What’s inside this report
- Analysis of reading ability and GCSE results of 370,000 secondary school students
- Various perspectives from the Key Stage 3 Literacy Project in Blackpool on how to implement change across a locality
- Practical ideas on how to embed reading across a school
- What to do when students lack basic vocabulary
- How assessment can be used to identify reading problems and pinpoint areas for intervention
- Top tips from practitioners for improving literacy throughout a school
Why we created this report
Several academic studies over the past few years have suggested that there is a strong link between reading ability and general academic performance – but how does this affect subjects such as maths and science? How important is vocabulary and subject literacy? What is the impact of gender and social context?
The report is an attempt to answer those questions – and more.
In the second part of the report, we draw on the initial findings of the Blackpool Key Stage 3 Literacy project, a targeted initiative that aims to raise the reading abilities of children in one of the most challenging areas of the country. We also look at how schools are tackling the reading gap, offering practical advice and strategies you can implement across your school or locality.
