Get Oxfordshire Reading: Campaign launched to improve children's literacy

10:50am Tuesday 25th September 2012 in News Photograph of the Author Exclusive By Fran Bardsley, covering Education, East Oxford and Cowley. Call me on 01865 425439

Aaliyah Safdon and Jaya Dhariwai reading at St Ebbe's Primary in Oxford Buy this photo » Aaliyah Safdon and Jaya Dhariwai reading at St Ebbe's Primary in Oxford

THE gauntlet has been thrown down to the whole of Oxfordshire to help get children reading.

The Oxfordshire Reading Campaign is being launched today to help boost children’s literacy skills and foster a lifelong love of reading.

Parents and the wider community are being asked to give up their own time to help make a real difference to young readers.

There will be many ways for people to get directly involved in the campaign over the next two years.

Oxfordshire County Council has set aside £585,142 for its reading campaign, which is being backed by the Oxford Mail and run by the National Literacy Trust.

reading campaign logo 480 pix

Today we can also reveal the 81 county primary schools across the county it has invited to take part.

The campaign launch follows a string of statistics which showed youngsters were underperforming at all levels, particularly at Key Stage 1.

County council cabinet member for education Melinda Tilley said: “When I first took this job and realised how very low down the league tables we are, I asked if we could do some sort of scheme.

“It has taken much longer than I thought because these things move very slowly.

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“Initially everyone said ‘we have tried all this before and it didn’t work’ but this time it’s collected its own set of legs and I am very encouraged and really looking forward to it.”

There are two main goals to the campaign. The first is to increase the number of seven-year-olds achieving a Level 2b at age seven – higher than the expected Level 2 – to 86 per cent by 2014. This represents a rise of 12 percentage points.

The other is to increase enjoyment and confidence in reading.

The invited schools have been identified using data relating to Key Stage 1 results over the last three years.

No school will be told they must take part in the two-year programme.

But those that do will benefit from training and professional development, provided by Edge Hill University in Ormskirk, for teaching assistants, teachers, literacy co-ordinators and headteachers.

A reading intervention programme, delivered by teaching assistants in school and using the Project X Code books produced by Oxford University Press, will run alongside a one-to-one volunteer reading scheme, all working with Year 2 pupils.

Alongside the work in school will be a campaign aimed at getting parents, families, businesses, and the wider community involved.

Among the schools invited to sign up is Cutteslowe Primary School in North Oxford. Headteacher Jon Gray said he hoped to find out more about what was involved before making a final decision.

But he said: “Anything that supports children and supports schools to move children forward is a good thing.”

Tina Farr, headteacher of Carswell Primary School, Abingdon, said: “It sounds great. I think we are likely to want to do it.”

Susie Bagnall, headteacher at St Ebbe’s Primary School, South Oxford, said: “I think it’s a very positive initiative and fits with an area of school development for us.

“I am very impressed by the level of detail and the support offered and we are looking forward to participating.”

Those who have already pledged to provide support include the National Union of Teachers and county libraries.

​What sparked the campaign

  • Nov 2010: Key Stage 1 results at schools in Oxford revealed as worst in country, with almost a quarter failing to reach expected levels in reading. Oxfordshire placed second from bottom in list of similar local authority areas.
  • Feb 2011: Oxfordshire County Council plans an inquiry into the results.
  • May 2011: Cabinet member for schools improvement, Michael Waine, stands down but denies poor results are reason. Melinda Tilley appointed to succeed him.
  • Oct 2011: New tests show Oxford city is still bottom for writing but has made slight improvements in maths and reading in Key Stage One results.
  • Nov 2011: Six-point improvement plan launched
  • Dec 2011: Key Stage 2 results which show nearly a third of Oxford 11-year-olds fail to get the expected grade branded “rubbish” by Mrs Tilley.
  • May 2012: New county council leader Ian Hudspeth told to make improving education standards a priority by Prime Minister and Witney MP David Cameron.
  • July 2012: Campaign to improve reading standards at primary schools launched.
  • Sep 2012: Full details of scheme revealed.

Comments (4)

2:16pm Tue 25 Sep 12

West Oxon Webwatcher says...

The key words in this report are:
"Parents and the wider community are being asked to give up their own time to help make a real difference to young readers." The major problem is that in many families with young chidren both parents need to go out to work to pay the cost of mortgages due to high loans for high Oxon house prices together with all the affluent necessities of nowadays such all the latest high tech home kit and expensive foreign holidays in the sun. As a result they do not have the time to sit with their children and show them how to read - much easier to put them in front of a TV or games machine. I could read before I started primary school at age 5 but that was nearly 70 years ago. My own children could read before they first attended school at age 5+ but that was over 35 years ago when my wife had given up paid work to to run the family and that gave time for both I and my wife to spend with our children. I somehow cannot see these days returning with families expecting the state to do more of their family work for them. Only today at the Lib-Dem conference it was announced that nursery education will be made available for 2 year olds! That will have to be paid for by higher taxes for everyone and probably mean that the second wage earner in a family will have to work a few more hours longer each week.
The key words in this report are: "Parents and the wider community are being asked to give up their own time to help make a real difference to young readers." The major problem is that in many families with young chidren both parents need to go out to work to pay the cost of mortgages due to high loans for high Oxon house prices together with all the affluent necessities of nowadays such all the latest high tech home kit and expensive foreign holidays in the sun. As a result they do not have the time to sit with their children and show them how to read - much easier to put them in front of a TV or games machine. I could read before I started primary school at age 5 but that was nearly 70 years ago. My own children could read before they first attended school at age 5+ but that was over 35 years ago when my wife had given up paid work to to run the family and that gave time for both I and my wife to spend with our children. I somehow cannot see these days returning with families expecting the state to do more of their family work for them. Only today at the Lib-Dem conference it was announced that nursery education will be made available for 2 year olds! That will have to be paid for by higher taxes for everyone and probably mean that the second wage earner in a family will have to work a few more hours longer each week. West Oxon Webwatcher

3:49pm Tue 25 Sep 12

Christine Hovis says...

