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15/10/25

And we’re off! pic.twitter.com/eEvVkjE3Qn

15/10/25

Open Evening 2025, Tuesday 11th November, 16:30-19:00. More information in the picture. We look forward to seeing you!#HCL6F pic.twitter.com/2OLbexAoEt

13/10/25

A reminder that Sixth Form Open Evening is on Thursday, November 6th. Internal students from 1630-1900.https://t.co/85YShwnNw7 External students from 1730-1900.https://t.co/SaLLY6XEMr#Open Evening Form pic.twitter.com/AKJugVC8gL

13/10/25

This week in Mr Leprêtre's Lexicon: Mollify, v. appease the anger or anxiety of (someone). e.g. "nature reserves were set up around the power stations to mollify the local conservationists"#HCL6F

11/10/25

Another great day in NYC for HABE Performing Arts students. Today we have done a stage combat workshop with broadway actors 🎭, seen the Statue of Liberty 🗽on the Staten Island Ferry ⛴️ and done a spot of souvenir shopping! Last day tomorrow!

09/10/25

73 of our wonderful students off to the London Docklands for their Geography Field Work.  Have a great day everyone!     

09/10/25

Our final open morning is this morning! Book on here:  harrisclapham.org.uk/38/anno…

08/10/25

Our STEM Club students took innovation to the next level today—building their own robots! 🤖 pic.twitter.com/v5LUpMuteM

08/10/25

Our brilliant Activity Studio.

08/10/25

We are so looking forward to our open evening tonight!   

08/10/25

On Friday, 30 students from Years 7 to 13 proudly represented our school at the Merton Cross Country Trails. They ran 2.5km for Years 7–9 and 3.6km for the senior runners. Well done to everyone who took part, your hard work and commitment made our school proud! pic.twitter.com/Vm8L1DLnPN

06/10/25

Only 2 Open Mornings left! No booking needed — just come along and see what makes our Academy special. We can't wait to welcome you! pic.twitter.com/BhB93SVf8B

05/10/25

Year 12 Open Evening is on Thursday, November 6th. Internal students from 1630-1900. External students from 1630-1900 If you are an external student, please complete this Microsoft Form for attendance:https://t.co/SaLLY6YcBZ#AllCanWeWill

04/10/25

Harris Clapham Students Shine on Unforgettable Ski Trip to Italy.  harrisclapham.org.uk/28/late…

04/10/25

The Scholars Programme  . Unlock your child’s potential with a Harris Scholarship. Find out more at our Open Evening this Wednesday 8th and on our website.  harrisclapham.org.uk/2042/ha…

03/10/25

Everything is Possible; when you CARE.

02/10/25

What a Great Trip to China.  harrisclapham.org.uk/28/late…  Well done to our fantastic Head of Languages. Looking forward to the Next stop. Salamanca, Spain February 2026.        .

22/09/25

We held our secondary transfer meeting last week and had a great turn out. Thank you to all of the schools that came along. pic.twitter.com/S83uh1aYSM

10/09/25

Remember to sign up via our website for one of our open events so we can show you what Harris Clapham has to offer. ⭐️Open Evening: Wed 8th Oct: 4pm - 6pm ⭐️Open Mornings: Tues 7th, Wed 8th and Thurs 9th Oct: 9:15am - 10am harrisclapham.org.uk/38/anno…  

05/09/25

What a fantastic first week back! It has been great to see students settling in, reconnecting, and diving into learning with energy and enthusiasm   

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Literacy

It is important that children continue to read and communicate at home to maintain their literacy development and continue to progress.

This is an area where parental support can be really beneficial. Small steps can be helpful in developing reading ability, vocabulary and communication skills, all of which are vital for learning.


Reading

Although there can be many other distractions, daily reading for enjoyment has a strong positive impact on overall achievement. Here are some simple ways to encourage and support your child to keep reading at home:

  • Daily reading can be part of your lockdown routine, offering escapism and a sense of calm. ​Encourage your child to read for ten minutes a day.
  • Role model and read yourself, when you can, talking to your child about what you are reading.
  • Read together: We often think that older children like to read on their own, but there are many benefits to reading together. It can improve communication and strengthen bonds, as well as exposing them to a greater variety of books. Choose a book with a topic you or your child are interested in and take it in turns to read, stopping to discuss and ask questions.
  • Book talk: use books and digital reading to start conversations with your child. Here are some questions that could help:
  • What do you think the book will be about?
  • Can you tell me what’s happened so far?
  • What do you think will happen next?
  • Why do you think the character did…?
  • What do you think the author wants us to think?
  • How did you feel when…?
  • Can you think of a similar experience that you’ve had?
  • Who do you know who is like…?
  • How did the character change in this story?
  • What do you think are the most important things in this chapter/section?
  • Reading can be more than just books! Children can read about their interests online, read online or print magazines and newspapers and even listen to podcasts and audiobooks. Here are some great news sites for children:

Talking

Conversations support vocabulary development and communication, which in turn supports overall literacy.  So called ‘back and forth’ conversations, where you model turn taking and really listen to each other and discuss the world around you can be great for developing vocabulary and social skills.

  • Listen: when you can, try to listen carefully and with real interest when your child talks to you. Leave pauses to encourage them to say more.
  • Eat together whenever possible, and chat about everyday things. Let your son or daughter lead the topics of conversation.
  • Collaborate: If you like to cook together or to make things following instructions, discuss the meanings of any unfamiliar words you come across. 
  • Praise your child if they use an interesting or unusual word: ’Great choice of word!’ or ‘You just used a really interesting word’ or ‘I love that word!’
  • Watch TV together and talk about what you’re watching like the families on Gogglebox. Discuss any new words or things that you find interesting.
  • Solve problems together. Discuss and agree on your approach.
  • Play word games together. Pictionary, Taboo or charades can be played easily at home with just a piece of paper.

Bedrock

Bedrock is a brilliant online vocabulary development programme which increases students' engagement with reading, whilst directly teaching them academic vocabulary. Your child has a personal login, but if they have forgotten it, they should contact their English teacher. Encourage your child to undertake at least ten minutes a day.

https://app.bedrocklearning.org/


Resources to support literacy

If you have a subscription of Amazon prime, there is a great selection of free books, magazines and comics available.


Other Useful Resources

BBC Teach

You can use BBC Teach for free. Their website is home to thousands of free curriculum-mapped videos, arranged by age-group and subject. 

Find video resources linked to all subjects for 11-14 year olds here.

BBC Own It provides advice and guidance on studying from home, including online safety and a wealth of material on mental and physical health.

BBC Bitesize has a range of resources for all ages to support online learning.

BBC Grammar for 11-14 Year Olds.