We strongly suggest that you encourage your child to read daily.  

It goes without saying that we want our students to enjoy reading; it can be an excellent way to relax and a great means of escapism, especially when we can’t really get anywhere at the moment!   

In addition, it is a tangible means of supporting progress across subjects in school.  For example, did you know that a students’ reading level is more closely linked to success in Maths than some arts subjects like English Literature and History?!    

Accessing books at home via Sora

We welcome your child reading any reading materials they enjoy such as books, magazines, newspapers or by listening to audiobooks. 

However, as our students experience another period of lockdown without ready access to our library and chapter reading books, we have invested in a new reading app called Sora.  

This gives students FREE access to over 2,000 e-books and audiobooks via their phones or other electronic devices.  All of the books have been carefully chosen with secondary age students in mind.  We have sent some suggested reads available on Sora to all students and they can ask for more personalised recommendations from their English teacher at any time.  

Students can share screenshots when they reach target ‘streaks’ with their Form Tutors for ClassCharts rewards. 

 
If you need help with a Sora username or password, you can contact:  reading@thekings.staffs.sch.uk 

How can I support my child with reading?

We have included a half hour “Reading for Pleasure” slot in our home-learning timetables and we ask that you encourage your children to engage with this.  To support us and your child this might include:  

• Showing enthusiasm for reading 

• discussing reading preferences;  

• supporting your child in choosing an e-book or audio book;  

• using Sora yourself to enjoy a book (modelling reading at home)  

• reminding your child to read daily and praising good engagement 

• helping explain what any unknown words they encounter.    

Audiobooks

These are often forgotten but can certainly form part of ‘reading for pleasure’ and might be a welcome screen break. 

As well as on Sora, you can access some audiobooks for free on Audible whilst schools are not fully open.  

The National Literacy Trust has found that audiobooks can: 

• Improve children’s reading skills and enjoyment of reading 

• Improve children’s reading comprehension 

• Support children’s emotional intelligence and mental wellbeing 

• Improve children’s reading comprehension 

• Widen children’s access to books. 

Useful organisations and websites 

Below is a list of organisations and websites where you can get more information about reading with your child or to discover what they might enjoy reading: 

• LoveReading4Kids – this website has an excellent catalogue of books for children and young adults with recommendations by age and genre. www.lovereading4kids.co.uk  

• Barrington Stoke is an award-winning publisher that makes books for reluctant, dyslexic, disenchanted and under-confident readers. www.barringtonstoke.co.uk 

• Booktrust promotes children’s reading and produces a wide range of information for young readers including booklists. www.booktrust.org.uk   

• British Dyslexia Association is the national organisation for specific learning difficulties. It represents over two million dyslexic children and adults. It is one of the world’s leading dyslexia organisations. www.bdadyslexia.org.uk