Research School Network: Routine, Reward, and Choice: Embedding Reading Culture at Etone College Our new ELE, Sharon Lleftwich-Lloyd discusses a reading culture through routine, reward and choice at Etone College.
—
Blog
Routine, Reward, and Choice: Embedding Reading Culture at Etone College
Our new ELE, Sharon Lleftwich-Lloyd discusses a reading culture through routine, reward and choice at Etone College.
Share on:
by Staffordshire Research School
on the
Sharon Leftwich-Lloyd
Assistant Headteacher, Etone College
Sharon is a highly experienced teacher and leader with over 26 years’ experience. She currently works as an Assistant Headteacher within the Teaching and Learning team, with specific responsibility for reading and literacy. She is passionate about building the necessary culture and curriculum to support the development of literacy and reading, enabling access to the curriculum for all.
“A good library will never be too neat, or too dusty, because somebody will always be in it, taking books off the shelves and staying up late reading them.” Lemony Snicket (2007)
With a 36% decrease in young people reading for enjoyment (National Literacy Strategy, 2025), it has never been more important to build a strong reading culture. Beneath Etone’s common approaches to reading, writing, and vocabulary instruction, strong disciplinary literacy and carefully sequenced curriculum, lies a culture of reading with library lessons as the beating heart.
Our library lessons follow three key principles:
- Routine (“have clear routines.” EEF – Improving Behaviour in Schools Guidance Report, 2019) - Reward (“reward systems can be an effective way to improve pupils’ learning behaviours.” EEF – Improving Behaviour in Schools Guidance Report, 2019) - Choice (25% of young people cite choice as a factor which increase their engagement with reading, NLT, Reading for Pleasure, 2025)
A ‘Routine’ Reading Lesson
Year 7 and 8 reading lesson have clear, predictable routines and follow whole school reading protocols with a transparent reward system. Aligned with the EEF Improving Literacy in Secondary School guidance report (2018) to “actively engage”, pupils, lessons begin with a shared text, comprehension and whole class check for understanding. Pupils know that a Reading Point is awarded for the ‘think deeper’ question, and another five when they successfully read and quiz five books. Points convert to bronze, silver, gold, and platinum reading badges which pupils can proudly wear on their blazer lapel.
Choice: Independent Reading
For phase two – independent reading – pupils have free choice: short reads, non-fiction, graphic novels and the latest releases. Our constantly changing themed, curated collections, careers corner, and ‘what’s new?’ table, help students to navigate the menu of reading options – offering smaller selections for those who need them. Competition contributes here. Pupils receive one coloured token as a reward for each quiz passed to post through a slot into their House jar, they can then update the display showing current totals. The Reading Trophy is awarded each half term in assembly giving high visibility and aligning reading with achievement and celebration.
Social Reading
At the end of each library session – the last 15 minutes – pupils enjoy the opportunity for social reading: magazines, Guiness Books of Records and other books which are fun to share encourage conversation, connection, enjoyment and the opportunity to relax, or compose a reading competition entry therefore offering choice once more. Underpinned by The National Literacy Trust (2025), “practical design features like engaging covers and freedom of choice also matter”, completing the lesson in this way is a deliberate choice. Further, talk around texts supports comprehension by encouraging pupils to articulate ideas, respond to others and share their ideas with peers (EEF, 2018).
Speed Reading
‘Speed Read’ weeks drive pupils to read as much as they can – articles, short reads, and easy books – developing this skill in a fun, competitive way. Every term sees the four classes with the highest quiz totals being rewarded with reading as “literacy-targeted rewards, such as books or book vouchers have been found to be more effective in developing reading motivation” Clark and Rumbold in DfE, 2012. A Christmas scavenger hunt to our local library; an Easter ‘whodunnit’ mystery reward those classes, and those who read a million words are taken to our local bookshop to select a prize.
This only scratches the surface of how we have developed and maintained our reading culture. As the EEF, 2018 state in their Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools Guidance Report, “Literacy is fundamental for success in school and later life. Students who cannot read, write and communicate effectively are highly unlikely to access the challenging academic curriculum in secondary school and are more likely to have poor educational outcomes across all subjects.” Indeed, reading is the key to everything: it underpins access to the curriculum; opens the world; builds cultural capital and accelerates academic progress. It is a critical driver of social mobility.
