Reading for Pleasure – How we do it at Domremy

Reading for Pleasure – How we do it at Domremy

Reading for Pleasure is a community wide/whole school priority at Domremy College, where good reading habits are modelled in a variety of ways across the College. Our new NNLC Building and Study Hub/Library facilities support this priority.
 
We have a staff/senior student collection which caters for the reading preferences of staff and seniors who like to read beyond the typical Young Adult genre of teenage love and angst.

This year we initiated a Combined Schools Book Club, inviting seven other schools throughout the Inner West to take part. Offering this has improved our Book Club attendance, more than tripling from 20 students across Years 7-12, to 60 students. At this event students are addressed by Paul McDonald, who is the President of the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA).

We engage with our Writer In Residence, Dr Sarah Ayoub, and she has presented to both Year 9 and Year 10, sharing inspirational tips to improve student writing outcomes.

We have also engaged authors to present to Years 7-10 during Book Week. In 2025 Lisa Shanahan will be presenting to Years 7 and 8, whilst Young Adult author Gabrielle Tozer will be talking to Years 9 and 10.

We also run a number of Book Week Competitions with categories catering for all kinds of learners (visual storytelling, poetry prompts, short stories and essays).

There are a plethora of ways in which we further promote Reading for Pleasure. A group of Year 10 students take part in the Write A Book In A Day initiative, raising funds for the Kids’ Cancer Project. The enthusiasm of the girls participating in this event is truly remarkable to see!

In Year 9, a group of students took part in the CBCA Shadow Judging initiative. This required the students to read and discuss 2025 CBCA Shortlisted Books and agree on one to receive their vote. It was great to observe the way girls were affirmed and enthused around ‘Reading For Pleasure.’

Year 7 students have been writing poetry in English, enjoying the challenge of writing a “How to … ” poem.
 
The following poem by Sabrina, Y7V, reinforces the power and importance reading brings. It stands as a heartfelt confirmation of how reading can transport us, how we can truly lose ourselves in the pages of a book. This poem is a testament to the impact our efforts are having, capturing the joy and escape that comes from being immersed in a good book.
 
Mrs Nicole Harada, Teacher/Librarian