Reading for pleasure has many benefits in supporting pupils’ development. Amongst other things, it has been shown to increase empathy, improve relationships with others, reduce the symptoms of depression and improve wellbeing throughout life. Research into reading states:

• Reading for pleasure is important for educational purposes as well as benefiting personal development.
• There is a positive link between attitudes towards reading and scoring well on assessments that have a strong basis in reading.
• Reading for pleasure is an activity that has emotional and social consequences.

At Wanstead, we believe that fostering a love of reading and the enjoyment it can bring is central to what we want for our pupils. Therefore, to support and promote reading for pleasure, along with the resources and recommendations available on our website, we have also built it into our English curriculum throughout Year 7-9.