RTS Insights

At its core, my role as Reading Coordinator is to ensure that every student possesses the academic ‘compass’ they need to access the curriculum. While it is a common misconception that reading belongs solely to the English department, at The Richmond upon Thames School it is the invisible thread woven through every lesson.

A significant focus for us this year has been school-wide collaboration; our staff body has been working together to ensure that every student can read, write and speak with the authority of an expert in all their lessons. We believe that oracy is the bridge to literacy. By teaching students to articulate their thoughts through structured talk, we provide them with the oral rehearsal they need to become sophisticated writers. Whether they are structuring a historical argument, documenting a scientific process with precision, or articulating the professional feedback required when coaching in PE, they are developing the toolkit required for academic success. When a student can ‘speak’ like a specialist, they are well on their way to reading and writing like one too.

This commitment to high-level literacy was recently recognised by Ofsted (2025), which noted that the “significant support in place” and our “range of extra resources” ensure that “weakest readers catch up quickly”, making significant progress towards reading with fluency. This success is built on a tiered approach to support. Our timetabled Reading lessons for Years 7 and 8 allow for targeted, fortnightly literacy sessions, while our new ‘Reading Buddies’ programme fosters a culture of peer-to-peer mentoring. By pairing older students with younger peers, we create a space where reading is a shared, social experience that builds confidence for everyone involved. We also harness modern tools such as Sparx Reader to bridge the gap between school and home, making reading practice a consistent part of the RTS journey.

However, I strongly believe that reading is about more than just academic progress; it is about joy and curiosity. Whether it is the sight of staff dressing up for World Book Day to celebrate our favourite narratives, or students engaging in high-energy book quizzes, we strive to make reading a visible and celebrated part of our identity.

Reading for pleasure is a vital component of student wellbeing. In an increasingly digital world, the ability to get ‘lost in a book’, whether that is a celebrated classic, a gripping contemporary novel, or the visual storytelling of manga, provides a unique form of cognitive rest, reducing stress and fostering empathy. We want our students to be people who choose to read, driven by their own interests and a sense of wonder.

When a child leaves RTS, they do so with more than just grades. They leave with a vocabulary that allows them to express their deepest thoughts and a level of comprehension that enables them to navigate the world with clarity. We are not just teaching students to pass exams; we are teaching them to understand the world.

Ms Richards Reading Coordinator and Teacher of English