From trial to permanent fixture

Allendale Primary School, Northumberland

Allendale Primary School has been using Renaissance solutions since 2016 when they first took part in the Education Endowment Foundation's trial of Accelerated Reader. The trial's objective was to analyse the impact that Accelerated Reader had on pupils' reading engagement and development.

Five years on, Allendale Primary School continue to enjoy the benefits of Accelerated Reader and Star Reading for their pupils' reading enjoyment. Headteacher Alison Hawkins explains why the school opted to take part in the EEF trial with Accelerated Reader. She outlines why Accelerated Reader is as crucial to the school's reading development strategy now as it was five years ago.

Talking Points: Assessment, Data, Data Review, Pupil Progress, Reading Culture, Reading for Pleasure, Staff Workload, Student Engagement, Whole-School Literacy

A rejuvenated reading culture leading to Ofsted recognised impact

Davison CE High School for Girls, West Sussex

Davison CE High School for Girls have been using the complete literacy solution from Renaissance Learning UK since 2013. In the 2019/20 academic year, Laylah Moore became the schools permanent LRC manager. Laylah brought with her an aspiration and goal to enhance the school's reading culture and ensure more students are reading for pleasure and academic opportunity in her new role. Since 2013 Davison CE High School for Girls has seen a steady rise in progress 8 scores for mainstream and disadvantaged pupils. Laylah wants to ensure that these high standards are maintained across the school and that all students can access cross-curricular resources confidently by acquiring proficiency in reading.

Talking Points: Assessment, Celebration, Comprehension, Data, Data Review, Incentives, Independent Reading, Intervention, Library Use, Motivation, Ofsted, Progress Monitoring, Pupil Premium, Pupil Progress, Reading Culture, Reading for Pleasure, Staff Engagement, Staff Workload, Student Engagement, Target Setting, Whole-School Literacy

On the road to recovery

Christ the Redeemer Primary School, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Christ the Redeemer School have been using Renaissance solutions for over a decade. In the midst of a global pandemic with schools across Northern Ireland being forced to partially close their doors to pupils, the school continue to maintain high levels of reading engagement and staff have managed to avoid seeing too big of a drop in learning based on recent assessment data. The school even faced an inspection at the halfway point of the pandemic and were still able to produce an accurate and detailed analysis of their pupils' progress and subsequent teaching strategies to support those who had dropped off in both reading and mathematics.

Talking Points: Assessment, Attainment, Celebration, Comprehension, Data, Data Review, Incentives, Independent Reading, Intervention, Motivation, Parents, Progress, Progress Monitoring, Pupil Progress, Reading Age, Reading At Home, Reading Culture, Reading for Pleasure, Staff Engagement, Staff Workload, Student Engagement, Target Setting, Whole-School Literacy

Quantifying Reading Success

GEMS FirstPoint, Dubai, UAE

We spoke to the Head of English at GEMS FirstPoint School, Dubai, about how Renaissance solutions maintain high levels of reading engagement and proficiency for all pupils.

Talking Points: Assessment, Data, Data Review, Incentives, Independent Reading, Intervention, Library Use, Motivation, Parents, Progress Monitoring, Reading Culture, Staff Engagement, Whole-School Literacy, Word Millionaires

A New Strategy To Get Students’ Reading Back On Track

The Long Eaton School, Derbyshire

The Long Eaton School have been successfully utilising Accelerated Reader and Star Reading since 2013. In August 2020, new Qualified Teacher Librarian Althea Briers joined the school when engaging students with reading for pleasure and developing reading proficiency was more crucial than ever.
Due to school part-closures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, Althea and her colleagues had the challenging task of refamilalrising and reintegrating students with a library system that makes reading accessible and part of students daily lives once again. 

Talking Points: Assessment, Celebration, Data, Data Review, Incentives, Independent Reading, Intervention, Library Use, Motivation, Ofsted, Parents, Progress Monitoring, Pupil Progress, Reading Culture, Reading for Pleasure, Staff Engagement, Staff Workload, Student Engagement, Whole-School Literacy

Reading attainment that’s never been better at St Botolphs CE Academy

St Botolphs CE Academy, Wakefield

Talking Points: Assessment, Celebration, Data, Data Review, Intervention, Library Use, Motivation, Progress Monitoring, Reading Culture, Reading for Pleasure, Staff Engagement, Student Engagement, Target Setting

GEMS Education International Schools Success

GEMS Education, International

Talking Points: Assessment, Data, Data Review, Independent Reading, Library Use, Reading Culture, Reading for Pleasure, Staff Engagement, Staff Workload, Whole-School Literacy

The Complete Literacy Solution across Hales Valley Trust

Hales Valley Trust, Dudley

Hales Valley Trust, situated in Dudley, has produced unprecedented product usage statistics throughout one of the most challenging years in education due to school part-closures due to COVID-19. We contacted the Director of School Improvement for the Trust, Rebecca Cox, who explains how the Trust has ensured consistent and strong reading practice across all schools both in and out of school.

Talking Points: Assessment, Celebration, Data, Data Review, Incentives, Independent Reading, Intervention, Library Use, Motivation, Progress Monitoring, Reading Culture, Reading for Pleasure, Staff Engagement, Staff Workload, Student Engagement, Whole-School Literacy

Ensuring reading progress is constant and trackable with the Complete Literacy Solution

Cranleigh School, Abu Dhabi

I would definitely recommend Accelerated Reader and Star Reading as a way of tracking students' progression.

Talking Points: Assessment, Data, Data Review, Intervention, Motivation, Progress Monitoring, Reading Culture, Reading for Pleasure, Staff Engagement, Staff Workload, Student Engagement, Whole-School Literacy

The Complete Literacy Solution at Harrow Bangkok

Harrow Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand

Following a discovery of outstanding Renaissance Learning solution usage statistics, we got in touch with Tyla Arabas, Head of English Faculty, to find out what staff and students are doing that makes Harrow Bangkok such a successful reading school.

Talking Points: Assessment, Celebration, Data, Data Review, EAL, Incentives, Independent Reading, Intervention, Library Use, Motivation, Progress Monitoring, Pupil Progress, Reading At Home, Reading Culture, Reading for Pleasure, Staff Engagement, Staff Workload, Student Engagement, Target Setting