STAR READERS

Reading plays an important role in every stage of a child’s development. Learning new words and seeing them used in different contexts can help pupils to improve their vocabulary, as well as their language and comprehension skills. This in turn will help them to become more proficient writers, who can use and apply words with confidence, accuracy and flair.

Authors use a wide variety of literary techniques to foster their readers’ engagement and sustain their interest. Exposing children to the work of as many writers as possible helps them to discover characters that intrigue and inspire them, plots they can relate to, and genres that they love. Reading also helps children to develop their social and cultural capital by giving them access to new ideas and experiences and encouraging them to empathise with people and characters from all walks of life.

Our Star Readers initiative is designed to promote the joys and benefits of reading to all of our pupils. Experienced staff have searched through the best of contemporary and classic children’s literature to provide a recommended reading list for each year group. The books have been selected to give pupils a window into other people’s worlds, promote discussion and build reading resilience.

From contemporary classics like ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas,’ to universal favourites like ‘The Snowman,’ ‘The BFG’ and ‘Goodnight Mister Tom,’ the initiative features celebrated titles from the 19th to the 21st century. All of the books reflect our leadership specialism and have been selected with the age of pupils in mind, both in terms of their reading ability and the main themes explored.

The recommended reading lists for each year group are included in the Star Readers Primary Edition booklet. All our pupils are provided with a copy of the booklet to take home and will be encouraged to participate in the Star Readers Challenge, which involves reading at least 10 books from the recommended reading list for their year group. We hope parents are also able to get involved with the initiative by incorporating some of the books into after-school and bedtime reading routines and discussing some of the key themes and content with their children.

Pupils are able to borrow all of the titles featured in the Star Readers Primary Edition booklet directly from school and many, if not all, are likely to be available from local libraries.

To monitor pupils’ progress and development, all pupils will be given a reading record to track their own reading and participation in the Star Readers Challenge. All pupils who complete the Challenge by reading at least 10 books from the recommended reading list for their year group over the course of the academic year will be awarded a Star Readers certificate of achievement during the school’s annual Star Readers Awards Ceremony, which celebrates pupils’ commitment to reading.

A list of the titles featured in the Star Readers Primary Edition can be downloaded below.