‘Our pupils’ success will be defined by their ability to read fluently and skilfully. But despite universal acceptance of reading’s vital importance, the reading gap in our classroom remains, and it is linked to an array of factors, such as parental wealth, education and book ownership, as well as classroom practice. To close this gap, we need to ensure that every teacher has the knowledge and skill to teach reading with confidence.’ (Alex Quigley, 2020)

The English curriculum gives explicit instruction in reading comprehension: how to develop an appreciation and love of reading and reading increasingly challenging material independently; how to understand increasingly challenging texts, and how to read critically.  However, at LGS, we take seriously George Sampson’s 1921 mantra that ‘every teacher in English is a teacher of English’; specifically, the responsibility we have to teach our pupils how to read the texts of our subjects.