Is anyone else depressed by the county's approach?

Great quote:

“It has taken much longer than I thought because these things move very slowly"

and then the solution: schools can volunteer to a campaign to have volunteers.
Is anyone else depressed by the county's approach? Great quote: “It has taken much longer than I thought because these things move very slowly" and then the solution: schools can volunteer to a campaign to have volunteers. Christine Hovis

8:29pm Tue 25 Sep 12

Geraldine Carter says...

Surely this solution masks the reason why Oxford has had such poor results? In the East End of London with pupils speaking over 100 diffierent languages,results are far, far better than Oxford's - to take just one example.

Last year I requested, on more than one occasion, Oxford Brookes' Reading List for its PGCE students, in order to understand exactly how their students were being taught to teach early reading. No reply. Why?. It is early reading instruction that is crucial for laying down foundational skills and Oxford Brookes' refusal to release their reading list on request does not bode well.

It would appear that Oxford continues to teach early reading by using the discredited methods that led to the fall in literacy rates in the first place. No amount of willing volunteers will address that instructional 'black hole'..

Now with this 'patched-up', expensive and muddled instruction Oxford expects its failing children to be able to access the secondary curriculum.

Just as crucial, the content of the books is abysmally dumbed down. This is a mortifying choice for Oxford and a tragedy for the children.
Geraldine Carter
East Oxford
Surely this solution masks the reason why Oxford has had such poor results? In the East End of London with pupils speaking over 100 diffierent languages,results are far, far better than Oxford's - to take just one example. Last year I requested, on more than one occasion, Oxford Brookes' Reading List for its PGCE students, in order to understand exactly how their students were being taught to teach early reading. No reply. Why?. It is early reading instruction that is crucial for laying down foundational skills and Oxford Brookes' refusal to release their reading list on request does not bode well. It would appear that Oxford continues to teach early reading by using the discredited methods that led to the fall in literacy rates in the first place. No amount of willing volunteers will address that instructional 'black hole'.. Now with this 'patched-up', expensive and muddled instruction Oxford expects its failing children to be able to access the secondary curriculum. Just as crucial, the content of the books is abysmally dumbed down. This is a mortifying choice for Oxford and a tragedy for the children. Geraldine Carter East Oxford Geraldine Carter

12:07am Thu 4 Oct 12

jorchard says...

If you have someone (any age above 7) in your family who can't read or struggles to read, you can teach them to read at home. If school has failed them, try a different method which is helping many people to understand how to read successfully. It is logical and the 'new reader' quickly realises that they are reading without guessing or doing tedious worksheets.

They use, not learn, only the important sounds of the 26 letters of the alphabet. Every word is based on those sounds and every word is constructed logically. Every word is a 'working-out' word. Any changes are illustrated with stunning coloured photographs.

Simple pictorial instructions are provided for the 'helper'. Should you find
a sticking point or something of which you are unsure, you can phone or
email to discuss how to resume progress. This free back-up facility is offered to ensure that you guide your family member or friend to swiftly become a successful reader.

The 'new reader' soon realises that they are succeeding and that it was not their fault that they had not learned to read. If they had learned in this way initially, they would not have had a problem.

If you wish to discover more about this short reading course, read the suggestions from other 'helpers' and success stories, go to www.reading-fantasti
c.com . This not-for-profit reading organisation is set up to help you to take control and CHANGE the LIFE of someone who undeservedly, has experienced unnecessary failure.

Don't wait for more initiatives and well-intentioned schemes.
Do it yourself!!
If you have someone (any age above 7) in your family who can't read or struggles to read, you can teach them to read at home. If school has failed them, try a different method which is helping many people to understand how to read successfully. It is logical and the 'new reader' quickly realises that they are reading without guessing or doing tedious worksheets. They use, not learn, only the important sounds of the 26 letters of the alphabet. Every word is based on those sounds and every word is constructed logically. Every word is a 'working-out' word. Any changes are illustrated with stunning coloured photographs. Simple pictorial instructions are provided for the 'helper'. Should you find a sticking point or something of which you are unsure, you can phone or email to discuss how to resume progress. This free back-up facility is offered to ensure that you guide your family member or friend to swiftly become a successful reader. The 'new reader' soon realises that they are succeeding and that it was not their fault that they had not learned to read. If they had learned in this way initially, they would not have had a problem. If you wish to discover more about this short reading course, read the suggestions from other 'helpers' and success stories, go to www.reading-fantasti c.com . This not-for-profit reading organisation is set up to help you to take control and CHANGE the LIFE of someone who undeservedly, has experienced unnecessary failure. Don't wait for more initiatives and well-intentioned schemes. Do it yourself!! jorchard

Comments are closed on this article.

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