Reading Recovery

Published 24/04/2024.  Last updated 09/08/2024

Background

East Renfrewshire Council has seven secondary schools and 24 primary schools, of which 13 have nursery classes. There are ten family centres and one school for children and young people with additional support needs (ASN). The majority of families live in urban areas.

Rationale

In 2017 an analysis of reading attainment found that reading was an area of priority. The Reading Recovery programme began the same year. The programme supports the lowest achieving children in Primary 2. It enables them to reach age-expected reading levels in around 20 weeks.

University College London (UCL) provide the training and accreditation for the reading recovery programme.

Attainment Scotland Funding

Strategic Equity Funding: Over £50,000

Reading recovery case study

East Renfrewshire Council appointed two principal teachers (PTs) of literacy in 2017. Both received training from UCL to become Reading Recovery (RR) teacher leaders.

Since 2017, 30 teachers from 22 schools have trained to become RR accredited. RR teachers attend half day sessions every two weeks during the first year of their training. Following this, they attend eight sessions across per year to maintain their accreditation.

RR teachers identify the children who would benefit from the programme. This involves carrying out multiple diagnostic assessments. Using the results they select the lowest attaining children for the RR programme. Participants receive 30 minutes of intensive and tailored, one to one support every day for 12 to 20 weeks with the RR teacher.

One of the biggest challenges of the programme is protecting the RR teacher’s time to work with individual children. Where this has happened, impact has been greatest.

Impact

The first cohort of pupils who took part in the programme in 2018 are currently in primary seven. From this cohort, 75% were meeting or exceeding national standards for reading in October 2023. Of the 375 pupils who have participated in the programme up to and including the 2022-23 session:

  • 87% of these pupils completed the programme
  • 71% of pupils who completed the programme reached age-expected literacy levels
  • 29% of pupils who completed the programme were referred for further support
  • 11% of pupils had incomplete programmes
  • 2% had no outcome recorded

All teachers who have participated speak positively about the impact on their practice. Several of these teachers commented on the transformational impact the programme has had on the pupils in their classes.

Parents of the pupils involved have also commented on the wider impact. They have commented that their children have more enthusiasm for homework and have begun to read for pleasure on a more regular basis.

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Reading Recovery

Published 24/04/2024.  Last updated 09/08/2024

Background

East Renfrewshire Council has seven secondary schools and 24 primary schools, of which 13 have nursery classes. There are ten family centres and one school for children and young people with additional support needs (ASN). The majority of families live in urban areas.

Rationale

In 2017 an analysis of reading attainment found that reading was an area of priority. The Reading Recovery programme began the same year. The programme supports the lowest achieving children in Primary 2. It enables them to reach age-expected reading levels in around 20 weeks.

University College London (UCL) provide the training and accreditation for the reading recovery programme.

Attainment Scotland Funding

Strategic Equity Funding: Over £50,000

Reading recovery case study

East Renfrewshire Council appointed two principal teachers (PTs) of literacy in 2017. Both received training from UCL to become Reading Recovery (RR) teacher leaders.

Since 2017, 30 teachers from 22 schools have trained to become RR accredited. RR teachers attend half day sessions every two weeks during the first year of their training. Following this, they attend eight sessions across per year to maintain their accreditation.

RR teachers identify the children who would benefit from the programme. This involves carrying out multiple diagnostic assessments. Using the results they select the lowest attaining children for the RR programme. Participants receive 30 minutes of intensive and tailored, one to one support every day for 12 to 20 weeks with the RR teacher.

One of the biggest challenges of the programme is protecting the RR teacher’s time to work with individual children. Where this has happened, impact has been greatest.

Impact

The first cohort of pupils who took part in the programme in 2018 are currently in primary seven. From this cohort, 75% were meeting or exceeding national standards for reading in October 2023. Of the 375 pupils who have participated in the programme up to and including the 2022-23 session:

  • 87% of these pupils completed the programme
  • 71% of pupils who completed the programme reached age-expected literacy levels
  • 29% of pupils who completed the programme were referred for further support
  • 11% of pupils had incomplete programmes
  • 2% had no outcome recorded

All teachers who have participated speak positively about the impact on their practice. Several of these teachers commented on the transformational impact the programme has had on the pupils in their classes.

Parents of the pupils involved have also commented on the wider impact. They have commented that their children have more enthusiasm for homework and have begun to read for pleasure on a more regular basis.

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