ESA Reads

ESA Reads is our reading programme. It is a big part of academy life. It is designed to:

• Encourage and support reading for all students and trainees at every stage of their education

• Create opportunities to inspire and to provide knowledge so that we can be excited, engaged and informed

• Support low level readers to rapidly increase their reading ability and confidence so that their lives improve and their school performance and progress increases

Research shows that reading is the single most valuable skill and practice that any school can give to their learners. It’s even more crucial for us because ESA is a creative arts specialist centre. We are all about story lovers and story tellers. If young people are confident and curious readers, they are more likely to be healthy, happy, empowered and democratically engaged.

Reading Plus is the programme we use at ESA to support readers to improve and grow in confidence. Low level readers are provided with additional reading opportunities and support to develop their decoding, comprehension and improve their reading speed. We give all our learners additional reading intervention to ensure that they can access the curriculum and develop confidence in their reading ability.

All students should bring a book they are currently reading to school everyday.

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Meet our Leader for Reading [and our librarian too]…

This is Pippa

As ESA Leader of Reading I support students in their learning and well being with a focus on reading and literacy. I lead in an exciting and fundamental area of the school, supporting and encouraging an engagement with Reading, which holds the key to so much academic and personal enjoyment and success. I assess students'  capabilities and support them to enjoy reading in all of its forms. 

I lead programmes supporting readers below their chronological age through the Reading Plus programme and the year 12 reading mentor programme which are designed and cater to support students who find reading and comprehension more challenging. I monitor and report on student progress celebrating success and supporting underperformance. 

I promote Reading as a fundamental part of learning, comprehension and success in their educational journey with a direct impact on their final attainment. It links into our mission as a creative academy in the cultural sector as reading, interpretation and imagination are crucial in making and creating content. 

I am a passionate reader. I also appreciate the frustration and challenges that can be involved when struggling with it from personal challenges I have had as an individual and teaching my own children how to read. I know the difference some extra support, the right resources and right book can make. 

I am in charge of the open plan Library and Learning Resource Center providing a welcoming, friendly and professional environment. I run intervention and support sessions as well as Reading clubs and Library lessons. We have a wide variety of books, magazines, DVD’s and wider resources, for a full range of abilities and needs. 

My background has always involved being creative, I studied Art and Design at the University of Hertfordshire and am also a qualified Visual Merchandiser. I have several qualifications in education and am currently focussing on my next step being specifically to widen my knowledge and skills in my literacy role . I have worked in childcare and education for 15 years in various positions and environments across Key Stages 2-5. 

ESA is somewhere I feel you can be yourself and celebrate creativity in an open minded, inclusive environment. 

I think the 7Cs are important as they reflect our aims for the ESA community and reflect our core values. I feel I connect Curiosity into my professional journey and my love of reading. In both cases I thrive on exploring new ideas whilst learning new skills and knowledge.