How Giglets Supports Reading Engagement at Linslade School

Linslade School, part of the Chiltern Learning Trust, has implemented Giglets as a key tool for improving literacy engagement across Key Stage 2. With a commitment to broadening reading opportunities and fostering a love of reading, Linslade has successfully integrated Giglets into its curriculum, seeing positive impacts on student engagement, teacher workload, and home-school reading connections.

Our team spoke with Emma Wassef, Head of KS2 English, at Linslade School:

Why Did Linslade Choose Giglets?

"We wanted to widen the choice of texts available to our Key Stage 2 readers and give them access to things that they might not necessarily have at home. The Giglets library gave us the resources to ensure that every child had the ability to access a range of texts."

Linslade pupils enjoying a learning lesson

How Is Giglets Used at Linslade School?

"We have a dedicated library lesson once a fortnight, so it features within that session. While we look at reading records and hear the children read, they are doing independent activities on Giglets. We also use it heavily for homework and within lesson times."

At Linslade, Giglets is embedded into the school day in multiple ways:

Dedicated Library Lessons: Once a fortnight, students use Giglets as part of structured library time to choose new books, complete independent reading activities, and track their reading progress.
Homework Assignments: Giglets provides an engaging way for pupils to continue their reading at home.
Classroom Support: Teachers use Giglets as an additional resource to support struggling readers and enhance reading sessions.

Top Tips for Implementation

Emma highlighted key factors that contributed to the school's success in rolling out Giglets effectively:

Staff Training: Ensuring all staff are comfortable using the platform was crucial for a smooth rollout.
Flexible Grouping: The school regularly adjusts reading groups to ensure students are placed according to their evolving literacy skills.
Using Giglets for Whole-Class Engagement: By setting class-wide books and tasks, the school reduced administrative workload while maintaining engagement.

"Staff training is important initially because with a new system, although it is very easy to use, being on the same page is vital, if you're just using it across the whole school."

What Impact Has Giglets Had?

Linslade has seen clear improvements in reading engagement since implementing Giglets. The platform has enhanced the school’s reading culture by making texts more accessible and engaging for students.

"We have seen an impact in terms of the children's attitude towards reading due to having a variety of texts and choices available to them. With our Key Stage 2, they tend to like one type of book or one author so the fact that the children can access various different books definitely helps."

Who Has Benefited Most?

While students have seen the most significant impact, Giglets has also provided benefits for teachers and parents:

Students: More engaged and enthusiastic about reading, with greater access to texts that match their interests and reading levels.
Teachers: Able to streamline lesson planning and provide targeted reading support without additional workload.
Parents: Increased visibility of their children’s reading habits through homework tasks and online access.

"It really supports engagement, which is so important. Encouraging children to read at home can be challenging, but every little bit helps!"

About Linslade School

Linslade School is a 9–13 middle school in Leighton Buzzard, and part of the Chiltern Learning Trust. Linslade’s journey with Giglets demonstrates how the right digital tools can revitalise literacy education, making reading more accessible, engaging, and impactful for all students.

Explore more about Linslade School: Linslade School Website

Would you like to use Giglets in your school?

The Giglets library consists of over 2,000 texts across 40+ different languages with supporting resources including higher-order thinking skills questions, reading test questions and cross-curricular tasks. Giglets is ideal for inspiring a love of reading and motivating learners. Support pupils in developing those ever-important comprehension skills with our enhanced texts and accessible reader. To see how Giglets can enhance your literacy provision, contact us today.