Ambitious bid to make county an area of outstanding literacy

By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter

An ambitious project aims to make Gloucestershire an area of outstanding literacy.

Four county organisations have joined together to launch the project which coincides with the National Year of Reading.

Charities Read With Me, Read for Good and Cheltenham Festivals, are joined by Gloucestershire County Council with the vision of ensuring all children in the county have the opportunity to learn to read well, while giving them the foundations for a lifelong love of reading.

Gloucestershire’s Year of Reading will be supported by libraries, family hubs, schools, literacy charities and bookshops – to create a county wide movement designed to change the way we talk about reading, as well as providing accessible activities and resources for schools, young people and their families.

To officially launch the project, Gloucestershire’s Year of Reading has commissioned one of the largest listening exercises on reading attitudes ever undertaken in the county. The report brings together the voices of 6,615 children and young people from 58 education settings across Gloucestershire, spanning Reception to post-16.

Across all ages, children and young people consistently want the same thing: more time to read at school, greater choice over what they read, and calm, supportive environments.

Children are not asking for complex new interventions. They are asking for the protection and extension of the everyday conditions that make reading feel unhurried, self-directed and worth returning to.

The findings show that Gloucestershire has strong foundations: children begin school with a love of reading, teachers are deeply engaged in supporting reading, and schools play a critical role in ensuring access to books and stories. At the same time, the data reveals clear pressure points.

As children get older, reading enjoyment becomes more fragile, reading is more likely to be associated with schoolwork rather than pleasure, and inequalities in access to books, space and shared reading become more visible.
Education and skills cabinet member Linda Cohen (LD, Wotton-under-Edge) said: “This campaign builds on the great tradition of reading in Gloucestershire.

“We want to encourage everyone in our communities to get involved, making time to enjoy reading and giving children and young people the opportunity to discover the books that they will love.

“Reading is the key to so much, it broadens our horizons, develops curiosity and is proven to make us happier.”

Data suggests that:

More than three quarters of children in the early years report positive feelings about reading.

Story, humour and connection are important in establishing early reading enjoyment

65% say teachers read aloud to them.

However only half of children get to choose their own books. Children need choice and autonomy – ownership drives engagement.

 

The most pronounced shift in terms of a decline in interest in reading comes between years 7-9 in secondary school. This could partly be because of the shift from reading being a personal, meaningful activity to something functional, instrumental or externally imposed.

There is also a clear distinction between ability and motivation – there is a clear group of capable readers who are unconvinced about reading for pleasure (ambivalent middle).

Children who report having lots of books or audiobooks at home, being read with or to, talking about books with family members and having a space where they can read comfortably are significantly more likely to: enjoy reading, read frequently in their free time, describe themselves as confident readers. Reading together matters even as children get older.

Children need conversation, not just consumption, and time and permission to read.

“The aim of this project is to build on the foundations already in place to make Gloucestershire a county of reading,” said a Gloucestershire’s Year of Reading.

“We want to see an increase in how much children are reading; and a tangible improvement in how supported teachers feel, with regard to improving children’s reading.

“However this isn’t just about schools, it is vitally important that there is a real focus on supporting families who will underpin the success of this project and allow us to effect real change.”

Gloucestershire’s Year of Reading will launch with the support of local legend, and children’s author, Tweedy the Clown who will kick off ‘Stay and Read’ sessions after school and in family hubs.

These themed ‘book club’ sessions will be run by volunteers and attended by children and their families.

There are also plans to run activity in conjunction with Gloucestershire Libraries throughout the year. More information can be found here.

If people need support with reading they can call Read With Me for children on 07791 110906. And Read Easy is contactable on 01388 435201 for adult literacy support.

Gloucester News Centre – http://gloucesternewscentre.co.uk