At The Beaulieu Park School the value of reading is paramount. Confident readers are confident learners. These individuals will develop the abilities and skills needed to access information and articulate themselves in a range of contexts.

We here at The Beaulieu Park School support the development of confident readers in a variety of ways. Firstly, and most importantly, we create a culture in which reading is not only valued, but celebrated. Each lesson across the curriculum begins with silent reading and students have a dedicated, one hour reading lesson per week. They are also part of the Accelerated Reader programme. This involves pupils quizzing on the books that they have read. We motivate students by giving prizes out each lesson, as well as presenting other prizes half termly. These prizes are not only based on ability but are designed to reward all students. The Accelerated Reader programme further allows us to monitor pupil progress. We recognise that all students, across the ability range, need to be supported, pushed and encouraged. We have also made our library into a safe and secure place for pupils to work and read in. The library is run by the students themselves and this sense of ownership helps to engender a love of reading. There are also a range of competitions and themed activities run by the library over the course of the year including a Harry Potter Day and World Book Day. We have a wide selection of books for the year group and will be expanding this year on year to reflect the growing number of students we will have the Beaulieu Park School.

Writing is also a central concern here at The Beaulieu Park School. Clear writers are more likely to access better jobs, achieve university degrees and be able to adapt their writing to suit the needs of different contexts. To support this, pupils will have the opportunity to write over a wide range of genres including descriptive writing, narrative writing, article writing, speech writing and letter writing – to name a few. Furthermore, we provide regular opportunities for extended writing beginning in Year 7. We understand the importance of developing this skill to improve concentration in preparation for exams. This is regularly flagged as an issue for students in schools but it is not one which will be a problem here at The Beaulieu Park School.