Reading for Enjoyment and the Library

Developing a life-long love of reading and instilling enjoyment in reading is at the heart of MEA.

Students are encouraged to read in lessons, read independently and share reading experiences with their peers in our MEA book clubs. The library is the beating heart of MEA’s reading for enjoyment focus and students are invited in warmly to discuss books, enter competition and engage in new opportunities.

 

Our school library is the heart of the school and a true hub of learning and creativity. Full of contemporary and diverse books, it offers something for every student, from exciting stories to resources that support study and research.

Beyond reading, the library is a vibrant space where students can complete homework, explore new ideas, borrow books or simply enjoy time with friends before school, during social times and after school in a supportive environment.

It also hosts a wide range of engaging activities, including Year 7 and 8 book clubs, competitions and themed events. The library has recently launched Read-a-oke, a fun activity where students read the lyrics to their favourite songs. Singing has been shown to support reading fluency by improving rhythm, expression, and confidence, making this an enjoyable way to build literacy skills.

The library also hosts regular author visits, giving students unforgettable opportunities to be inspired by the world of literature. The Hive is a place for learning, discovery, creativity, and confidence, supporting a fantastic future for all our students. 

Empathy is a learnable skill and one that all students should continue to develop. Empathy Lab are a charitable social enterprise with the intention to develop empathy through the power of reading.

At MEA we have developed our reading for empathy offer with the intention to allow all students to explore emotions and put themselves in the position of the characters. Through our MEA Reads curriculum students have the opportunity to share meaningful discussions about the characters and events in the books as well as finding an enjoyment in collective reading. Our Fantastic Futures Curriculum, which promotes a sense of belonging, inclusion and explores the world around us, has also developed and empathy approach with new novels being chosen to complement the teaching and allowing students to gain new insight into the impact of different opinions and actions. We continuous aim to deliver programmes through an empathy lens that also creates strong foundations for a love of reading.

Empathy Lab School