Linked Reading
reading picture.jpgWhat is linked reading?
Each subject will present a reading list linked to the topics they teach. This is to encourage reading for pleasure, but to also give students a well-rounded understanding of the topics they will be taught at school.
We recommend one linked reading book per half term from any subject. Of course, if your child would like to read more that is highly encouraged!
Note to parents: Some of these books are written for young adult readers (13+) or adults; this means there may be ‘gritty’ content. Generally by Key Stage 4 young people are ready for this, but parents know their children best; if you have queries about suitability, please check online reviews or ask your child’s teacher. Some good book review websites are below:
English
Please find a PowerPoint with the topics, key vocabulary and linked reading below. This will be updated to reflect any changes in our curriculum.
Humanities
Geography
KS3
No One is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg
National Geographic magazine (website also here)
This Book is Not Rubbish by Isabel Thomas
River Boy by Tim Bowler
KS4
Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World - And Why Things are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling
Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall
The Almighty Dollar by Dharshini David
23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism by Ha-Joon Chang
Moneyland: Why Thieves and Crooks Now Rule the World and How to Take it Back by Oliver Bullough
The Week magazine (website also here)
History
KS3
Horrible Histories series
Things a Bright Girl Can Do by Sally Nicholls
Black History Matters by Robin Walker
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas or The Boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne
Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian
Private Peaceful or War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
Ruby in the Smoke by Phillip Pullman
A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
You're Dead to Me podcast (on BBC Sounds)
Suffragette (2020) film (available on Amazon Prime; trailer here)
Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Nelson Mandela: The Life of an African Statesman by Rob Shone (graphic novel)
Warp Clock; The Day After Never; Times Like These by Nathan Van Andrews
The Journey by Kathryn Gillett
The Gunpowder Plot by Ann Turnball
From a Sea Ablaze by Ray Murray
Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robyn Talley
Black Friday by Robert Muchamore
KS4
The Death of Democracy by Benjamin Carter Hett
The History of Medicine: A Very Short Introduction by W.F. Bynum
A History of the World in 21 Women by Jenny Murray
Ghost Flames: Life and Death in a Hidden War, Korea 1950-1953 by Charles Hanley
The Centuries Trilogy by Ken Follett
Column of Fire by Ken Follett
Roses of No Man's Land by Lyn Macdonald
TIme Traveller's Guide to Elizabethan England by Ian Mortimer
Citizenship
KS3
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
The Divergent series by Victoria Roth
The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Rauf
The Star Outside My Window by Onjali Q. Rauf
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Stone Cold by Robert Swindalls
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
I Am Thunder by Muhammad Khan
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
KS4
1984 by George Orwell
In Your Defence by Sarah Langford
Animal Farm by George Orwell
The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
FILMS
KS3
Zootropolis (pg) (diversity, law, community cohesion)
Suffragette (12)(law, right to vote, human rights)
Law and order series 1 (12)(Law and Crime)
Hotel Rwanda (12)(human rights, the UN, Genocide)
Maze Runner (12) (government, rebellion, corruption, child soldiers)
Divergent (12)(communities, community, government corruption)
Hidden Figures (12) (Position of women, black rights)
Hunger Games (12) (government, rebellion, corruption, child soldiers)
The Island (12) (moral rights, medical interference)
Shallow Hal (12) (diversity, fitting in, accepting others)
Contagion (12) (controlling spread of disease- topical)
Sky Fall- any James Bond (12) (Role of secret service, threat of acts of terror)
The Greatest Showman (12) (Community, diversity, prejudice)
KS4
I am Daniel Blake (15) (modern Britain and the benefits system)
Erin Brockovich (15) (Power of campaigning, power of one)
Made in Dagenham (15) (role of women, right to fair wage, gender stereo types)
Law and order series 2+3 (15) (crime and punishment system)
Hot Fuzz (15) (Crime and law enforcement)
Lord of the Flies (15) (establishing a community and rules)
Peterloo (12) (fighting for the right to vote, rebellion, government period piece)
Murder ‘A trial in the family’ 4OD (Crime and punishment- role of prosecution, defence, jury)
Netflix- the society (15) (establishing a society and rules)
P.E.
The Dirtiest Race in History: Ben Johnson, Carl Lewis and the 1998 Olympic 100 Final by Richard Moore
Jonny: My autobiography by Jonny Wilkinson
The Secret Footballer: Access All Areas by The Secret Footballer
My Life: Queen of the Court by Serena Williams
It's Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong
Netflix available:
The Last Dance (series; 15)
Sunderland 'Til I Die (series; 15)
Last Chance U (series; 15)
The Game Changers (series; 15)
Science
KS3
New Scientist Magazine (website also here)
Veritasium: a channel of science and engineering videos featuring experiments, interviews, discussion. (website also here)
Why Don't Penguins' Feet Freeze? by New Scientist and Mick O'Hare
Periodic Table by Eyewitness
KS4
The Periodic Table: A Field Guide to the Elements by Paul Parsons and Gail Dixon
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
The Body by Bill Bryson
Reactions by Theodore Gray
Maths
KS3
The Man Who Loved Only Numbers: The Story of Paul Erdos and the Search for Mathematical Truth by Paul Hoffman
Math TV (website here)
Numberphile (website here)
Nrich Maths (website here)
Why Do Buses Come in Threes? by Rob Eastaway and Jeremy Wyndham
The Maths Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained by Matt Parker
50 Mathematical Ideas You Really Need to Know by Tony Crilly
KS4
Alex's Adventures in Numberland by Alex Bellos
Euclid's Window: The Story of Geometry from Parallel Lines to Hyperspace by Leonard Mlodinow
Creative Arts
Music
KS3
Music Tech magazine (website here)
BBC Howard Goodall's Story of Music on Youtube (6 episodes)
KS4
Music: The Definitive Visual History by DK
The Story of Music by Howard Goodall
Drama
KS3
The Stage (website here)
KS4
Art
KS3
Great Artists: The Lives of 50 Painters Explored Through Their Work by Robert Cumming
Lives of the Great Artists by Charlie Ayres
KS4
How to be Both by Ali Smith
The Goldfinch by DOnna Tart
The Crane Wife by Patrick Ness
A Month in the Country by J. L. Carr
The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff (also a film on Netflix)