School Improvement

Developing Reading

Advanced Literacy Project for Literacy Subject Leaders from a network of schools: Raising Attainment in Reading January 2014

Excellent: Interesting ideas to encourage children to read especially those with limited reading comprehension ability.

Excellent: Good ideas that will encourage children to read more and to use pictures as well as text-feel this will help and encourage children that may struggle more with reading. Some good practices for shared reading.

Excellent: Extremely useful and practical way of advancing literacy practice.

Excellent: Enjoyable and will have an impact on my practice. Good for INSET ideas and having an impact across the school.

Excellent: Really informative. Lots of ideas to share with staff. Inspiring!

Excellent: Useful, practical hints and information to take back to school and immediately apply. Lovely to have time to look through books….feel re-motivated!

Excellent: Extremely helpful-lots of practical ideas and time for discussion

Excellent: A very informative course which outlines all aspects of guided reading

Excellent: Enjoyed looking at all the different books. Today has helped me with ideas for working with children who don’t enjoy reading-to make it more interesting and plan guided reading sessions.

Excellent: Once again, lots of new and exciting ideas. Can’t wait to try them out!

Hi Carole, Thank you so much for today, have had very positive thoughts for guided reading as did the rest of KS2. They felt very inspired. Headteacher Murrayfield Primary, Suffolk. 10.13

Thanks for Tuesday’s training, (guided reading) which was indeed very well received by everyone! At Wednesday morning’s briefing session everyone was REALLY delighted to hear that you would be leading a joint teacher/LSA session in October.’ Headteacher, Lee Chapel Primary, National Leader

Dear Carole, I wanted to thank you and the team for all your hard work in putting together the reading conference today. The three workshops I attended were all very helpful and enjoyable refresher sessions with reminders of good practice and the resources on the website will be very useful when I am back in school. Maths Consultant ECC

Hi Carole, The guided reading sessions went down really well. Several teachers came and thanked me for letting them watch and said to pass on their thanks to you. Nick (HT) had also heard how helpful the sessions were and has asked me to book one day each term next year with you if possible. Best wishes, Jenny Literacy Subject Leader re Guided reading support at Thorpedene Primary. 3.14

Hi Carole. Everyone thought the sessions were great. Headteacher at Stanway Fiveways Primary re guided reading observations, feedback and staff meeting 3.14

The feedback has been marvellous from all staff about your input. Headteacher at Stanway Fiveways Primary re guided reading modelling 4.14

Raising Attainment in Reading, Conference at Grand Connaught Rooms, London 12.1.15

Excellent: the experience was an eye-opener as how best to help students engage in reading. This will be most helpful to my students. Secondary Teacher

Excellent: effective, engaging and useful EYFS teacher

Excellent: A load of activities I can share with staff straight away. Thank you.

Purposeful, informative and focused. The first course in a while where I have stayed and learnt things!

Excellent: Practical activities-very current and up to date. Excellent session-thought provoking and informative.

Excellent: the day has been extremely useful and I have taken away lots of ideas to try in school.

Excellent: New resources, effective guided reading ideas, how to make reading fun, use of comics etc., for boys more focus on teaching comprehension and how to teach it. Even more enthusiastic and passionate about teaching reading!

Excellent: Amazing training! Thank you! I have so much to take back with me-the book talk, modelling, how to teach comprehension, promoting the reading environment.

Thanks ever so much for such a challenging and thought provoking course. I enjoyed using the reading (comprehension) strategies today and class loved it and enjoyed/achieved tremendously. Thank you.

Raising Attainment in Reading 13.3.15 INSET day at St Mary’s CE Primary, Pulborough, Sussex

Excellent: Thank you for giving us the opportunity to look at so many wonderful books and ideas for guided reading sessions. Teacher

Excellent: Useful to see other texts and share ideas. Will look at developing Reading Journals in EYFS Reception Teacher

Excellent: Very informative and great to have my love for reading re-ignited! Teacher

Loads of ideas and help to teach reading/adopt reading in day to day school life. Trainee Teacher

Phonic Support: INSET day for Primary and Secondary schools

Hi Carole, Many thanks as well to you and to Ruth for a really informative session on Phonics. Sally and I greatly appreciated the opportunity to be there. Ethnic Minority Achievement Adviser after phonic conference

Thank you for the INSET on Phonics – it went down very well with staff who were really enthused by the end of the session. Oakfield Primary headteacher re phonic training

Programme of Phonics support across a year at Monkwick Junior, Colchester 2014-15

Hi Carole. Thank you for your feedback. Your support and advice have been appreciated and welcomed by all. Fingers crossed we continue to make progress. I’ll keep you posted!


Case Study

Reading Project (2012-15 Independent consultant support)

The reason for support

  • To develop reading standards in and across a group of schools
  • To develop excellent practice in the teaching and learning of reading with particular focus on the quality of questioning
  • To develop networks between local schools and potentially support collaborative partnerships to disseminate effective practice

How I helped

Planned and delivered a programme over a number of years with 3 tranches of schools to improve reading, shared quality books and resources, delivered joint training for schools, supported subject leaders to lead improvement in their schools, pupil perceptions, modelled guided reading sessions in schools, monitored and evaluated progress in individual schools

The impact

  • Increased confidence in Subject leaders to develop reading in their schools
  • Increased effectiveness of guided reading sessions
  • Improved achievement and progress in children’s reading
  • Good networking developed between schools

Course Resources

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