Schools |
Key Stage 2 and 3 results show improvement
The Department for Education has released the provisional results for both 11 and 14-year-olds in schools in England. The results show a small rise in the number of pupils in both age groups reaching the expected levels. Read more
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School's out for summer!
Why not use some of the holidays to catch up on the best of current children's fiction? Our Young Readers Programme has recently updated its free recommended reading lists for less keen and less confident readers aged from birth to 13+.
Looking for inspiration for the new term? Download our free 2011 Schools Guide to Literacy, get pupils off to a flying start with the 50 Book Challenge in our free Where’s Wally? fundraising pack
, find out how you can boost writing skills with our Talk for Writing conferences in London, Bristol and Manchester, or kick off the new term by taking part in our Premier League Reading Stars 2011/12 project for free.
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Schools back 'One in Six' run
After an incredible response to our appeal for schools to take part in our 'One in Six' fundraising run, 10 schools across the UK have been selected for a visit on each 16-mile leg of the journey. At the end of the summer we will be releasing a resource pack for all schools with curriculum-based ideas and opportunities to win prizes. Find out more
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The changing face of CPD
New models in continuing professional development are beginning to emerge as the provision of CPD from local authorities reduces and diversifies. Our Leaders Network Manager, Judy Clarke, has looked at how the systems for supporting literacy practice in school are changing. Read her article
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Poor pupils in struggling schools 'lag further behind'
New research from the Sutton Trust has revealed that the gap between the poorest pupils and their better-off peers in struggling schools in England is wider than in better performing schools. Read more
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Early Years |
DfE report - 'home communication environment' more important than social background
A recent Department for Education report
has found that the home communication environment has a greater impact on early school performance than social background. Author of the report Professor Sue Roulstone has just been confirmed to speak at the November Talk To Your Baby conference where she will discuss her research which includes examples of how to enrich communication in the home. She will join speakers including Dame Clare Tickell. Book your place now
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Red the Robot® competition
We have teamed up with Red the Robot®, a talking robot resource designed to help improve literacy skills, to bring a fun new competition to all UK early years settings and schools. To enter, practitioners must simply take a photo of the children in their setting/class having fun sharing a story, the more creative the better! The winning entry will receive fantastic Red the Robot® resources for their setting. Find out more and enter
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Research reveals concerns about support for practitioners
The results of our survey with Nursery World show that there is great awareness of language and literacy issues in the early years sector and widespread commitment to supporting them, yet there are major concerns about the support available to practitioners. You can read the full report online
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Do some children start nursery not know their own name?
In a recent interview on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, a headteacher said that some children entering the education system do not even know their own name. Jean Gross, the Government's Communication Champion for children, agreed that anecdotally "we do have a problem" and teachers are increasingly concerned that it is "getting worse". Read more
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Local Areas & Services |
New research on home learning
New research from the Campaign for Learning and the Family & Parenting Institute identifies effective support for children's learning at home. The research carried out in 12 local authorities found that parents reported an increase in home learning activities in the first six months after their child started in a funded childcare place. Read more
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New speaker announced for child poverty conference
Professor Peter Hannon will join keynote speaker, Frank Field MP, at our Breaking the Cycle: Aspirations, literacy and the home conference for local areas. Hannon will examine research into the home learning environment while speakers from Nottingham City Council will discuss the success of their Year of Reading campaign. Read more about the October conference
or join our Leaders Network for consultants and lead teachers for a 10% discount on attendance.
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Project boosts young carers' reading
Our recent pilot has inspired young carers to read for pleasure, increasing their chances of success both at school and in the future. Up to 13,000 young carers in the UK spend more than 50 hours a week caring for a parent or sibling so may have limited opportunities to read. Read more about the pilot project or our
resource for schools.
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Promoting communication in Sheffield
As part of Hello, the national year of communication, a Day of Conversation was held in Sheffield to engage children and raise awareness of their city-wide literacy strategy, Every Sheffield Child Articulate and Literate. Read more about its success.
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