Reading

At Bellerive, we are very clear about the importance of reading. By encouraging students to read both for pleasure and to improve their subject knowledge, we wish to foster a life-long love of reading. We have recently refurbished our library and a number of reading initiatives are taking place including ‘Drop Everything and Read’ (DEAR) and pupil-led reading groups.

Ms Gillen, our librarian, is working with students and staff across the school to help them develop a shared love of reading. Please see below for her latest update:

Christmas 2019

The Bellerive ‘Booky’ Advent Calendar is back again this year, featuring recommendations of great reads from staff and students behind every door. Here are a few of our favourites:

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

The Explorer by Katherine Rundell

Jelly by Jo Cotterill

Murder Most Unladylike series by Robin Stevens

The Snowman by Raymond Briggs

Wed Wabbit by Lissa Evans

Winter Magic edited by Abi Elphinstone

The festivities continued with our resident book clubs and Student Librarians enjoying their Christmas party, which included a classic round of pass the parcel and Christmas inspired ‘Booky Bingo’!

It’s been a great term and we’re already looking forward to another reading-filled year in 2020. Watch out for Harry Potter Night in February, World Book Day and the Liverpool Readathon in March, and the return of Liverpool’s very own Children’s Festival of Reading in the summer!

September 2019

Merry reading everyone!

This year’s reading fun has officially begun! On 13^th September 2019 we celebrated Roald Dahl Day with students and staff alike being treated to instalments of one of his short stories, ‘The Sound Machine’, throughout the day. We also held our third annual ‘Golden Ticket Hunt’, in which students were given clues inspired by some of Dahl’s famous works to help them find tickets hidden around school. Where would you most likely find Matilda? And where might the Twits serve you up some worm spaghetti? The Dahl detectives amongst our students soon discovered the hidden tickets to much delight!

At the end of September we also welcomed the Scholastic Book Fair through our doors once again. It was another great event that created a real buzz about books in school, helping to encourage reading for pleasure and with the added bonus of 60% of all sales going towards buying more books for the school library. Thanks to everyone who visited and supported the fair – we’ll have lots of lovely new books joining our library shelves soon.

With lots more to come, including the launch of our own short story competition to help celebrate the FCJ Bicentenary, we’re looking forward to another happy year of reading ahead.

Spring 2019 Reading Round Up

As part of this year’s World Book Day celebrations in March we welcomed award-winning author Sarah Mussi into school to inspire students to get reading and learn more about the craft of writing stories. The day kicked off with some thought-provoking talks for Years 7-10, followed by book-signings. Then in the afternoon Sarah led two workshops for selected students from Years 9 and 10 who had the chance to develop their own story ideas using one of Sarah’s favourite planning techniques. They had great fun acting out story-lines and experimenting with different ideas for the direction of their stories.

The celebrations continued on World Book Day itself when we saw our Key Stage 3 students and staff donning their favourite book character costumes.

We also set-up a pop-up bookshop in the library where students could use their World Book Day vouchers to choose from a selection of free specially released titles or receive £1.00 off a book of their choice. Other activities included a Book Bonaza Quiz in form time, a book character matching pairs hunt and a whole school reading of the short story‘Button, button’ by Richard Matheson. We already can’t wait for next year!

We are pleased to announce that in January 2019 we were awarded the Liverpool Reading Quality Mark, achieving the Gold level, in recognition of our ongoing efforts to promote the joys of reading across our whole school community. This is a real honour and we as a school are delighted to have achieved this high standard.

This term we also celebrated Harry Potter Book Night (in the day) on 7th February. The library was transformed into Hogwarts – entered through Platform 9 3/4, with floating candles, house bunting and our very own Penseive! Students were invited (via Owl Post) to attend a session of wand decorating and house bookmark making at lunch time, followed by an after school sorting ceremony and house quiz – Ravenclaw were victorious! Much fun was had by all on this magical occasion and we hope to make it an annual tradition.

In March we will be welcoming multi-award winning author Sarah Mussi into school as part of our World Book Day celebrations and our resident book group, A New Chapter, will once again be shadowing the CILIP Carnegie Medal (https://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/). Students will also have the opportunity to vote for their favourites from the Excelsior Award for Graphic Novels and Manga (http://www.excelsioraward.co.uk/) shortlists. Watch this space for more details coming soon.

The links below will help parents and students alike with reading outside of the classroom:

100 best books for young people

Booktrust ‘Bookfinder’

World Book Day Writes of Passage

Liverpool Libraries

Read Liverpool

The CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Awards

The Reader