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Effective working with parents to support literacy in the school

Background

Hannah More Primary School is in Lawrence Hill ward, central Bristol, the most deprived ward in the city. Eighty-eight percent of pupils are from Black or minority ethnic backgrounds, and more children than average are learning English as an additional language. The number of children who enrol during term time is well above average, and the proportion of children eligible for free school meals is also well above the national average. The school started implementing Reading Recovery in April 2012 and, building on that start, a strategy for improving family involvement was developed by the school's Senior Leadership Team in 2013. Although the school has very good relations with parents and carers, we are all too aware that many families lack the skills, confidence and resources to support children with reading.

What we did

Early morning reading

This strategy supports children and parents with reading. The Reading Recovery teacher identified children with English as an additional language and other children in need of further support with language development. Children read with learning support assistants who are Better Reading Partners trained and have had further training from the Reading Recovery teacher in developing comprehension. Parents attend alongside, to listen to the teaching of reading. This helps parents understand how to help at home. In 2013, 90% of children made progress and 60% reached the right reading level for their age. 

Parent-led film about reading

Grant funding was obtained to work with a group of Somali dads to create a film 'Reading With Your Child'. After three workshops with the Reading Recovery teacher and a storyteller, the dads worked with a filmmaker to create a DVD focussing on how to read with children. Parents provided voice-overs in Somali and English. Sixty copies were printed and a link was put on the school's website. By March 2014 the page had received 1,225 hits.

Reception reading strategies

The Reading Recovery teacher, the Family Learning mentor, teachers and volunteers met to decide which support Reception families should be offered. Either:

  • reading surgeries (one-to-one meetings, where parents work alongside the Reading Recovery teacher who is supporting their child with reading)
  • 'Reception Literacy Project' staffed by volunteers who are trained by the Reading Recovery teacher
  • Or Better Reading Partners reading, with the Family Learning mentor.

This provision covers all families in Reception and is mapped and updated in terms two, four and six. We have involved 36 families to date (March, 2014).

Sustainability

Reception reading strategies and early morning reading are now part of regular school provision. The reading DVD has been widely distributed across Bristol schools and following the distribution of it, especially to Somali families, the average points score for Somali children in Hannah Moore School has increased to 4.9, which is 0.3 points above the national reading standard.

Now that more children are attaining the right reading level our support can be directed elsewhere. This academic year (2013-14) we are supporting our Pakistani community, whose attainment is lower than other ethnicities.