Chapter One: Riversides Book for National Year of Reading
We are excited to present chapter one of the Riversides Book for National Year of Reading. Please sit down and enjoy reading this together!
Chapter 1: Detective Week at Riversides – The Case of the Missing Caretaker
It began as an ordinary morning at Riversides School—until the caretaker, Gary, was found unconscious in the school building. The alarm was raised quickly, and although Gary was safe, one question echoed through the corridors: what had happened, and who was responsible?
The school was soon buzzing with detectives. Pupils across Riversides were called upon to examine the evidence, read between the lines, and work together to uncover the truth. A number of familiar faces quickly became suspects, including Mr Fenner, Mrs Hill, Mr Price, and others who had been in the building that morning.
Clues began to emerge. There was evidence that Mr Fenner had phoned Gary earlier that morning, though the reason for the call was unclear. A coded maths message was discovered, cleverly designed to suggest Mrs Hill’s involvement. Muddy boot prints were found near the scene, along with receipts that raised further questions. A map of Worcester hinted at movements beyond the school grounds, while a carefully constructed timeline showed when each suspect had entered the building. There was even an email from Mrs Hill, expressing her frustration with Gary—seemingly strong evidence against her.
Pupils worked through each clue methodically. They analysed texts closely, decoded messages, compared timelines, and discussed motives. They questioned assumptions, debated theories, and presented their findings using precise detective vocabulary. As the evidence was examined more carefully, cracks began to appear in the story Mrs Hill had been framed into.
Slowly, the truth came to light. The coded message had been planted. The timeline revealed inconsistencies. The phone call, the muddy prints, and the misleading clues all pointed back to one person. It became clear that Mr Fenner had attempted to frame Mrs Hill, carefully constructing a trail of false evidence to shift suspicion away from himself.
Through teamwork, careful reading, logical thinking, and clear communication, the pupils solved the mystery.
Detective Week was more than just a story—it was a whole-school celebration of reading, writing and oracy. Pupils used literacy skills to analyse clues and infer meaning, writing skills to create reports and witness statements, and oracy skills to question, debate and present their conclusions. Alongside this, they applied maths through codes and timelines, computing through digital clues, PSHE through teamwork and respectful discussion, and art through crime-scene sketches and posters.
By the end of the week, Riversides had cracked the case. More importantly, pupils had discovered that literacy is a powerful tool—not just for stories, but for problem-solving, critical thinking, and understanding the world around them.
Detective Week showed what can happen when learning is creative, immersive, and shared across the whole school—and proved that at Riversides, everyone can think like a detective.
