Forensic reading is a whole-school approach which involves putting language, critical ideas and imagery under the microscope to arrive at a deeper understanding of it and of the world in which we live.

The GORSE Academies Trust have developed a unique set of reading materials – fiction, non-fiction, poetry, journalism and multi-media – in the form of six strands for pupils in Years 5 to 6 with the prerequisites that these materials are of the highest quality as well as being intellectually challenging.

The six strands have been realised in the form of beautifully designed anthologies, all of which are supported with high quality PowerPoints and teacher notes, to support the delivery of the texts.

Aims of Forensic Reading

To develop our pupils’ ability to think critically, to recognise sub-text and authorial intent.

To provide our pupils with the benefits that are synonymous with reading widely: general knowledge; a better understanding of other cultures; a greater insight into human nature and decision-making, as well as exposure to the nuances and delights of language.

To give our pupils the opportunity to explore challenging topics that broaden their understanding and awareness of the wider world.

The 6 Strands

Forensic Reading consists of six strands, carefully chosen by a range of experts across The GORSE Academies Trust, for Years 5-13. The texts are supplemented by multi-media texts and by bespoke PowerPoints with extensive, high-quality Teacher Notes. Accompanying these PowerPoints are four printed anthologies for Years 5-6, Years 7-8, Years 9-11 and Years 12-13 for each of the six Forensic Reading strands. These printed anthologies also contain stunning images and questions which complement and support each text.

The hard-hitting text in this strand is critical in presenting the misogynistic attitudes which manifest themselves in both children’s and adult literature. ‘The Secret Garden’ looks at how young girls were expected to be inert, passive and dine on a thin gruel of both intellectual knowledge and actual diet.

These texts explore what is magnificent in the human psyche – the ability to remain emotionally resilient and to thrive in the most difficult and abject of circumstances. Sometimes what appears to be the miraculous or the divine seems to come to our aid, as in ‘Skellig’ and sometimes we seem to have moments of pure serendipity.

The fragility of our plant is viewed from various perspectives from how the land is used and exploited by humanity in ‘Watership Down’.

Journeys with spiritual and mystical meaning are examined but so are ideas of a dystopian future where the very need to journey and explore is seen as a regressive tendency.

Secrets and Lies are explored both from an individual, societal and cosmic perspective and what price has to be paid for the perpetuation of these. Secrets and lies impact profoundly on ‘Lyra’ in ‘His Dark Materials: Northern Lights’.

Varying perspectives on power and conflict are explored here by way of examination of historical abuse of external power ‘Once’.