Clifton College is proud to support the National Year of Reading, a nationwide initiative led by the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust to encourage reading for enjoyment. The campaign, Go All In, aligns closely with Clifton College’s long‑standing commitment to fostering a love of reading across all ages.
Throughout the 2025/26 academic year, Clifton College’s libraries have delivered an extensive programme of activities and events designed to inspire pupils to read widely and for pleasure. The College welcomed fourteen visiting authors, giving pupils the opportunity to engage with writers across a range of genres and topics. Multiple Book Weeks, creative library displays and a variety of clubs further encouraged pupils to explore their interests.
A particularly successful initiative has been the regular peer‑reading sessions between Year 2 and Year 5 pupils in the Prep Library. These sessions allow younger pupils to read alongside older role models, helping build confidence, fluency and excitement around books, simultaneously preparing our Pre-Prep pupils to step up into the Prep School and familiarise themselves with the environment.
One of the standout achievements of the year was The Great Clifton Read Off, a Year 9 reading challenge designed to broaden pupils’ reading habits:
- 128 pupils took part
- Together they read 841 books
- Totalling 275,858 pages
- 71% said the event motivated them to read more
Reading engagement has also been exceptionally strong in the Preparatory School, where borrowing rates reached remarkable levels this academic year:
- 10,108 total loans across Prep and Pre‑Prep
- 6,586 loans in the Prep
- 3,522 loans in the Pre‑Prep
Pupils and parents praised the library spaces, describing them as “magical” and transformative in developing a love of reading.
Clifton College continues to champion reading as a joyful, lifelong habit, supported by dedicated staff, thriving library environments and pupils eager to explore new stories. The National Year of Reading has further highlighted the College’s commitment to ensuring every child has the opportunity to discover the pleasure and power of reading.
