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Impact upon reading at home
The impact upon reading at home is evident with an increase from 4 pupils to 12 pupils
indicating that they have time to read at home. In addition, there was more than a
100% increase of pupils responding that they like reading in their free time, a view
reinforced by one interviewee who alluded to the amount of children choosing to take
books outside with them during break times. The number of pupils responding that they
enjoyed going to book shops (Q20) has risen from 4 to 16 pupils which may indicate how
the reading promotion programme has impacted upon home. Teachers in the focus
group indicated that the planned reading events, including the extreme reading
competition and celebration of book day had encouraged parents to become involved in
the reading for pleasure ethos and that the ‘dads reading in school’ activity had also
contributed to this result. One of the key members of staff explained how the extreme
reading competition had inspired one usually very quiet pupil to seek her out and to talk
enthusiastically about the book she had used for the competition.
Time to read at home (Q23) revealed a significant increase which would again suggest
that reading for pleasure was being valued within the home environment and although
no interviews with parents were undertaken, staff concluded that anecdotal comments
from parents during consultation evenings indicated that this was in part, as a result of
the implementation programme within school.
Successes and Challenges
All staff interviewed concluded that the programme had been successful in enhancing
current provision with the opening of the new school library being heralded as a key
factor in this:
‘children were missing their lunch because they were so excited to get to the library’ and
‘constantly ask me to get books by particular authors’. The opening of the new library
may also have contributed to the rise in children indicating that they regularly go to the
library (Q7). One key member of staff spoke about how reading had helped to develop
confidence and self esteem with some children. One child who had previously struggled
to finish a book had come to her and talked about how many pages she had read and
how she would be finished very soon because she was eager to reach the end.
In addition, the reading cafe was popular with children and one interviewee talked
about how the children ’were really enthused by it...it inspired them to read at home,
perhaps if they didn’t read with their parents at home before bedtime and it was nice
the next day to see them come in with a couple of their favourite (books)’. The literacy
co-ordinator felt inspired to ‘start a reading club next year’.
