We prioritise reading because it is an essential, enabling competence.
Being taught and supported to read well is part of our pupil entitlement. We believe, that aside from keeping our pupils safe, it’s the most important thing that we do.
Being able to read unlocks access to the wider school curriculum. Being able to read well mean that a young person has more choice and agency. Teaching pupils to read well is part of an education that prioritises fairness and social equity.
Various studies have shown that young people who can read well and read often, make significantly more progress not only in reading, but also in mathematics, vocabulary and spelling. Reading is one of the most powerful drivers of academic and personal success.
We have set an ambitious five-year strategy: CAM30. One of our goal areas is the ‘gift of reading’.
Our aim is for 90% of our young people to be able to read well by 2030.
As a trust we are driving this by:
- Having common reading assessments across all our schools
- Training all pupil-facing staff to be teachers of reading
- Having an expert reading lead in all our schools
- Providing high quality support for pupils that need it
- Embedding strong cultures of reading
- Offering a professional network for reading leads across our schools