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28/03/24

Our future lawyers loved their day . Thank you for the opportunity. https://t.co/gs8cQlBw8X

27/03/24

You’re very welcome - thanks for continuing to invite me! Your brilliant school has a special place in my heart.

27/03/24

Not everyday you have your GCSE Text signed by the author pic.twitter.com/INXqgCT6Pd

27/03/24

Our Y11s loved their creative writing workshop with . The next generation of authors here 👏 pic.twitter.com/hGWzx8e3kY

27/03/24

Almost a decade of studying 's brilliant 'Pigeon English' at HGAED. The highlight of every Y11's year in English is the Q&A with the author himself! Thank you so much for being so generous with your time. 📙 pic.twitter.com/yviphuxdUe

22/03/24

Our brilliant Ms Noah being recognised for all her work to promote good mental health in our communities. A inspiration to our students! 👏 https://t.co/JA2Ohfty3d

21/03/24

Our brilliant choir performing with 6,000 young people . We could not be prouder of your passion, resilience and confidence. A proud day for HGAED! pic.twitter.com/7e9Jj784b8

20/03/24

Our Art History Society visited the Courtauld Gallery to learn more about significant figures in art including Edouard Manet. pic.twitter.com/DCbaowPri8

19/03/24

Inspiring trip to Dulwich Picture Gallery for our Y10 GCSE Photography students. pic.twitter.com/WNeINtAaWG

19/03/24

Wonderful Shibori creations by our Y10 Art Textiles students 💙 pic.twitter.com/mxP9qi7QBV

15/03/24

Great day for year 10 students. Visit to with and thanks to the staff and students making us welcome. Interesting Q&A and debate. pic.twitter.com/YHIkTZKN6r

15/03/24

ASME Clinic guided our students through the process of creating and marketing a skincare product for pic.twitter.com/yf8nRksi8R

15/03/24

A huge thank you to ASME Clinic for their brilliant careers event. Our students loved making their own skincare! 💜 pic.twitter.com/MyTsyWyhcF

13/03/24

Great day for year 10 students. Visit to with and thanks to the staff and students making us welcome. Interesting Q&A and debate. pic.twitter.com/YHIkTZKN6r

11/03/24

A huge thank you to for celebrating with us. Our students loved learning about all the protective equipment officers use and were delighted to have the opportunity to try the shields! pic.twitter.com/3p5awMov6J

11/03/24

Capturing 💜 pic.twitter.com/PqgTtePL58

08/03/24

Our pledges were written collaboratively by students in their coaching groups. Wise words from our brilliant young women💜 pic.twitter.com/CRhmIIXIyi

08/03/24

Happy International Women's Day 💜 Excited to welcome 20+ companies to HGAED who will be delivering inspirational workshops to our students https://t.co/CEtlUEDcnY

06/03/24

Proud to celebrate International Women's Day on 8th March pic.twitter.com/ZbKP1EvfJJ

06/03/24

Fantastic morning for year 10 finding out about Great sessions, with wonderful views. Thanks to all the staff for their time. pic.twitter.com/hilotVQVLQ

Harris Academies
All Academies in our Federation aim to transform the lives of the students they serve by bringing about rapid improvement in examination results, personal development and aspiration.

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Willesden

Reading for Pleasure

There is a growing body of evidence which illustrates the importance of reading for pleasure for both educational purposes as well as for personal development.

Reading for pleasure has been defined by the National Literacy Trust as “reading that we do of our own free will, anticipating the satisfaction that we will get from the act of reading. It also refers to reading that, having begun at someone else’s request, we then continue because we are interested in it” (Clark and Rumbold, National Literacy Trust, 2006). All pupils get the opportunity to read a book of their choosing every Friday for 30 minutes during coaching time.

Reading for pleasure has social benefits and can make people feel more connected to the wider community. Reading increases a person's understanding of their own identity, improves empathy and gives them an insight into the world view of others (The Reading Agency, 2015). Further benefits include:

• Improved text comprehension and grammar

• Improved breadth of vocabulary

• More positive reading attitudes

• Greater self-confidence as a reader

• Pleasure in reading in later life

• Improved general knowledge

• A better understanding of other cultures


Recommended reading lists

These can be found on individual subject pages in the curriculum area of the website. They contain reading linked to the curriculum and suggested wider reading too.

Evidence suggests that there is a positive link between positive attitudes towards reading and scoring well on assessments, and that reading enjoyment is more important for children’s educational success than their family’s socio-economic status or their parents’ level of education.

Download Supporting your daughter’s reading progress: A guide for parents and carers with girls in Year 7. This explains what we do to support reading and how you could support your daughter’s reading progress too.

The School Reading List website is also an excellent source of suggested reading.


The library

Our library is a functional and highly-resourced space for students to access before school, during break and lunch and after school. It has a vast number of books that can be loaned, spanning a range of genres.

It is a quiet space that students can use to complete homework or coursework before and after school. There are ample tables and computers available, as well as our photocopiers for printing work and copying texts.

All students receive a loyalty stamp card and are challenged to read books to gain stamps: they receive one stamp for reading their own book and writing a review of it (handed in to the Librarian, Ms James, or the Head of English, Mr Jackson) and two stamps for reading a book directly linked to the English curriculum and writing a review on it.

A full stamp card is rewarded with places on trips and nominations for the Principal’s breakfast. The library promotes the Lit in Colour publication for schools by the Runnymede trust: https://www.runnymedetrust.org/publications/lit-in-colour


Book groups and societies

Throughout the year, there are many literacy opportunities for both staff and students to participate in. As well as World Book Day, termly reading and writing competitions and creative writing challenges organised by the English department promote reading and literacy across the academy.

The Autumn term poetry challenge was based on the Young Writers theme: https://www.youngwriters.co.uk/competitions/KS3-5. The poetry society meet every Wednesday lunchtime and the wider reading book group meets every Thursday lunchtime.

For further information on how literacy development is embedded across the academy, please see the Literacy at HGAED page in the curriculum area of the website.