Sent to parents and carers on  3/11/25

 

The Importance of Reading in Your Child’s Learning and Growth

At Westbourne Academy, we are dedicated to supporting every student’s learning journey. One of the best ways to help your child succeed, both in school and personally, is through regular reading.

Reading helps students in every subject. It builds vocabulary, imagination, empathy, and critical thinking skills. Research shows that children who read regularly do better in school, develop stronger language skills, and are more likely to succeed in further education and later life.

At Westbourne, we are working to create a ‘Read to Achieve’ culture, where students enjoy high-quality and inspiring books across all subjects.

We encourage every student to read for at least 20 to 30 minutes each day; fiction, non-fiction, newspapers, or magazines. The most important thing is to read widely and regularly.

Here are a few ways you can support your child’s reading at home:

  • Create a reading routine: Set aside time each day for reading and try to limit distractions like phones or TV
  • Be a reading role model: Let your child see you reading, and talk about what you are enjoying
  • Explore books together: Visit the library or bookshops and help your child find authors or topics that interest them
  • Talk about what they are reading: Ask questions and have conversations about the stories or facts they discover
  • Use subtitles when watching TV: This helps children connect spoken and written language naturally.

In school, we are increasing independent reading time and encouraging students to join book clubs and reading challenges throughout the year. Your support in making reading a shared priority at home and school is invaluable.

If you would like book recommendations or advice on age-appropriate reading, our Library Manager and English teachers are always happy to help. Our school library offers a fantastic range of books across all genres, there is something for everyone!

You can explore it here: Library – Westbourne Academy

We also offer free access to eBooks and audiobooks through the ePlatform app, available on phones and tablets. Find out more here:

https://westbourneacademy.eplatform.co/

Thank you for your continued support in helping your child become a confident reader and lifelong learner.

Below is a link to a useful document by the Education Endowment Foundation which contains 7 top tops to support reading at home:

EEF 7 Top Tips To Support Reading At Home

Kind regards

Miss S Bird

Teacher of English

&

Mr G Cole

Literacy Lead and Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning

Academy vision: Westbourne is an inclusive academy. We support all students, regardless of starting point, to achieve their potential and develop the skills necessary for employment and life.

Academy values: Be Safe, Be Thoughtful, Be Accountable and Be Respectful.

General queries to: wes-office@attrust.org.uk or 01473 742315