We caught up with the Curriculum Lead of English at Farringdon Community Academy, Andrea Creegan, to discuss the impact of Reading Plus on average-level gains and how it prepares KS3 students for a transition into KS4 with increased fluency.
Why was your school looking for a reading development programme?
The academy had low reading ages following Covid-19, and so we wanted a programme to increase fluency to support GCSE. Although students did engage in reading, and we rewarded them for reading for pleasure, we had a high percentage of students with low reading age in each year group.
Percentage of students at reading age before using Reading Plus:
- Y7 – 50%
- Y8 – 44%
- Y9 – 45%
Impactful results
After using Reading Plus and before the reading age tests were repeated, we were impressed to see the progress of average level gains data shown in the programme dashboard. Reading Plus also significantly impacted closing the gap with students eligible for pupil premium.
Percentage of students at improved their reading age after using Reading Plus:
- Y7 – 62% of students made progress
- Y8 – 90% of students made progress
- Y9 – 87% of students made progress
Why did you choose Reading Plus?
We heard about Reading Plus through a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) event hosted by Reading Solutions UK, the programme’s provider. We decided to use the programme because we were impressed with its quick, effective results and data accuracy.
As an English leader, one of the things I like the most about Reading Plus is the level of tailored and personalised data it provides for each student.
Valuable features and actionable data
The programme’s features, including the initial baseline assessment, are extremely valuable as they allowed us to understand the groupings of the students and how we could tailor the lessons. Data from the reporting feature also meant that teachers could target students making the least progress, showing which barriers prevented them from achieving high results or progress with their reading.
Easy implementation and outstanding support
The implementation process was simple, and the academy staff felt supported along the way through the training provided by the Customer Support Team.
After the implementation, the students needed to get used to logging on to the website, and the staff required training, but the level of support was fantastic.
The team responded to every question promptly and provided additional training through Zoom whenever required.
Pupil data for motivation
Students enjoy seeing their progress on the programme and work well during the scheduled Reading Plus lesson.
When using Reading Plus, students can accumulate Combos to level up and celebrate their words read and achievements.
Impact on Key Stage progression
We believe the programme’s most positive impact on students was the progress and gains in reading fluency. By using Reading Plus, we feel that students who transition into KS4 are better prepared in their increased fluency and the range of texts they can access.
Book a brief introductory meeting online with one of our Reading Development Consultants to explore the advantages of Reading Plus for your school or multi-academy trust.
Call:
0191 389 6078 (option 2)
Email:
info@readingsolutionsuk.com