Helping KS3 pupils to become regular readers of historical scholarship

Inspired by the growing number of history teachers who have sought to introduce younger pupils to academic historical scholarship in the classroom, Tim Jenner wanted to bring about his own reading revolution at Key Stage 3. But rather than simply develop one-off lessons or enquiries based on scholarship his goal was more ambitious: to integrate reading into the department’s routine planning in order to create a culture of reading among pupils. In this article he shares how, through both careful long-term planning to scaffold the introduction of increasingly complex texts and practical pedagogical strategies, the department has managed to get all their pupils reading regularly and widely.