Interim Findings Summer Reading Challenge: Impact Research 2009

1. Interim Findings Summer Reading Challenge: Impact Research 2009 ‘Just the books, they hook you in.’ Finn, Y6

2. The United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA) carried out an evaluative research project designed to record the impact of the Summer Reading Challenge on children’s reading. UKLA has extensive experience of evaluative and collaborative developmental research including: • Raising Boys’ Achievements in Writing in collaboration with the Primary National Strategy • Reading on Screen with QCA • Teachers as Readers then Building Communities of Readers in collaboration with the Primary National Strategy • Building Communities: Researching Literacy Lives.

3. Aims • To produce snapshot surveys of the work of three regions undertaking SRC in summer 2009. • To analyse how far the intentions of the programme have been met in these regions and to identify the impact on pupils drawn from a range of backgrounds with different levels of motivation. • To use teacher assessments, as well as pupils’ perceptions. • To produce case study evidence of successful aspects of ‘best practice’.

4. Headline findings: the children • The SRC contributes to maintained levels of commitment and achievement in reading and contributes to preventing the ‘summer holiday dip’. • The children who took part in the SRC saw it as an overwhelmingly positive experience. ‘Getting all the stickers, that was dead good.’ Y3 girl ‘It’s helpful because I wasn’t a massive fan before and the lady came in to tell us about the reading challenge and I thought it was good opportunity and now I’ve started, like reading, I love it.’ Y6 boy

5. Headline findings: the children • The SRC boosts children’s inclination to read at home. • Children value opportunities to talk about reading with families, friends, librarians and teachers. • The SRC widens the reading range and repertoire of the children who participate. ‘I laykt to read to my beabykousan a polish book.’ Y4 girl ‘His reading was very limited, he was enthusiastic about books... film based... He was enthusiastic about those... but very limited what he read... He was in after-school club and he crashed into me because he was walking around with Harry Potter...absolutely engrossed in it, nose in it, and talking to him, he has started to read from this a whole different type, a whole different genre, he’s reading much more extended texts and he’s moving away from the safe, film based ones.’ Literacy Subject Leader

6. Draw a picture of yourself doing the SRC...

7. Headline findings: the children • The children who undertook the SRC read far more books over the summer than those who are keen readers but who did not undertake the Challenge. ‘I like the Summer Reading Challenge because when you choose your books there was talking books that you put into the CD player.’ Y2 girl

8. Y6 boy ‘(Libraries) are interesting because it’s quiet.’ RK ‘Why do you like it being quiet?’ Y6 boy ‘Yeah, cause I live with noisy people.’ ‘I’m not a big fan of libraries cause I like to settle. I’m used to having my own bedroom, sitting down and reading a book that way cause it’s really quiet in the library and I’m not used to it.’ Y6 boy

9. Headline findings: the teachers • Teachers see the SRC as beneficial. ‘There were some lovely stories about children who’ve gone to the library. ***, who was in my class came to me and said, ‘I didn’t realise there were so many books in the library.’ One of the other children told me they’d found a really good book about sharks... It really seems to have aroused a lot of enthusiasm and interest in going to the library and clearly some children had never been.’ Literacy Subject Leader ‘The enthusiasm came when we looked at the Quest Seekers’ website - the games - that’s when they became really enthusiastic about it... That was the real hook for them.’ Literacy Subject Leader

10. Headline findings: the teachers • Teachers are keen readers of books and mainly fiction. • Being an enthusiastic reader is the key to successful teaching of reading.

11. Headline findings: the teachers • The role of the headteacher is critical in supporting children’s readiness to engage with the Summer Reading Challenge. ‘When we came in the headteacher knew what the SRC was about, he was very much on board and very encouraging. Hmm he was great at emphasising to the young people that this was something that they should get involved in.’ Library Information Assistant ‘It is something to get parents involved with because... they do amaze us. They love the family learning and we’ve run quite a few courses where we involve the children and parents.’ Headteacher

12. Headline findings: the teachers • The personal relationship between the librarian and the teachers and children is key to developing strong reading habits. • There is a wealth of good practice in schools which engage fully with the Challenge. ‘I’m looking forward to next year because then I can really go to town.’ Y2 teacher

13. ‘We are much more well equipped to promote and personalise the challenge in our school... have a lot more focus on it in school.’ Y5 teacher

14. Headline findings: the librarians • Librarians believe that the SRC is an opportunity to engage with children and their reading. ‘It is important to keep connections with the schools.’ Youth worker attached to a local library ‘A lot of the time those children find it difficult to choose a genre that would appeal to them or they don’t have a good knowledge of authors or genres... Going to the library, selecting and being exposed to loads of different types of texts, that’s not part of their experience... We visit the library regularly and it’s an ongoing skill...’ Y6 teacher

15. Headline findings: the librarians • Librarians represent a rich resource for children and teachers alike. ‘I know that the majority of them (my class) visited the library over the summer and when I asked them that was because they knew somebody there...I’ll give you an example of one child who said the only reason they went was to go and see Liz (the librarian) again... Not all of them started it (the SRC)... a load of them went and lots of children joined the library.’ Y5 Teacher

16. Headline findings: the librarians • Schools and families appreciate libraries offering flexibility in arrangements. ‘He is really accommodating, he’s a really nice chap and that is key to it. We know who he is, we can call him and arrange a library visit, and he is a named person.’ Deputy Headteacher ‘She made us try to feel good about reading.’ Y6 girl

17. Implications • The importance of talking about reading. • Building on success in school-library links. ‘I will arrange for all the classes to go again to the library across the year.’ Deputy Headteacher Y5 T ‘We’d like to visit the library (as a class) ... perhaps we could, if we could sign them all up in the library, if they all got their cards. I think they’d be really willing.’ SL ‘We spoke about promoting it throughout the year.’ Y5 T ‘I spoke about a possible trip just after Christmas, perhaps to look for books about our new topic... it’s a good way of getting them to know what they can find in their local library.’

18. Implications • Flexibility of library arrangements. ‘The library is only too happy to open the library at any time for us to take children for a visit.’ Deputy Headteacher ‘After you had read six books you could go back to the library and get another six books.’ Y6 girl

19. Implications • Strengthening community cohesion. ‘It’s my hope that when they come through the doors that they feel they own the place, that it is part of the community... living and working in the community has a massive impact, it takes a long time for professionals to develop a rapport with the young people. It does make a big difference... Young people do feel at home there (the local library). Library Information Assistant • Targeting key groups of young readers. What do stakeholders say?