Reading at the Skegness Academy

At the Skegness Academy, reading is at the heart of everything we do; we are a reading school.

We recognise reading, and the love of independent reading for pleasure, as being at the core of academic success across all subjects, and we work hard to ensure that all of our students receive an education that is embedded into a culture of reading.

The heart of our reading mission is the newly refurbished SKA Library, which re-opened in October 2022. From this space, all staff and students are able to borrow books, seek expert guidance on challenging their independent reading choices, and take part in the various lunchtime clubs that are offered by staff. Our SKA Reading Lists are always available to aid students, and their families, in selecting suitably challenging reading material. We have a fully formed library ambassador team, who with alongside staff to ensure all students have the best library experience.

The library also houses our incredible SKA Book Vending Machine.

At key points throughout the year, all students have their reading ages measured using the National Group Reading Test (NGRT), ensuring that all staff are equipped with the information required to teach reading to all.

Ambassadors: At Skegness Academy, we love reading! We love it even more when our students share our love of reading too. We are always looking for ambassadors to support our library staff in keeping the library clean, tidy and organised. They also represent our academy when we have visitors, opening evening and primary school visits. If you are interested, please let Mrs Whelbourn and Mrs Cash know.

Readathon: Last year we raised £360 for the Children's Hospice charity by doing a sponsored read across year 7, 8 and 9. We hope to make this an annual tradition and beat our targets from last year.

Book Buzz: in Book Buzzes' reading scheme, whereby, each student in years 7 and 8 have received a book of their own to take home, but have also been involved in the exciting process of researching/ choosing them alongside their classmates.

Historically, it has been a great way to build stronger reading communities within our school and has enhanced an encouraging shift towards growing our school's reading for pleasure culture.

Reading Rewards: As part of our reading initiative to become a reading school, we award reading points on class charts.

In our drive to encourage reading, pupils are rewarded for the following things:

•  Any reading done in lessons where students demonstrate good tracking and listening
• Completing tasks on a worksheet
• Making annotation notes from the board
• Any pupils that are reading for pleasure during break and lunch
• During Lexia sessions
• During intervention sessions
• Engaging with Sparx
• Engaging in the reading competition

Students points allow them to receive the following awards:

50 = Bronze Badge &Certificate

100 = Silver Badge & Certificate

200 = Gold Badge & Certificate and Token for the vending machine to take a book home

The Skegness Academy embarked on a partnership with Book Buzz in September 2024 and students in Year 7 and 8 will take part in the Book Buzz programme during their English lessons.

Last academic year, the Skegness Academy was successful with our bid with Read for Good's Brilliant Box of books.  All books are available in the SKA Library. 

       

Updated: September 2025