Our holistic approach to education is built on three interconnected elements: Reach, Learn, and Coach. These pillars are fundamental to our mission of cultivating well-rounded, academically curious individuals who love learning.

Last week, Miss Kilby, our Reach Co-ordinator, spoke in the most powerful and uplifting terms about how and why our irresistible education offer extends far beyond the classroom. She challenged our students to redefine the concept of “reach”, encouraging them not to focus solely on stretching their learning within the classroom but to embrace a broad spectrum of knowledge beyond the curriculum. She emphasised the value of cross-curricular exploration and the cross-pollination of ideas that inspire true discovery.

Through the Reach Programme, our pupils satiate their curiosity, find their own paths and discover what makes them tick as learners in an inclusive and innovative environment. The programme is rich and expansive, and it includes several pillars, from a wide range of clubs and societies where pupils of all ages are encouraged to develop new areas of interest and skill, to our scholarship programme where scholars have access to a rigorous package of stretch and support to ensure that they make the very best of their award and their whole academic experience at the school. We are excited about the Scholars’ Celebration on 28 January where it promises to showcase the full breadth of our scholars’ remarkable talents and achievements through exhibitions and performances. From academic brilliance to artistic expression, these moments illustrate the richness and diversity of our school community.

Fundamentally, our role as a school is to open minds to more than just subjects; we are here to educate our students in the broadest sense. One key aspect of this is fostering a culture of reading. To this end, we have prioritised the value of wider reading by designating the week before each holiday as a reading week. Before half-term breaks, students engage in “subject reading weeks”, with teachers recommending wider reading activities within their disciplines. For the major term breaks, Christmas, Easter and the summer, “general reading weeks” are led by the English faculty, which curates reading lists of suitable and engaging books. We know that our students benefit from a school culture that gives regular opportunities to read.

The transformative power of reading is beautifully captured in these four quotes:

“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive.”
James Baldwin

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
Dr. Seuss

“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.”
J.K. Rowling

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that skilled reading, writing and talking, is crucial for our students to succeed in school.”
Alex Quigley

Reading does much more than develop literacy skills. It connects us to the vast store of human knowledge, provides a gateway to the school curriculum and links us to experiences and perspectives across cultures and time periods. Through reading, we shape our understanding of the world and hone our ability to think critically, deeply and empathetically.

As you would expect, there is a positive correlation between reading for pleasure and literacy skills (e.g. improved vocabulary, greater reading proficiency, deeper critical thinking etc.). But what is perhaps more surprising is the research that shows a connection between reading for enjoyment and an enhanced ability to learn across the curriculum. Sullivan and Brown, for example, investigated the extent to which inequalities in vocabulary and mathematics are linked to reading. They found that there is a ‘substantial link’ between reading for pleasure and ‘progress in mathematics’. Similarly, research carried out by GL Assessment also reveals a significant connection between reading ability and success in all GCSE subjects. As Alex Quigley aptly states in Closing the Reading Gap, reading is “the master skill of school” because it unlocks the entire academic curriculum.

We know that even for the bright and capable students at our academically selective school, the lack of wider reading, beyond those books required for school work, has an impact on their academic progress. It hampers their ability to decode exam questions and the clarity of their written expression, as well as limiting their vocabulary and their ability to analyse in depth. Perhaps most worrying is the echo chamber they create for themselves by not being exposed to a range of ideas, perspectives and experiences beyond those pushed to them by the algorithm of their social media feeds.

We also know, though, that there are lots of barriers to reading for pleasure. The greatest challenge that students have reported to us is time: either that they think reading is a waste of time when they should be revising for an upcoming test or catching up with prep assignments, or they are distracted by their phones. Certainly their perception of reading as a solitary activity means that they feel that reading is an isolating activity that takes them away from connecting with their friends, whether in person or online. At Northampton High we will be redoubling our efforts to reinforce the research evidence that reading widely, for pleasure, is linked to academic success. By embedding a culture of reading within our school, we aim to equip our students with the tools they need to succeed academically and thrive as thoughtful, engaged individuals.

May Lee
Head