Friday Reading at BMS
In a culture where academic pressure increases with every school year, the simple act of reading aloud to students often falls by the wayside—especially in secondary schools. Yet...
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In a culture where academic pressure increases with every school year, the simple act of reading aloud to students often falls by the wayside—especially in secondary schools. Yet...
Posted by Sara Ash - Deputy Headteacher
As a school we continue to place a big emphasis on encouraging all students to read regularly and develop a lifelong love of reading and learning. Reading we all know underpins...
Posted by Jeremy Turner
Students in KS3 have been enjoying using the Learning Resource Centre, LRC, for reading lessons as part of their English curriculum. Miss Denton, Advanced Lead Teacher for...
Posted by Sara Ash - Deputy Headteacher
It was great to drop into 8 Oak and 8 Ash’s CDC rooms and see Miss Sumpter and Mrs Wilson’s Character Development Groups on Friday at the end of last week. Exemplary...
Posted by Jeremy Turner
The Sixth Form Centre was buzzing on Thursday, with a gathering of staff and students from Bushey Meads, Kings Langley, Ashlyns and Tring schools who met to celebrate the Yoto...
Posted by Teresa Turton
It was a privilege to join 10 Beech last week on Friday morning and read with them during the whole school silent reading programme that takes place at Bushey Meads every Friday....
Posted by Jeremy Turner
It was great to be able to join a few different CDC Groups last Friday morning and see all the students engaged so well with our Friday Reading programme, aimed at developing and...
Posted by Jeremy Turner
Once again Bushey Meads students excelled in the World Book Day Bake-Off 2023. Tasked with creating one or more cakes, large or small, to celebrate books, our students produced...
Posted by Teresa Turton
On Monday morning, just before breaktime, our school fell silent and we all participated in a Drop Everything and Read or DEAR event across all lessons and office spaces in the...
Posted by Jeremy Turner
Therapeutic Benefits of Reading and Writing Creative writing has reading at its core. The benefits of reading and writing (including journals and letters) have been referenced in...
Posted by Lynn Court
In a culture where academic pressure increases with every school year, the simple act of reading aloud to students often falls by the wayside—especially in secondary schools. Yet research and experience show that being read to remains a powerful tool for engaging learners of all ages.
Reading aloud isn’t just for younger children. In fact, secondary students can benefit enormously from hearing texts spoken with emotion, rhythm, and clarity. It models fluent reading, supports comprehension, and makes complex material more accessible. For students who struggle with reading—due to learning difficulties, limited vocabulary, or language barriers—hearing a confident reader can reduce anxiety and build confidence.
But the benefits go deeper. When teachers read to students, they create shared experiences that build classroom community and stimulate discussion. A well-read passage can bring literature to life, introduce students to new genres, and spark a love for reading that silent, independent study may not always achieve.
A great way to start the day each Friday!

A definite positive ‘side-effect’ of lockdown was the valuable extra time we found for personal reading. As you will know from July’s newsletter, Mrs Turton, our...
On Wednesday, the Sycamore House held an assembly led by our Head of House Mrs Patel, who focused on one of Bushey Meads School’s key values “Relationships”. Mrs...