Reading at the Heart of Our Curriculum

At Looe Community Academy, our curriculum is designed to “spark curiosity, develop resilience and draw learners into a powerful state of flow,” nurturing students to become ambitious, assessment‑capable, culturally aware and socially conscious global citizens. Reading is central to this mission. It strengthens communication, reasoning and critical thinking, key pillars of our curriculum, particularly through the foundational power of literacy, numeracy and oracy. 

Working alongside the National Literacy Trust and Kingsbridge Research School, we are embedding a consistent, high‑quality and inclusive reading culture that enhances learning for every student.

Reading Woven Through the Looe Curriculum

Reading is infiltrating and enriching subjects across the curriculum. This reflects our belief that “learning is not just confined to subjects; it's a dynamic, interconnected journey." Our reading approach includes: 

Tutor Reading Three Times a Week

Students engage with high‑quality, ambitious texts chosen to:

• Build tier 2 vocabulary and contextual, cultural capital knowledge.
• Complements PSHCE themes—relationships, identity, wellbeing, ethical issues and closely reflects the Academy’s values of respect, responsibility and resilience. 
• Offer diverse perspectives and inclusive representation.

Early Identification and Support

In line with our inclusive vision that every learner is valued for who they are and what they may become, we prioritise early identification of reading barriers. Through screening, targeted intervention, and reading rehearsal, students receive the support needed to access our ambitious curriculum; this is done early through SPARX reader and the Read, Write Inc intervention led by expertly trained English teachers.

Reading as Part of Our Universal Offer

Our curriculum model is rooted in ambition and equity: “Every pupil is entitled to a broad, demanding curriculum… pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged access the same ambitious content”. Reading is a crucial part of this universal entitlement. 

Reading contributes directly to our Pupil Premium strategy and Inclusion strategy, ensuring:

• Learners with SEND and disadvantaged learners access the same rich texts with the same ambition.
• Adaptive teaching and scaffolds make reading accessible without lowering challenge.
• Students self selected adapted resources are available to encourage reader independence.
• Shared routines—reading aloud, modelling, questioning—support engagement and confidence.

This reflects our whole‑school belief that “there is no ceiling on achievement, regardless of SEND, circumstances, or background”.

A Vocabulary‑Rich Curriculum

The Academy places high value on ambitious vocabulary as part of high‑challenge, low‑threat teaching. Working with Nisha Tank and the National Literacy Trust, we have mapping Tier 2 language in our tutor reading books and Tier 3 academic language across curriculum subjects, ensuring vocabulary is: 

• Integral to assessment mid‑ and end‑points.
• Explicitly taught using approaches like Frayer models. 
• Deepened through etymology in home learning tasks and online learning platforms.
• Reinforced through auditory strategies such as auditory bombardment, choral response and teacher modelling I say, you say strategies for cognition an SALs.

While we are still in the developmental stages of whole‑school vocabulary instruction, this work is strengthening students’ language knowledge so they can “think and communicate with precision”. 

Reading for Life, Character and Future Success

Reading is not only a learning tool but a life‑shaping habit. Through SPARX Reader, assemblies and oracy, we focus on why reading matters and our Reading Rehearsal programme reminds students why we read and why we are inclusive for everyone having the best life chances, students explore how reading builds:

• Vocabulary and knowledge.
• Empathy and connection with others.
• Future pathways, opportunities and life chances.

This aligns with our ethos of preparing students to be “confident voices for change—positive disruptors, game‑changers, and active agents of a better future”.

Why Reading Matters at Looe

Reading reflects the very essence of our curriculum: ambitious, inclusive, connected and designed to help students Be The Best They Can Be.

• We read because it lifts academic outcomes.
• We read because it grows character.
• We read because it opens futures.
• And at Looe Community Academy, we read—together.

Encouraging a Love of Reading and Knowing that Reading for Learning has a big place in Our Academy's Curriculum 

Something for parents:

LCA has also signed up to The National Year of Reading – more information for parents about what's on: What’s on | Events Calendar | National Year of Reading 2026

We also take part in World Book day every year – see PowerPoint for World Book Day 2025 via the following link: World Book Day 2025

Implementation of Disciplinary Literacy; getting our Learners to Think, Write and Speak like subject specialists! 

At Looe Community Academy, our curriculum intent includes a strong focus on developing pupils’ disciplinary literacy so they can access, understand and use subject-specific vocabulary with confidence. As part of our implementation, we are embedding the use of the Frayer Model to support pupils in exploring Tier 3 vocabulary through clear definitions, characteristics, examples and non-examples.

This approach is being developed across the curriculum as a shared strategy to support learning, particularly where precise academic language is essential. Over time, this work is supporting students to engage more deeply with subject content and articulate their understanding more clearly, contributing to improved learning outcomes.