Parochial C of E Primary School in Ashton-under-Lyne was searching for a way to support the reading stamina of their students when a neighbouring school recommended Reading Plus.
Jessica Finlay, Deputy Head at the school, describes how implementing DreamBox Reading Plus led to quantifiable improvements in various aspects of their pupils’ reading experiences.
While Parochial students already displayed strong engagement in reading, “the school remains committed to the ongoing development of curating a love of reading. As a school, we are dedicated to nurturing a lasting passion for reading among our pupils.”
Discover how they achieve this with Reading Plus.
Why was the school looking for help with reading?
While overall comprehension skills were strong, we found that pupils were struggling to maintain their reading stamina and pace during end-of-key-stage tests, ultimately hindering their ability to complete the reading passages. Our objective was to develop automaticity in reading, fostering fluency and confidence in our pupils.
After Reading Plus was recommended to us by a neighbouring school, we explored the website, including the detailed and comprehensive online case studies.
During our initial walkthrough meeting of the programme, we were impressed with key features of the programme and felt that they perfectly aligned with our specific requirements.
Improved reading fluency and stamina with Reading Plus
Reading levels have risen and confidence levels in reading have soared, as they have become more assured and capable readers. Pupils’ overall engagement with reading has also seen improvement.
The most significant impact we’ve observed since adopting Reading Plus has been on fluency and reading stamina. Pupils have developed greater automaticity, reading with more fluency and confidence. Additionally, their reading stamina has notably improved, allowing them to tackle longer and more complex texts with assurance.
Do the children enjoy using the programme?
Our pupils take great pleasure in using Reading Plus. It offers a diverse array of texts tailored to their individual reading levels and there is so much choice. The pupils relish the challenge of progressing through the levelling system. The user-friendly interface ensures that pupils always know their next steps towards success. This sense of autonomy over their own reading progress empowers students and enables them to strive for their own achievements.
Each week, we proudly hand out “levelling up” certificates during our assembly. This is held in high esteem by both pupils and staff alike. We actively promote and celebrate these certificates, urging our pupils to accumulate them over the course of the year.
Furthermore, we regularly submit nominations for the monthly and annual awards organised by Reading Solutions UK. This is a powerful motivator for our students.
Throughout the year, numerous Reading Plus initiatives are integrated into classes. This helps foster a sense of belonging within a reading community, uniting pupils in their shared passion for reading.
What do you like most about the programme?
I personally find value in the comprehensive nature of the ongoing assessments, as they provide a detailed breakdown of each child’s reading abilities. This level of detail allows me to easily identify specific domains where a pupil may be struggling. I can then provide tailored and targeted support to address their individual needs effectively.
The Customer Support Team consistently offer online support which has been an asset. They have been instrumental in helping with in-depth analysis of pupils’ data. This has allowed us to identify the needs of both individual pupils and entire cohorts. Their support has enabled us to spot trends in data, pinpointing the precise support required for each situation.
How valuable has the initial baseline feature been?
The InSight Assessment is a great tool for swiftly gauging the reading levels of students. It supports class teachers in gaining a rapid and comprehensive understanding of their new class’s reading abilities.
The Reading Plus assessments are robust and highly effective in pinpointing the reading levels of all readers. These assessments not only provide valuable insights for staff but also motivate our pupils to succeed. The sense of achievement they experience as they progress through the programme is a great motivator.
Has Reading Plus had a positive effect on the wider curriculum?
Reading is the springboard through which all other learning takes place. Therefore, we have seen impacts across the curriculum as pupils’ reading of wider texts increases and their writing abilities improve. Additionally, their enhanced reading skills have contributed to a reduction in cognitive load when processing information, further supporting progress in the wider curriculum.
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When used as recommended, we expect students will:
- Make six months’ progress in comprehension.
- Increase their reading speed by 20 words per minute.
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