How can schools close the gap in reading outcomes between FSM children and their non-FSM peers?

“The biggest danger with reading development, is that children comfort read,” says Richard Slade. “They will keep reading books they know and words and text they are familiar with, but they won’t develop meaning, inference and deduction – all the areas that add up to comprehension. They plateau.”

That is one of the main reasons his school, Plumcroft Primary in Greenwich, London, opted for Accelerated Reader (AR), which, as the name suggests, motivates children to read more. It does so, Richard explains, by utilising a familiar concept in education – the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) – the optimal level at which learning can be challenging without being overwhelming. Once the reading ability of every child at Plumcroft is determined using the Star Reading assessment, each pupil is encouraged to read books quizzed for AR that fall within their ZPD to maximise their reading potential.

“Children will probably be familiar with most of the vocabulary in the books suggested, so they’re not stumbling over every single word,” Richard says, “but a small percentage of the text will be unfamiliar and challenging, so it stretches them and makes them better readers. It’s amazing – it gives them the confidence to read more challenging material, but in a managed way.”

Helping disadvantaged pupils

Plumcroft, where Richard is Executive Head, is a large, five-form entry primary school in an area of London with high deprivation. Over a third of its 1,000 pupils are on free school meals. But Richard says that Plumcroft has managed to reduce the gap in reading between FSM pupils and their non-FSM peers, largely because of the school’s use of AR and its structured approach to reading. Indeed, the latest research suggests disadvantaged students who use AR are likely to be much better prepared for key stage exams than those who do not.

“The reason why our disadvantaged pupils do so well is because of AR’s positive, evidence-based approach to reading. It’s the opposite of suddenly giving a book to a child and them giving up because they can’t read much of the text. AR provides a structured challenge, tailored to each child, that’s sustainable, develops comprehension and engenders a real love of reading.”

“The fact that thousands of e-books via myON link directly to AR, and are also accessible on phones, laptops or any portable devices, helps level the playing field. You’ve suddenly got access to thousands of books that wouldn’t necessarily be in your house.”

Maintaining progress 

AR Literacy Skill quizzes are, Richard says, key to maintaining progress. “They don’t assess mechanical reading – can you read these or those words – it’s all about inference, deduction and character development. They’re really challenging. You can’t just give simple answers.”

The research showing the benefits of AR also found that the better the programme was implemented, the better the student outcomes. So, what does Richard think makes for best practice when it comes to AR? He suggest an eyes on the PRIZE approach, so all students benefit:

1. Parents: take them with you. “Lots of parents mistake their child for a good reader because they can read the words. But that doesn’t mean they can predict what’s going to happen next, or the emotions that are sat behind some of the characters, actions and reactions. It’s mechanistic reading, not reading for meaning. So, teach parents not just to listen to their child read but also to ask good questions about meaning, about characters and about plot development.”
2. Reward scheme: show how much you value reading. “We’ve instituted a reward scheme so that if a child over half a term gets above 90% in their AR quizzes and reads more than 15 books, they can come to me, and I’ll buy them a book of their choice and write a congratulatory message. It reinforces that reading is highly valued by the person running the school and by all the staff. It’s been incredibly successful!”
3. Include all students: make it an inclusive whole school strategy. “Schools may be tempted to restrict the programme to a year group or to those who are struggling. But that simply limits the impact because you’ve predefined the children you assume are going to benefit, when in fact every child can benefit. If a Year 6 child has a reading age of 15, AR will select books appropriate to their reading age not their chronological age. There is no glass ceiling.”
4. ZPD range: use book levels to drive book choice. “Every school has thousands of books, all of which require a Book Level label. They are available on the Renaissance website – and it’s a vital but mundane chore. To save on the donkey work – and to ensure all your books are tagged correctly – it’s worth paying an outside firm to do it. Believe me, your staff will thank you for it!”
5. Evidence-based: ensure everyone understands it. “It’s crucial that every child, every member of staff – teachers and teaching assistants – and every parent knows what AR is and how it works. Show them the evidence, explain its value. We relentlessly implement it from Year 2 upwards, as soon as Star Assessments are done. Once people understand that AR is evidence-based, sustainable and embedded for the long term, everyone gets with the programme.”

Richard Slade is Executive Headteacher of Plumcroft Primary School in Greenwich, London.