Last year, Middlesbrough Reads were able to offer book donations to schools who took part in our Annual Literacy Survey. Acklam Grange, a local secondary school, have been able to use the survey results and the 50 books we donated, to help promote a love for reading across the school.
In total, 22 Middlesbrough Schools (primary, secondary, pupil reform units, and special educational schools) surveyed 2277 pupils, all of whom received their books just before the Christmas holidays.
Our Annual Literacy Survey explores children and young people’s reading and writing enjoyment, behaviour and attitudes, and is the biggest survey of its kind. This year, we’re able to add localised questions in the areas where we have established campaigns to help track our effectiveness and plan future targeted activity.
Middlesbrough Reads was launched in 2013 as the first of our Literacy Hubs to improve the literacy and future prospects of the town’s children. Through our work, we have helped to decrease the early years development gap; in 2013 it was 22.6 percentage points behind the national average, and last year this gap had closed to 8.6 percentage points.
Although our campaign focuses on young children and families, the Annual Literacy Survey allows us to reach older pupils. Acklam Grange surveyed over 530 students and were delighted with the books they received. These topped up their form readers, which they were short of, and were also used for intervention classes.
Gene Kemp’s Ghost and Ghouls proved particularly popular with the pupils, and we were able to provide the school with an additional 28 copies. These were used to boost the reading skills of Key Stage 3 pupils as well as promoting a love for reading.
“The books gifted by the National Literacy Trust have been invaluable when targeting reluctant readers and those with weaker literacy skills. There is also potential to use some of the books with EAL students and larger sets with form groups to promote a love of reading across the whole school. Thank you so much!"
Steph Coyle (Acklam Grange English Faculty)