. There are books covering a wide range of topics with authors spanning multicultural backgrounds, engaging all students. There are regular library lessons for students in Key Stage 3 who enjoy sessions centred on reading novels, eBooks, and group work. The library is also open for all students before school, breaktimes, lunchtimes and after school where students submerse themselves in reading, homework, and group tasks. All students are encouraged to have a reading book and must get at least 80% when they quiz on the books read on Accelerated Reader. Our students also routinely share reviews of eBooks read and can recommend books to be purchased for the library.
English Recommended Reads:
Enjoyed sleuthing with Sherlock? Growing perseverance with Parvana? Forming friendships with George and Lennie? Gossiping with Benedick and Beatrice? You can find books of similar themes, genres, authors, ideas and events like the books you read in English below.
Recommended Books
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KS3 Recommendations |
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Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron Granted by Rachel Huffmire The Chocolate Box Girls series by Cathy Cassidy The Breakfast Club Adventures by Marcus Rashford The Woods are Always Watching by Stephanie Perkins 21% Monster by P.J. Canning How to Train your Dragon by Cressida Cowell The Selection series by Keira Kass Hetty Feather by Jacqueline Wilson Slated by Terri Terry The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron Queen of the Tiles by Hanna Alkaf The Extinction Trials by S.M. Wilson Girl Online by Zoe Sugg Faking Delinquency by Ashley Winters |
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Recommended Books for KS4 |
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Lore by Alexandra Bracken This Place is Still Beautiful by XiXi Tian Daughter of The Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester The Unsound Theory by Emilia Zeeland Goddess Crown by Shade Lapite Legendborn by Tracy Deonn Vox by Christina Dalcher Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray Paper Towns by John Green The Auora Cycle by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff The Robin Hood series by Robert Muchamore A Darker Shade of Magic series by V.E. Schwab Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon Blackout by D. Clayton, A. Thomas, N. Stone, N. Yoon, A. Woodfolk, T. D. Jackson The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Arrow to the Moon by Emily X.R. Pan The Magpie Society by Amy McCulloch and Zoe Sugg Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim Caraval by Stephanie Garber Spellslinger by Sebastien De Castell |
Twin Crowns by Katherine Webber and Catherine DoyleLearning new vocabulary with Bedrock! 
Bedrock is an online vocabulary curriculum designed to help students learn academic words. This programme enables students to build cultural capital and expand their vocabulary, making them more successful in their academic work and navigating the wider world.
Students in years 7-9 engage with Bedrock as a homework task and must attain 20points every week. At Beulah we have ‘Bedrock Word of the Week’ where Bedrock words currently learnt by students across KS3 are shared on our school computer desktops and used by staff and students. Research on vocabulary acquisition has also shown the need for multiple encounters with words in different contents to enable those word to form part of our long-term memory. Considering this, all students have Bedrock Vocab books, where they write words learnt on Bedrock, alongside definitions and sentences using these words in A5 books we purchase for them. These books are then brought to lessons where students access their Bedrock words and use these, helping them retain their Bedrock vocabulary.
Literacy as an Extra Curricular!
Throughout the year there as so many opportunities for students to improve their literacy skills, enter national writing and reading competitions, or practice their oracy skills through DebateMate. As a club, they are taught skills in public speaking, critical thinking, and grace under pressure.
Literacy Resources:
Online newspapers: these are a brilliant way to read high-quality non-fiction (particularly useful for our Yr 10 and Yr 11s). The Guardian’s and the Independent’s articles are available free at all times!
The National Literacy Trust has put together an amazing collection of resources to help parents with home schooling. Have a look at the Family Zone on their website for literacy resources from literacy experts and some famous faces (check out David Walliams' contributions).
The Carnegie Award: The annual award for children’s books, with some brilliant books on the shortlist every year. There are also resources on its websites to get children discussing the texts.
