We've made a number of the most popular GCSE and KS3 curriculum texts (as well as Easy Reader versions) available for teachers to assign to students. This allows students to meaningfully, accountably and independently read these books outside of lesson time, either as consolidation or as part of a flipped learning 'pre read' approach.
This feature is free and available as part of the platform and you can assign any book to any year group. To gain access to this feature, your Head of English or Sparx Reader Leader will first need to watch a short explainer video.
Available texts
We currently offer the most popular texts from the 19th Century and Shakespeare lists. You will have the option of setting the original texts or, for most texts, our own Sparx Easy Readers. We’re prioritising which texts to add next based on demand from schools.
KS3
KS3
Easy Readers Only
A Midsummer Knights Dream
The Tempest
Oliver Twist
Originals Only
Artemis and Orion
Icarus
The Twelve Labours of Hercules Book 1
The Twelve Labours of Hercules Book 2
Originals and Sparx Easy Readers
The Blue Carbuncle
A Scandal in Bohemia
The Speckled Band
A Case of Identity
The Red-Headed League
GCSE
GCSE
Originals only:
Animal Farm
Originals and Sparx Easy Readers:
A Christmas Carol
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Macbeth
Romeo and Juliet
The Sign of the Four
Sparx Easy Reader versions
Sparx Easy Reader versions
We’ve written Sparx Easy Readers for a number of the texts.
These are faithful adaptations that support all students to access the story.
Most sentences have been greatly simplified, but key quotations are kept in and highlighted in bold:
Our Macbeth adaptation includes clarifications on stage directions and is largely written in iambic pentameter, so it feels close to the original while being more accessible to more students.
It’s up to you which texts students read: you might choose to set certain classes the original and others the Easy Reader, or even decide on a per-student basis.
Communication with parents
We advise sending clear information at the start of using Sparx Reader Set Texts. You can use our template letters (available in printable or email formats) which includes a link to our dedicated webpage - A parent's guide to Sparx Reader
Assigning Set Texts
To assign a text to students:
Click 'Set Texts' on the menu and select 'Assign a Set Text'
Choose your class from the class dropdown
Choose your Key Stage
Choose a text – we have full, original texts as well as Sparx Easy Readers.
By default, this will assign to the whole class. You can choose a subset using the ‘Select students…’ option.
Click 'Assign text to Class X'
Unassigning texts
Unassigning texts
If you need to remove a text, you can click the three dots and choose ‘Unassign text’. The student’s progress through the text will be saved, and if you later re-assign it, they’ll pick up where they left off.
Re-assigning texts
Re-assigning texts
If students have been assigned the book before, you’ll see the progress they’ve made, and be able to assign them a further read.
If they are part way through, assigning them the text again will end their current read-through (you will see a warning message when assigning the text). Progress on previous read-throughs will still be visible to you and the student.
Monitoring progress
Set Texts Overview
To see an overview of Set Text reading across classes, head to the Set Text Overview page. Hover/click on ‘Set Texts’ in the menu, and select ‘Overview’. This shows an overview of class reading for each text, so that you can compare progress, how many reads have been completed, and accuracy.
Student Progress
Filter by a particular text
Once a book has been assigned to a class, the Student Progress page in Set Texts will display students' progress through each book and their accuracy when answering questions. If a class has multiple Set Texts assigned, you can also filter the view by a particular book to see all students assigned and reading that book.
Filter by Class or Year Group
Int he Student Progress page, you can view Set Text by class or year group using the class and year group dropdown.
Frequently asked questions
Can I assign multiple Set Texts to students?
Can I assign multiple Set Texts to students?
Yes, there’s no limit to how many different texts you can assign. Just assign the first text, then follow the same process to assign the next text.
Can I unassign Set Texts for a whole year group or class at once?
Can I unassign Set Texts for a whole year group or class at once?
There isn't currently a way to unassign a set text from a whole year group or class at once through a single action. You'll need to unassign the text individually for each student by clicking the three dots next to each student's assigned text and selecting 'Unassign text'.
Can students read other e-books alongside set texts?
Can students read other e-books alongside set texts?
As well as reading their set texts, students can choose to read e-books on Sparx Reader in the usual way, by choosing a book to from the homepage or Library page. Set texts do not 'take up' any slots in a students' library. They can easily switch between their set text and e-book by clicking "choose a different book" on their homepage.
Are there analysis questions in the Set Texts?
Are there analysis questions in the Set Texts?
No, our questions are the same as always: basic fact-retrieval questions designed to test whether students have read that section attentively.
Can I assign students individual chapters or staves of Set Texts?
Can I assign students individual chapters or staves of Set Texts?
No, currently you can only assign the whole text. It’s something we’ll explore; if you’re interested, please add feedback to our feedback board.
Do you have An Inspector Calls?
Do you have An Inspector Calls?
No, this one is more complicated as it’s not out of copyright. We know it’s very popular so we’re actively exploring how we could add it.
Can I read Set Texts as a teacher?
Can I read Set Texts as a teacher?
Yes - you can read Set Texts in Reader through the Student Demo (accessed through the More menu). The Set Texts will appear in the Library when selecting a new book.
If this is your first time using the student demo, you'll start by reading a short training book and choosing your first book. This helps you see how Reader works from a student’s perspective. You can then return to the student homepage and click 'Library' on the left menu, to see all our Set Texts.
Do Set Texts reading affect a student's reading data?
Do Set Texts reading affect a student's reading data?
As set texts can be read in different situations (in class, at home, alongside paper based work) a student's reading behaviour during a set text does not affect their normal e-book reading data.
Does the reading data shown include reading done in previous academic years?
Does the reading data shown include reading done in previous academic years?
Yes, students will be shown in their current class, and all Set text reading that they’ve done will be shown, including from previous academic years.