At Wellington College Prep, we are so lucky to have a beautiful and well-stocked library and promoting reading for pleasure is an absolute priority for us.
Library
Our English teachers have a wealth of knowledge and are always happy to help pupils find a book that they will enjoy during library lessons. We enjoy following our favourite authors and update the library with new releases throughout the year, including the shortlisted books from the Carnegie Medal award.
Literature Festival
Every other year, we celebrate the joy of books and reading with our amazing Literature Festival - over the years, more than 100 prominent authors have visited us including Chris Riddell, Marcus Sedgwick, Alex Wheatle, M.G. Leonard, Sally Gardner, Robert Muchamore, Katherine Rundell, Jaqueline Wilson, Sita Brahmachari... it is so difficult to pick out so few as all have delighted pupils with their stories, experiences and advice.
Reading for Pleasure
The benefits for children of reading for pleasure are well known - it:
- Boosts academic achievement
- Provides a foundation for critical, digital and information literacy
- Builds cognitive function and stamina
- Opens up new worlds for children, giving them opportunities to use their imagination to explore new ideas, visit new places and meet new characters
- Improves children’s well-being and empathy
- Improves cognitive performance, language development, and academic achievement
- Reduces the symptoms of depression and improving wellbeing throughout life
Reading Ideas
Below are a few books chosen by pupils and teachers as ideas in case you need some inspiration. These list are by no means exhaustive and will be continually updated!
Dyslexic and Reluctant Readers
We know that not all children love reading or that they struggle with confidence due to dyslexia, but we believe that there are still books out there for them to enjoy.
- Barrington Stokes publish a huge range of books, written with double spacing on cream paper to take the strain away from dyslexic readers. Barrington Stokes priority is to ensure that their books are enjoyable, well written and completely unpatronising so that every child is able to access and enjoy a good story. Children will recognise the names of many of the popular - and often award-winning - authors, and the books are enjoyed by all children regardless of whether they are dyslexic or not as their shorter chapters often appeal to reluctant or emerging readers.
- Another good website is The Dyslexia Shop, which has another huge range of dyslexia friendly literature
