The Communications Learning Village is led by Ms J'anina Taylor (Assistant Principal) who is responsible for the over support and academic progress of up to 240 students in the learning village, ranging from year 8 to 13. Each Learning Village has two strands: pastoral and learning.

The pastoral strand is led by Ms Elaine Barnbrook the Learning Village Leader. Ms Barnbrook oversees the pastoral support for all of the students in the vertical tutor groups.

The learning strand is led by Mrs Large, the Director of Learning, who oversees learning and academic progress of all students undertaking English and World Languages.

At Bedford Academy we are always looking for creative ways to deliver our lessons. Students are involved at every stage, in particular at the assessment stage. We believe that formative assessment throughout the year can help students to progress, and so we are often seen around the school filming students work.

One highlight for the year 9 students last year was our 'Horror' scheme of learning. Students anaylsed a range of texts: extracts from Frankenstein and Dracula to Z for Zachariah, before questioning where the term originated and how the idea has evolved over the years. They then worked in groups to script their own horror film. Later in the year the school had C.S.I theme, where they were given the chance to film a new script.

We ensure that students are challenged by offering a wide range of activities and themes to study. Students studied bias in the media and the different purposes of radio shows before links were made with a local radio station. This year students will have the opportunity in class to create their own broadcast and enter a competition to have it played live on air.

At the Academy we are proud of our teaching resources. One set of resources students can access at school, and from home if they log onto 'Access my files', are revision videos of some of the poems they have studied in class. Miss Creighton has been filmed reading each poem, which is then followed by an analysis of that poem: a very useful tool for GSCE revision: go to 'Access my files', click on 'student shared area' then 'Communications' before clicking on the folder labelled 'Miss Creighton'. 

We will soon be starting a Paired Reading Scheme, exploiting our vertical tutor system. This will involve training our sixth formers so they can help less able readers in years 9 and 10 with their reading. As we have tested the reading age of all new students, those with the lowest reading ages will be targeted first.

Students will be encouraged to bring in materials they enjoy reading, whether that is magazines, novels or papers. The sixth form students will aim to read with them twice a week for around 15 minutes. Research has showed that this small intervention really helps to improve the vocabulary and understanding of the pupils participating. Later in the year we will test the reading ages of students again, and will feedback their progress to parents.

Our Literacy team not only is developing a new, exciting curriculum, but is keen to encourage research-driven teaching, based on latest information and findings.

Find out more about our team, and our new exciting curriculum by clicking here.

At Bedford Academy we wish to promote reading for pleasure and have produced the following book lists to encourage students to read outside of their English and Literacy lessons:

• Year 9 Reading List: click here
• Year 10 Reading List: click here
• Year 11 Reading List: click here
• 6th Form Reading List: coming soon...

The ILC is open all day every day and welcomes all students to read at their pleasure; numerous resources, such as newspapers, journals and magazines, are also available for student use to support their studies. Students are encouraged to visit the ILC before school, at break, during lunch or afterschool to complete their research and coursework.