Reading – Mulberry Academy London Dock

At Mulberry Academy London Dock, reading is at the heart of our school community. We believe that reading is the foundation of academic success, personal development, and future opportunity. It builds knowledge, curiosity, empathy, and confidence—and it is central to everything we do.

We are committed to fostering a culture of reading where every student is supported to develop as a confident, fluent and passionate reader.

What we offer

To ensure all students read widely and often, we embed reading across daily school life and offer a rich variety of opportunities, both in and out of the classroom:

Daily Reading: Every student reads quietly after lunch for ten minutes as part of our structured school day, creating a calm and focused transition into afternoon learning.

Weekly Community Read: Each week, our school comes together for a Community Read, where students and staff share a common text, creating connection and discussion across the community.

Weekly Sparx Reader: All students take part in Sparx Reader, our independent learning platform that tailors texts to each student’s reading level and tracks progress weekly. This helps students build fluency, comprehension and reading stamina at their own pace.

A broad range of texts in the curriculum: Our curriculum is carefully designed to expose students to a diverse range of authors, genres, cultures and perspectives. From classic literature to contemporary voices, students engage with powerful stories and challenging ideas in every subject.

Our library: Our library is open and accessible for all students every day at break, lunch and after school, with a regularly updated collection of fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, poetry, and more. Students are encouraged to explore their interests, discover new authors and read for pleasure.

Celebrating reading together

We celebrate reading throughout the year through events such as:

World Book Day
Author visits and workshops
Reading competitions and challenges
Themed reading weeks and assemblies

These experiences help to inspire our students and connect them to the wider world of literature.

Reading interventions

At Mulberry Academy London Dock, we know that some students need additional support to become fluent, confident readers. We use targeted interventions based on individual need to close gaps and accelerate progress.

Assessment and Monitoring

All students complete the NGRT (New Group Reading Test) annually to assess reading age and comprehension.

Students on reading interventions are tested again at the end of the year to measure progress and ensure impact.

Year 7 Reading Support

We provide tailored support based on NGRT outcomes:

Reading Age Below 9:7 – Students follow the Fresh Start phonics programme, delivered three times a week to build decoding and fluency skills.

Reading Age 9:7–11 – Students take part in Reading Boxes, a targeted intervention running twice weekly focused on vocabulary and comprehension.

Reading Age 11–12 – Students are paired with trained older students in a peer reading scheme, building fluency and confidence through mentoring.

Reading Age 16+ – Students are invited to join an extra-curricular reading club, where they explore advanced texts, discuss literary ideas, and develop critical thinking skills essential for further study.

Reading is not just a skill—it is a gateway to understanding the world. At Mulberry Academy London Dock, we are proud to be a reading school, where every child has the opportunity to read widely, read often, and love reading.