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Reading for Pleasure CPD

kids with books

Our Reading for Pleasure CPD course will support you to embed a love of reading in your classroom, something which can be transformative to your pupils' academic success. The course explores the link between a love of reading and attainment, and it will provide a clear context for helping to tackle disparities in reading enjoyment and help to drive an improved reading culture across your school.

What is reading for pleasure?

Reading for pleasure can refer to any type of reading - fiction or non-fiction - that children engage with in their free time and of their own volition. When children read for enjoyment at school, it is untested and untethered from the demands of the curriculum. Our research suggests that reading for pleasure is something that has satisfaction simply "from the act of reading" but can also be something that "begun at someone else's request [but] we continue because we are interested in it." (Clark and Rumbold, 2006).

Benefits of reading for pleasure

There are many benefits to reading for pleasure. Our ongoing research into this area demonstrates a consistent link between reading for enjoyment and reading frequency. Reading for enjoyment therefore helps a child create a habit of reading which in turns supports the development of children’s language and learning. Reading for pleasure can also help to enrich a child's awareness of the world and develop empathy. There is also consistent evidence that reading for pleasure promotes positive mental wellbeing.

Why is reading for pleasure important?

Reading for pleasure can impact attainment and social mobility. PISA data consistently shows that engagement in reading is strongly correlated with reading performance and is a mediator of gender or socio-economic status. (The Reading Framework, 2023). Plus, reading for pleasure is linked to “higher test scores in vocabulary, spelling and mathematics [and] more strongly linked than parental education to cognitive progress in adolescence.” (Sullivan & Brown, 2015).

What are the training objectives?

  • Examine a range of approaches, including choosing and using whole texts

    We know the move from extracts to whole texts can be intimidating for teachers and pupils but it is immensely rewarding. Learn how to build anticipation around a story and sustain interest across a term, and develop classroom and library spaces to promote a school-wide culture of reading.

  • Engage with research around the benefits of reading for enjoyment

    The national curriculum is clear on the importance of developing the habit of reading widely and often for information and pleasure. We present participants with the research base for raising attainment through reading for pleasure with findings from the National Literacy Trust, Institute of Education and more.

  • Develop an action plan to create a community of readers in your school

    We provide the content, structure and methodology for participants to complete a project involving critical reflection or action research. Identify a focus area, gather evidence and develop approaches to increase enjoyment of reading amongst pupils.

  • Plan for embedding these successful approaches more widely across your school

    Develop strategies to ensure every teacher takes responsibility for promoting a love of reading. We also provide you with strategies to engage parents which can enhance results and explore how to make the most of library spaces and other resources available to you.

"Every strategy offered is backed up with academic research. Great to work with such experienced and passionate practitioners."

Participant, London, 2019

Format and price

The training takes place over the the course of a day, either in-person or online, with a follow-up twilight session for participants' to feed back on their progress and plan for embedding the learning long term.

£1,650 for a whole-school booking to be delivered on a mutually agreed date.

£210 for a single booking, £190 for additional colleagues and a £50 discount per booking for National Literacy Trust members – scheduled dates will appear on our events listing.

For more information, and to arrange training for your school, please email Ruth King:

"I have found the training thought provoking. I am going away with a wealth of ideas! It is exciting. Thank you!"

Participant, Inverness, 2018

Reading for pleasure activities and related resources

We have a raft of reading for pleasure activities and resources which will support your work and help you nurture a culture of reading in your setting.

Consider becoming a member of the National Literacy Trust to access our full library of downloadable resources and evaluation tools. Join now

Discover more online training sessions for teachers including a range of CPD courses for primary teachers.