Research School Network: How the Improving Literacy Course Transformed One School Leader’s Practice Luke Swift shares his reflections on the course

Improving Literacy in Primary Schools, our three day course delivered by Aidan Severs (@thatboycanteach), starts on Tuesday 30^th April. Luke Swift, Class Teacher and English Coordinator at Dixons Manningham Primary, and now one of the core Bradford Research School team, attended last year. He writes here about the way that it has shaped his practice.

Truly transformative! This was the perfect course at the perfect time for me in my new role as an English leader, with a great balance between synthesising key messages regarding research and the practical implications and considerations around successful implementation in our unique school contexts. 

The course enabled me to critically analyse current literacy practice in my setting and communicate the observations cogently to school leaders and staff, sharing the robust research behind the thinking while proposing a more effective way forward – suggested by the best available research. 

Possibly the biggest change (resulting in arguably the greatest impact) that’s been implemented as a direct consequence of attending the course is a focus on the explicit instruction and modelling of the seven components of the writing process. Pupils are shown various strategies to support them at each stage while being gradually guided to becoming confident and autonomous writers. A clarification of these stages and their definitions led to interesting and positive discussions back at school – can everyone in your setting explain the difference between editing and revising? And which one should come first?

The deep dive into oracy considered its four strands and how they can be developed in the classroom – engaging pupils and ensuring impact. Inextricably linked to this was the exploration of vocabulary and reading and how we can attempt to prevent the frightening consequences of the Matthew Effect from widening the attainment and vocabulary gap in our classrooms. One brilliant child-friendly interpretation of the National Curriculum reading content domains was shared (Reading Roles) which is fully embedded at my school and has been invariably praised by our visitors.

Never before have I reflected so much on my own practices; whilst this course does not sell you any schemes, give you any easy answers or quick fixes (nor is it designed to) it does provide you with the tools to create your own blueprint for change to improve literacy outcomes for your pupils.

The impact of this course has been far-reaching and profound; all subsequent CPD I’ve delivered at school as Literacy coordinator has been influenced heavily by those 3 days. If the EEF Improving Literacy guidance report is the vehicle to raising English attainment then this course most certainly gives you the fuel and drive to get things moving!

Sign up to join the course here.