(For the love of) Reading

At The Belvedere Academy, we value reading for pleasure and the positive impact it has on wellbeing, as well as its enriching effect on academic achievement. To this end, reading is embedded into everyday school life, with every Lower School English lesson beginning with ten minutes of silent reading, and during every Friday form time. 

The library is the heart of the school and from here, a relaxing, social space, a love of reading fans out to all pupils.

Intervention

Some of our students require some additional support with reading. The table below details all of the interventions that we provide at the Academy.

Encouraging Reading at Home

For advice on how to encourage your child to enjoy reading at home, please see resources below.

HELP! My child won't read - A guide to help get children reading

Read for Good - Home Reading Resources

Recommended Reading Lists

Recommended Reads for Years 7 and 8

Author visits

We host visits and take groups out for author events with regularity. The pupils enjoy them enormously! As well as hearing how they write, and asking them questions, there is always the opportunity to buy books and have them signed by the author. We have visited events given by Eoin Colfer, Hilary McKay, Cathy Hopkins and Lisa Williamson. We have hosted Kathryn Evans, Holly Smale, best-selling author of the Geek Girl series, Cathy Cassidy, Jon Mayhew, Sophia Bennett and Robin Stevens, best-selling author of the Murder Most Unladylike series.

We have also twice hosted award-winning professional storyteller Ursula Holden Gill, who held her audience spellbound with her tales.

In 2023-2024, we are very lucky to have our own Patron of Reading, YA horror author, Cynthia Murphy. A Patron of Reading is a school's special, designated author with whom the school forms a personal attachment. Over the year, Cynthia will help encourage and develop a love of reading and writing for pleasure, through in-person visits, question and answer sessions, online writing workshops and competitions.

Readathon

Every year Lower School are encouraged to participate in the Readathon - a national sponsored read which, as well as promoting books and reading for pleasure, raises money for hospital charities and earns free books for our library. Annually we raise between £200-400 for Read For Good.

Prize Giving

Recipients of our various prizes are awarded with a book, relevant to their category.

Free Libraries

Belvedere has its own Free Library for students on the first floor of the Forget-Me-Not building. Bookcases are stocked with second-hand books for anyone to take, read, return or keep. We also have a trolley in main reception stocked with pre-loved books for our parents, guardians and visitors. We welcome suitable donations, so do consider us if you are having a clear out of any unwanted books in good condition!

Book Fairs

Every year, Belvedere hosts a Scholastic book fair. For one week, the library is transformed during break and lunch times, into a pop-up shop selling books, posters and stationery. Always a popular event, we also earn commission on books sold which in turn leads to many, brand new titles added to the library for pupils to enjoy.

World Book Day

Always a big event at Belvedere, activities have included a carefully planned murder mystery party (with teachers getting into character); staff dressed up as book characters; Book Doctor sessions in the library; vlogs of pupils’ favourite books; filming book trailers; the library becoming a ‘book restaurant’; A Hunger Games inspired spa where Sixth Formers painted nails and did hair and henna tattoos for younger pupils - everyone left the library looking more outrageous than when they arrived!

Last year, Year 7 participated in a murder  mystery party, playing the roles of suspects and police, working together to uncover 'whodunnit'.

Wish List

If you would like to show your love and appreciation for Belvedere, please consider buying a book for the library from our wish list.

Just visit Linghams Booksellers - School Wish List - The Belvedere Academy online, and give the gift of reading.

There is an option at checkout for parents to add a discount code to deduct 10% from the purchase price. This code is SCHOOL10 and should be applied in the box marked ‘Apply coupon’. This is only available for school purchases from this list.

Anyone purchasing via the website for the school should ensure the default ‘collect from shop’ option is selected, then select ‘deliver to a different address’ in the billing section and add the school address. Linghams will deliver straight to us.

If you would like us to know you have purchased the book, there is an order notes section where you can add your child’s name.

Thank you so much to all those who support our school and help us to nurture a love of reading.

Linghams Booksellers Wish List - The Belvedere Academy 

Library events

The library hosts many activities centred around books and reading. These have included a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party; a Harry Potter celebration and a Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 1920s themed party; book bingo; school menus, circuit training sessions, a Capitol spa, quizzes and craft sessions inspired by The Hunger Games, which was a whole school read; coffee and book mornings and Jolobokaflod (the Icelandic celebration of reading new books at Christmas) to name but a few. 

Reading Strategies

The Belvedere Academy Reading Strategy Three Year Plan - 2022-2025