Pilot scheme leads to ‘spectacular’ improvement in reading skills (From Keighley News)

Pilot scheme leads to ‘spectacular’ improvement in reading skills

9:21am Thursday 18th December 2008

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

Children who were struggling to read made “spectacular” improvements after a trial scheme was run for only 30 minutes a day in Bradford-district schools.

Academics hailed the success of the Every Child a Reader project, which was tested on six-year-olds in 19 primary schools.

They said the children improved their reading age by nearly two years — at four times the normal rate — after receiving one-to-one tuition for 30 minutes a day, for between 12 and 20 weeks.

The verdict on the £10 million three-year pilot programme, which took place at nearly 500 schools nationwide, clears the way for it to be extended to schools across the country.

It also raises hopes of across-the-board improvements in reading skills at primary level. Across England, about 30,000 children — more than one in 20 — move on to secondary school every year without the most basic skills in English.

At the 19 Bradford-district primaries selected, pupils were given extra reading time to help them catch up with their peers.

The struggling youngsters tended to be from poorer backgrounds.

Gill Cartwright, Education Bradford’s teacher leader for reading recovery, said 18 more reading recovery teachers were being trained.

“This will double the number of schools in the district giving this vital support to their most vulnerable children,” she added.

Keighley schools which took part in the pilot scheme were Guard House, Holycroft and St Andrew’s.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)