Literacy

At Harris Boys’ Academy East Dulwich we understand how important good literacy is for your son’s development and life choices.  

Developing skills in literacy is about learning to use language to express, explore and communicate our thoughts, ideas and feelings with others. We do this through speaking, listening, reading and writing, and getting better at literacy means making progress in each of these areas. 

We owe it to our students to give them the very best literacy skills in order to improve their chances in life, and to enable them to succeed in whatever path they choose.

We adopt a cross-curricular focus to promoting good literacy amongst our pupils and staff. We believe that promoting literacy is a whole academy responsibility and not just that of the English department. We also invite you to join us in developing your son’s literacy at home.   

Reading and literacy skills are the key to learning and pleasure. They open doors and allow our students to access all aspects of the curriculum, whilst improving oracy, communication and problem-solving skills.

Download our literacy policy from our Teaching and Learning page. Our literacy impact report can be downloaded from our Equalities and Additional Intervention page.

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Drop Everything and Read

At the start of the school day, every student and member of staff will stop what they are doing and read for 20 minutes. It's called Drop Everything and Read time.

“For a few minutes after tutor time the whole Academy, staff as well as students, will drop everything and read to encourage reading for pleasure,” said Principal Peter Groves, who has also created a new Student Reading Zone (pictured).

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Senior staff read with students

Every member of the senior leadership team reads with students in tutor group time to emphasise the importance of reading and help promote literacy across the Academy.

“I want the senior leadership team to be role models when it comes to reading,” says Mr Groves. “That’s why we’ve started a system where the senior team, including me, goes into tutor groups regularly to read with the boys for 20 minutes.”

A student from Year 7 explains why he likes the sessions. “I like that everyone is listening to the story and I like the way we all read together, including the teachers. We don’t just read the book, we asks questions about the characters and what we think is going to happen as well.”