Research School Network: SHINE funding for Fixing Fluency SHINE funding for Fixing Fluency

Reading continues to be one of the most significant barriers to educational achievement, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. The introduction of the Department for Education’s reading framework and validated phonics schemes have led to significant progress in decoding. However, despite increased awareness of the importance of fluency, the recent Ofsted English Subject Report highlighted a gap in translating this recognition into effective classroom practice to support pupils to become more successful.

Evidence has consistently highlighted the critical nature of fluency as a bridge between effortful decoding and comprehension. Reading fluency can be defined as reading with accuracy, automaticity and prosody. When pupils read fluently, their cognitive resources can be redirected from focusing on decoding and onto comprehending a text. For this reason, fluency is sometimes described as a bridge from word recognition to comprehension. An explicit approach to teaching reading fluency becomes part of a balanced and engaging approach to developing reading.

Great Heights Research School, previously known as Oldham Research School, had previously developed an approach to reading fluency. Fixing Fluency, which was funded by the EEF as part of their Early Stage Programme Development work. You can read about this here.

Now Jessica Mellor, Head of Great Heights Research School, has become one of winners of the Let Teachers SHINE competition run annually by the North of England education charity SHINE. Fixing Fluency, has won a £25,000 award to refine and develop the approach even further. 

Fixing Fluency aims to provide leaders, teachers and pupils with the full range of resources and tools needed to enable successful implementation across year 4 and year 5. Fixing Fluency involves teachers leading their whole class in daily activities based on that week’s chosen text, culminating in Readers’ Theatre – a performance of the text. The approach is a practical, financially sustainable way busy teachers can bring evidence-based ideas into the classroom.

The initial project will involve 900 children at schools in Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Bradford, and there are hopes it could be extended into other schools. Schools that are interested in participating in Fixing Fluency for 2024 – 25 can find out more information and register their details here.

Alongside funding, SHINE provides all winners with free access to a wide range of development workshops and coaching opportunities, enabling teachers to maximise the potential of their ideas. Over more than a decade, it has funded innovations of all shapes and sizes, which have helped millions of schoolchildren. Past winners include the likes of Times Tables Rock Stars and Hegarty Maths.