Reading support

Reading at Dixons Broadgreen Academy 

“A word after a word after a word is power.” – Margaret Atwood  

At DBA, we believe that reading is the foundation of learning and a gateway to success across all subjects. Our aim is to foster a love of reading in every student, while ensuring that all learners develop the skills they need to read fluently, confidently, and with understanding.

Our Approach to Reading 

We promote reading through a rich and varied curriculum, regular library access, and dedicated reading time across the school week. Students are encouraged to read widely and often, with support from staff to help them choose books that challenge and inspire them. 

We also celebrate reading through events such as author visits, book fairs, book clubs, and themed reading weeks, helping to build a vibrant reading culture throughout the school. 

Whole-School Reading Strategy: Control the Game 

At DBA, we use the Control the Game strategy to ensure that reading is a shared, inclusive, and purposeful experience for all students. This approach is embedded across the curriculum and is a key part of our daily reading routines. 

What is Control the Game? 

Control the Game is a structured method of whole-class reading where the teacher leads the reading aloud and strategically selects students to read short, manageable sections of the text. This ensures that: 

• Every student follows the text closely. 

• Reading is fluent, expressive, and well-paced. 

• Mispronunciations and misunderstandings are corrected immediately. 

• All students are actively engaged and accountable. 

Why We Use It 

This strategy helps to: 

• Improve fluency and comprehension. 

• Build vocabulary and confidence. 

• Ensure all students access high-quality texts. 

• Create a supportive environment where reading is modelled and scaffolded. 

By controlling the pace and flow of reading, teachers can maintain high levels of focus and participation, while also modelling good reading habits and checking for understanding in real time. 

How It Works in Practice 

• Teachers read aloud with expression and clarity, modelling fluent reading. 

• Students are called upon to read short sections, ensuring they are prepared and attentive.

Supporting Struggling Readers: Fresh Start Intervention 

For students who enter secondary school with gaps in their reading ability, we offer targeted intervention through the Ruth Miskin’s Fresh Start programme. 

What is Fresh Start? 

Fresh Start is a phonics-based reading intervention designed specifically for older students who need additional support to become confident readers. It uses age-appropriate texts and structured lessons to help students catch up quickly and build essential reading skills. 

How it Works: 

• Students are assessed to identify specific areas of need. 

• They are grouped according to their reading level and taught 1-1 or in small groups. 

• Lessons focus on phonics, decoding, fluency, and comprehension. 

• Progress is monitored regularly to ensure students are moving forward. 

Why It Matters: 

Fresh Start helps students close the gap in their reading ability, enabling them to access the wider curriculum more effectively. It boosts confidence, improves literacy outcomes, and empowers learners to engage fully in their education. 

Whole-School Reading Strategy: Control the Game 

At DBA, we use the Control the Game strategy to ensure that reading is a shared, inclusive, and purposeful experience for all students. This approach is embedded across the curriculum and is a key part of our daily reading routines. 

What is Control the Game? 

Control the Game is a structured method of whole-class reading where the teacher leads the reading aloud and strategically selects students to read short, manageable sections of the text. This ensures that: 

• Every student follows the text closely. 

• Reading is fluent, expressive, and well-paced. 

• Mispronunciations and misunderstandings are corrected immediately. 

• All students are actively engaged and accountable. 

Why We Use It 

This strategy helps to: 

• Improve fluency and comprehension. 

• Build vocabulary and confidence. 

• Ensure all students access high-quality texts. 

• Create a supportive environment where reading is modelled and scaffolded. 

By controlling the pace and flow of reading, teachers can maintain high levels of focus and participation, while also modelling good reading habits and checking for understanding in real time. 

How It Works in Practice 

• Teachers read aloud with expression and clarity, modelling fluent reading. 

• Students are called upon to read short sections, ensuring they are prepared and attentive. 

• The teacher monitors pronunciation, pace, and understanding, offering immediate feedback. 

• Discussions around the text are woven into the session to deepen comprehension and engagement. 

This method is used during DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) sessions, English lessons, and across other subjects where reading is required. It is particularly effective in mixed-ability classrooms, helping to raise standards and support struggling readers without singling them out. 

Our Library: The Heart of the School 

Our newly updated library is a warm, welcoming, and inclusive space that sits at the heart of our school community. Designed to inspire curiosity and a love of reading, it offers a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts, study areas, and digital resources. The library is open throughout the school day and is used for regular lessons, quiet reading, research, and enrichment activities and clubs. It’s a place where students can explore new ideas, discover new authors, and develop independent learning skills in a calm and supportive environment. Whether browsing for pleasure or studying for success, our library is a hub of learning and imagination.

Please see the links below for our KS3 and KS4 reading lists:

• KS3 Reading List
• KS4 Reading List
• Supporting Readers at Home