Data Review Success Stories
A complete change in attitude towards reading with the results to show for it!
St Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic School, Birmingham
In 2013 St Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic School, part of the Lumen Christi Multi-Academy Trust, invested in Accelerated Reader (AR) and Star Reading (SR) to promote a love and motivation for reading amongst their students.
Since then, the school have gone on to see a year-on-year improvement in their Progress 8 score. Most notably, the Progress 8 score for their disadvantaged pupils has increased substantially over the last two years. In 2019, according to the DfE's latest published data, the school performed within the top 29% of all secondary schools in Birmingham based on Progress 8 Score.
Renaissance solutions are having a significant impact on children’s desire and ability to read.
Vision Multi Academy Trust - Sunny Bank Primary School and Higher Lane Primary School, Bury
We spoke to James Gabrielides, Interim Headteacher at Sunny Bank Primary School, who has been using Accelerated Reader and Star Reading for several years in several different schools. James chats to us about the difference that both Accelerated Reader and Star Reading are having on the reading development of pupils.
How we changed attitudes towards reading with the Complete Literacy Solution from Renaissance
Boothferry Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire
In 2017, Accelerated Reader and Star Reading was brought in to support the school's literacy strategy and promote more positive attitudes towards reading. In February 2019, the school received a 'Good' Ofsted inspection report, with specific recognition of the school's teaching of reading:
"The teaching of reading is a strength of the school. Teachers provide high-quality support for pupils to develop their reading comprehension. Pupils confidently talk about their whole-school reading challenge, which motivates them to gain rewards for reading regularly."
Providing structure to every child’s reading pattern
New Barn School, Horsham
Accelerated Reader and Star Reading have helped teachers to monitor progress by observing their change of Reading Age as well as looking at how strong they are in the different components of Reading.
The Complete Literacy Solution at Finham Park Multi-Academy Trust
FInham Park Multi Academy Trust, Coventry
In 2017, Finham Park School, Finham Park 2 and Lyng Hall School all invested in Accelerated Reader and Star Reading to improve literacy levels and develop a sustainable reading culture. In July 2020, they also invested in myON by Renaissance, the online digital library, to tackle a further loss to reading development to support the blended learning throughout the 20/21 academic year. This is their story.
Using Focus Skills to ensure understanding and mastery
Ellis Guilford Comprehensive School, Nottingham
I want to make use of the data more for teachers and I’m hoping, in time, our teachers will have a better grasp of Accelerated Reader and Star Reading. I think the Star Reading programme will be invaluable for our teachers because once you know whether pupils are growing or not, you can now group them and use the instructional planning report to see what individual skills each pupil has mastered and what they are yet to master, still. Therefore, if teachers begin to regularly work with their individual groups more often then they will be able to offer more appropriate intervention, subsequently allowing them to share this vital data with other teachers.
A noticeable new reading culture
Dunstone Primary School, Plymouth
We spoke to Teaching Assistant (TA), Sally Geary, who has been with the school for twelve years. Sally was only recently appointed the primary contact for Accelerated Reader since January 2019. With the help of a team of dedicated TAs, Sally oversees the daily maintenance and effective administration of the Accelerated Reader and Star Reading programmes. The team have one goal, to help nurture a love of reading for all pupils.
The north east multi-academy trust with a new-look assessment strategy
Wise Academies, North East
We spoke to Natalie Fountain, Executive Head and Regional Hub Leader (Sunderland) who has been in her role at Wise Academies for almost two years about how the trust use Accelerated Reader.
Renaissance at home – Margaret Allen Speaks to the school with the Complete Literacy Solution
Prescot Primary School, Merseyside
Margaret was joined by Lisa Seddon, Deputy Headteacher and Dawn Malloy, Librarian/HLTA at Prescot Primary School. Together, they discussed all things assessment, digital libraries and reading for pleasure during school closures due to Covid-19, March 2020.
Transforming the way our Trust supports learning
David Ross Education Trust, Schools across the UK
We spoke to Lyndsay Bawden, Trust-Wide Subject Lead for English at the David Ross Academy Trust, since 2018. Lyndsay explores the decisions that were made at trust-level to utilise Accelerated Reader and Star Reading as a learning enhancement programme.