: Reflections on the Key Stage 2 Reading Fluency Trial Exploring the impact of an EEF trial in school

In this blog, Emma Pearson, Year 6 teacher and Upper Key Stage 2 leader at Broadfield Primary School recounts the experience of being part of the Key Stage 2 Reading Fluency Project trial.

The quotation above highlights the critical importance of fluency in reading. However, fluency often remains an overlooked aspect of the reading process. It is frequently the missing link for pupils who can decode words effectively but struggle with comprehension. Broadfield Primary School has been actively engaged in the reading fluency trial for Upper Key Stage 2, an intervention aimed at improving pupils’ ability to read age-appropriate texts fluently. This initiative emphasises prosody and employs six core strategies: modelled expert prosody, echo reading, repeated reading, text marking, performance reading, and modelling comprehension strategies. The intervention is delivered by the class teacher to a small group of 6 – 8 selected pupils for 20 minutes, twice a week, over an eight-week period.

Why did the school become involved in the project?

It was really important to us to be involved in trials that use evidence-informed practice. The trial allowed us to try a new approach in a controlled manner and it also provided some excellent professional development opportunities. We hoped that the more structured and rigorous approach to fluency offered through this trial would help close the attainment gap between pupils working just below Age-Related Expectations (ARE) who were in receipt of Pupil Premium funding, and those on track. Furthermore, we aimed to enhance pupils’ confidence in reading aloud. This group of below-ARE pupils had previously received support for comprehension but had not made the progress we had anticipated.

Why, in your opinion, is reading fluency often ​“glossed over” in favour of comprehension?

I believe this stems from a lack of understanding regarding the significance of fluency and its impact on comprehension. Additionally, there has historically been a lack of clear guidance on how to teach fluency effectively. This project aims to address these gaps. Using the framework of the ​“reading comprehension house,” we understand that fluency is a fundamental component of reading. However, there is a tendency to leap from decoding directly to comprehension skills, bypassing fluency altogether.

What have been the benefits of being involved in the project?

The training provided as part of the project was comprehensive and supported the development of effective teaching strategies to improve reading fluency. Working in small intervention groups twice a week enabled pupils to gain confidence in reading aloud within the supportive context of paired reading. A key principle of the project is that no child reads alone, ensuring they always feel supported. Throughout the trial, we received valuable feedback from assessors who observed our practice and interviewed the children about their experiences.

What challenges have you encountered?

The project has been straightforward in terms of implementation, with a clear focus on adhering to its principles. Initially, the primary challenge lay in selecting pupils for the intervention. With hindsight, I would have approached the selection process differently, considering not only data but also pupils’ attitudes to learning and group dynamics. Another challenge arose from starting the project early in the academic year, before strong teacher-pupil relationships had been established. Some fluency teaching practices also felt counter-intuitive at first. For example, it was difficult to resist explaining the meaning of words during the initial sessions, as this is not the project’s primary focus. However, as the project progressed, the rationale behind these methods became clearer.

What changes would you make to your own practice following the trial? What about practice across the school?

Several strategies learned during the trial — such as echo reading, text marking, ​“match my time,” and the ​“big ding” question (a vocabulary-focused question where the children ​“ding” an imaginary bell when locating a specific word from its meaning or effect on the text) — have been incorporated into guided reading sessions throughout the school. These strategies are already having a positive impact, and we are committed to sustaining these changes in our reading practices moving forward.

What lasting impact do you hope being in the trial will have?
We have observed a marked increase in the confidence of participating pupils when reading aloud, as well as an improvement in their ability to understand and enjoy texts. 

Data from the trial indicate highly promising outcomes: most pupils made gains of at least two years in their comprehension reading age, with one pupil achieving a nearly four-year increase. Although reading speed initially decreased, this was viewed positively, as pupils began reading for meaning rather than simply striving to ​“finish” the text.

This improvement in reading comprehension, driven by a focus on fluency and prosody, aligns with Professor Rasinski’s findings. By enhancing fluency and automaticity, pupils have been able to allocate more cognitive resources to comprehension. The dramatic improvement in comprehension has been highly encouraging, and we are committed to continuing this approach in our school.