Return to News

D.E.A.R. - Drop Everything And Read

Blog Header Image
1st Mar 2023

Gymnasium

Have you heard about D.E.A.R?

D.E.A.R. stands for "Drop Everything and Read," and that is exactly what our Year 7 students do -  they Drop Everything And Read for 20 minutes every day!  It's a different time each day so that students don't miss the same lesson each week and has been developed as an approach to instil a love of reading in our youngest students.  It doesn't matter which lesson they are in, at a certain time of day the whole of Year 7 put down their pens, pencils, paintbrushes or netballs and pick up their reading books.

Copy of Twitter (42)

Research suggests that reading for just under half and hour each day is the best way for children to improve their reading ability.  As all GCSE examinations are set at a reading age of 15.7 months, we aim to help all our students achieve this reading level.

We have introduced D.E.A.R. Time alongside the Accelerated Reader programme to help support our students to improve their reading and establish Charters as a Reading School.  Students who arrive at Charters as struggling readers will receive the support they need to make accelerated progress.  Literacy staff work with the SEND department across the school where students have significant barriers to reading.  D.E.A.R. is one of our many reading initiatives aimed to cultivate a reading culture both in school and throughout our wider community for the reasons found here.

D.E.A.R Time is used to support our Year 7s achieve the recommended 20 minutes of reading they should be doing every day. It is designed to help students hone their concentration, widen their cultural capital and nurture reading for pleasure. Reading avidly and strengthening associated literacy skills has been highlighted as the 'gateway' to unlock students' potential to achieve their aspirations in every academic subject. In helping our Year 7s establish the habit we hope they will continue to read every day for 20 minutes leading to increase attainment at all academic levels. 

Students have embraced this initiative and it is wonderful to see the different varieties of books that they are enjoying.

#WorldBookDay2023


Copy of Twitter (41)