The Next Chapter

The Next Chapter

The Next Chapter is a project working with small groups of students in year 9 or year 10 who don’t currently read for pleasure.

There is evidence to show there is a large gap in achievement between secondary school students who read books for pleasure and those who do not (OECD, 2010; Mol and Bus, 2011) and further studies suggest that there is a positive relationship between reading frequency, reading enjoyment and attainment.

How it Started

We want young people to enjoy reading and not just see it as something they have to do in their English lessons and that's where the The Next Chapter project came to fruition!

The project launched in in the Summer term of 22/23, It ran five sessions looking at snippets of five different books that vary in genre, length, style, a new book each session.

The books were played on Audible and students were able to read along in a comfortable environment. The aim is for students to enjoy the many books the world has to offer and to feel empowered to continue reading independently once the five weeks finish.

The Next Chapter 2025/6

Whilst we did not run 'The Next Chapter' as a project in 2025/6, we implemented its key aims within our other projects.

Within our BLCK Space and Beyond Space projects, we have implemented 'The Next Chapter' inspired sessions as part of the project's aims and delivery.

To learn more about these projects, please visit BLCK Space and Beyond Space.