Reading Gladiators is an award-winning Book Club for pupils in Years 2-6. The programme is designed to promote Reading for Pleasure, broaden children’s reading repertoire and develop their understanding and response to different texts.

The Reading Gladiators programme involves:

• Sustained independent reading of two books a term selected from a carefully curated collection that is updated every year. The emphasis is on high quality texts by established and recently published authors that cover a range of genres. Over the course of the programme, Reading Gladiators will move from accessible reads in familiar settings to texts that require more empathetic and reflective reading.
• Book club style discussions led by a group leader supported by detailed Book Notes that include tips on how to encourage a positive reading atmosphere, book-specific guidance notes, activities and resources to encourage high level discussions.

Reading Gladiators works best with groups of 6-8 pupils but schools can run bigger or smaller groups to suit their needs.

Cost: Free, but schools will need to purchase sets of books for all participating students.

About Just Imagine: Just Imagine was established in 2010 by Nikki Gamble, a former teacher and university lecturer and author of Exploring Children’s Literature: Reading for Knowledge, Understanding and Pleasure. The literacy consultancy works with schools in the UK and abroad to develop outstanding reading and writing practice, where stories and literature are placed firmly at the heart of learning. As well as developing reading projects and programmes for teachers to deliver in schools, Just Imagine offers training and consultancy on a wide range of literacy topics.