A group of dedicated year 9 students have taken on an exciting challenge—becoming reading mentors to support younger students in the academy to develop their reading confidence and skills.
Trained last half term, these reading mentor volunteers are now working alongside year 10 and 12 mentors to deliver a structured reading programme aimed at helping year 7 and 8 students with benefit from additional reading and comprehension support. The sessions, held in the library four times a week during personal development lessons (PDL), focus on improving readers’ fluency, punctuation, and expression.
Thanks to the commitment of our newest year 9 mentors, the programme now offers invaluable 1:1 support twice a week, ensuring that each year 7 student receives tailored guidance to boost their reading ability and confidence.
Anne-Marie Ellis, library manager, shared her appreciation:
“It’s fantastic to see our year 9s stepping up and making such a positive impact. Their support is not only helping younger students develop essential reading skills but also fostering a culture of mentorship and leadership within the school.”
A huge well done to all our year 9 reading mentors—you are making a real difference!
