Kent is a Reading Recovery Authority

“Reading Recovery is an extremely valuable programme giving enhanced attainment for children receiving Reading Recovery and has the potential to raise reading standards across the whole school.”
Kent Headteacher

Kent has been part of a pilot project “Every Child a Reader”, aiming to embed Reading Recovery in a number of local authorities, since September 2007.

In September 2008 we had over 70 schools in Kent involved in Reading Recovery. Every Child a Reader has been so successful that it has now being rolled out nationally.

What is Reading Recovery?

“I have been a successful teacher for 35 years and I didn’t know how children learn to read until I trained in Reading Recovery. To see these children who were always left behind, catching up with their peers and going on to make the same progress - that’s fantastic - because it will impact the whole year group.” Kent Reading Recovery Teacher

Reading Recovery is an early intervention programme for children who have made very little progress in reading and writing during their first year at school. It involves a daily one-to-one lesson with a highly trained teacher for a period of between 15 and 20 weeks. At the end of that time, most children have caught up with their classmates and can read and write at a level appropriate for their age.

Does it work?

“I have seen the confidence and self-esteem of our children grow. They are viewing themselves as readers - and they are!” Kent Headteacher

Yes! International research has shown Reading Recovery to be very successful with the lowest attaining children. Eight out of every ten children who complete the programme have been enabled to access the curriculum alongside their classmates. Evidence also shows that these children maintain the gains made in Reading Recovery, achieving average-to- good scores on standardised and national tests. Their success with reading and writing leads to greater confidence and often results in improved attendance and behaviour and an altogether more positive attitude towards school work.

Reading and writing are important. In a print-rich society, being able to read is more important than ever before. Besides reading for information, we can also get a lot of enjoyment from stories and poems, learn about other peoples’ feelings and experiences and gain a better understanding of our world.

In school, children are required to read in every area of the curriculum; those who are poor readers tend to fall behind not only in literacy lessons but in other subjects too. Good literacy skills are the key to success in school.

Most children learn to read without any problems. In school they will be taught about the alphabet and the letter sounds, how to recognise whole words by their shape and how to search for meaning in the text. They learn how to process lots of information simultaneously in order to become fluent readers.

Some children do experience difficulties with reading however, for lots of different reasons and need extra help. Evidence shows that if the gap in reading achievement is not closed early on, then it continues to widen and recovery becomes increasingly difficult to achieve.

What is involved?

Reading Recovery teachers undergo rigorous, specialist in-service training to develop their teaching skills for this difficult task. Once qualified, they continue to attend regular training sessions to maintain and refine their skills.
The daily lessons are tailored to each child’s learning needs, incorporating a variety of reading and writing tasks which will ensure success but also move the child on as a literacy learner.

Benefits to the school

Reading Recovery helps schools to raise standards by providing:

• Early identification of children (Yr1) with literacy difficulties, and in most cases, a means of resolving them
• Detailed diagnostic assessment of strengths and difficulties that will help to determine the learning needs of the few children that need longer term support
• A highly trained Reading Recovery teacher who can share skills and expertise with the whole school staff
• Success and improved self-esteem for the children who need it most
  

What is Every Child a Reader?

“By extending Reading Recovery approaches through other interventions such as Better Reading Partnerships, we have also been able to accelerate the progress of another group of Yr 1 & Yr 2 children.” Kent Headteacher

Every Child a Reader is an initiative designed to tackle the literacy difficulties that blight many children’s lives - particularly those of children who live in poverty.

The initiative is funding the training of highly skilled Reading Recovery Teachers to provide early, intensive help to children most in need.
In the second year of Every Child a Reader in Kent, 78% of the lowest attaining children who completed their Reading Recovery programme achieved age appropriate levels in reading and writing.

Why should your school want to be included in the Every Child a Reader project?

“The Reading Recovery programme has had a huge impact on how we, as a school, view reading. Did we “teach” reading or simply “hear” children read?” Kent Headteacher

Every child a Reader:

• Enables a member of staff to be trained in Reading Recovery
• Part funds the trainee Reading Recovery teacher’s salary
• Raises standards in literacy
• Raises expectations of pupil attainment
• Contributes to whole school professional development
• Supports the Every Child Matters agenda
• Closely monitors the progress of vulnerable groups
• Facilitates school self-evaluation
• Closely aligns to the PNS renewed Framework and current thinking in phonics teaching and intervention programmes
• Works successfully alongside other support programmes such as CLLD, RAYS, ISP & ES *
• Provides opportunities to introduce additional early intervention programmes
  * Current Advisory Service Kent schools support programmes

What does the Reading Recovery training involve?

• Attend designated training sessions during, led by Reading Recovery Teacher Leaders
• During the year receive support visits from Reading Recovery Teacher Leader
• Teach a child at an in-service session, behind a one-way mirror, at least twice during the training year
• Make and receive at least one colleague visit
• Meet all requirements for teacher training, including completion of specified set tasks and reading, in order to receive certification recorded on the National Register of Reading Recovery Teachers.