Gill Jones HMI English Talk
Thursday 29 September 2022 | 1600 - 1700 | Online 

Gill Jones HMI, Deputy Director, Schools & Early Education will talk about learning to read and write, drawing on research from Ofsted English Research Review and the implications for teachers of primary age children.     

The session will cover communication and language, phonics, handwriting, transcription and comprehension and Gill will be joined by Kirsty Godfrey HMI, Specialist Adviser.

N.B. This session will not be recorded.

​Teachers as Readers Group | Open University/UKLA Ilsham English Hub 
Session 1 | Wednesday 12 October 2022
Session 2 | Wednesday 23 November 2022
Session 3 | Wednesday 18 January 2023
Session 4 | Wednesday 15 March 2023
Session 5 | Wednesday 24 May 2023 
Session 6 | Wednesday 21 June 2023
From 1600 - 1730 

Open to all!

These six informal, friendly and supportive sessions will help to develop evidence informed practice, widening knowledge of children's literature and other texts, enriching Reading for Pleasure pedagogy and documenting the impact of children as readers. 

There is an expectation that attendees will try to attend all the sessions.

Contingent Talk
Session 1 | Thursday 10 November 2022 
Toolkit Focus: Why do books matter so much? What is child-led book talk? 
Gap Task: Book talk and complete the pre-project survey.
  
Session 2 | Thursday 19 January 2023 
Toolkit Focus: Quick reflection on first session.  
Gap Task: Set up a timetable for sessions and start note-taking. 

Session 3 | Thursday 23 February 2023 
Toolkit Focus: Quick reflection on the last session and troubleshooting.  
Gap Task: Film yourself with one of your target children and choose a snippet to share. 

Session 4 | Thursday 4 May 2023 
Toolkit Focus: Reflection.  
Gap Task: Complete survey 

From 1400 - 1500 

The structure of this work will be four sessions led by Danni Cooke, Ilsham and Rowena Lucas, Ilsham and Ramsbury English Hub Leads and the focus will be on Early Years Foundation Stage (nursery/pre-school included, but can be bridged into Year 1).  

In-between each session, participants will be invited to try out the strategies that they explore to ensure that they reflect on the previous workshop.  

This work is open to a maximum of 20 schools.
N.B. This is currently not open to Wave 4 Partner Schools - if this is you, then please, send email Danni Cooke.

Schools will need to sign up for all four sessions and as a commitment to the sessions will be sent two books for use in the work.

​Ilsham English Hub Showcase
Thursday 6 October 2022 | 0900 - 1200 

• Main aims of the English Hub. 
• Looking at the evidence including the Reading Framework.  
• Validated SSP programmes and the importance of one route to reading.  
• Opportunity to look at and discuss best practice.
• A chance for you to consider your schools next steps.
• Looking at how we can help support you and your school including access to funding.

We recommend Heads of School, SLT, Reading/Phonics Leaders attend this session.
This showcase has been updated in accordance with current up-to-date documentation and priorities.  

Some schools might be eligible for a total of £160 funding each to support supply cover to attend.  
Schools will be assessed for eligibility when spaces are booked.
If supply cover has been given in previous years, then it cannot be claimed again.  

Oral Blending and Segmenting and Soft Sounds
Thursday 6 October 2022 | 1600 - 1700 | Ilsham English Hub

This workshop will look at the importance of the foundations of understanding the skills of oral blending and segmenting and soft sounds and will be useful for any colleague who wishes to develop their understanding of the foundations to build effective phonics learning.

Nurseries and Pre schools are welcome to attend.

The Role of the Reading Leader (Autumn 1)
14 October 2022 | 1130 - 1300 | Online

This webinar will look at the key priorities for this point in the term as the reading leader and will be run every half term with a different focus to enable leaders to develop in the reading leader role.

Contact

Ilsham English Hub will also be booking audits for the Autumn Term where they can look at personalised support and access to funding. 

Please contact Danni Cooke if you would like to find out more.

Listening to celebrated poet, children's author, presenter and former Children's Laureate, Michael Rosen makes me wish I were a primary school teacher, a Secondary Teacher of English – or even better perhaps…a child hiding in a corner with a book, or looking forward to my bedtime story with a loved one.

This Reading for Pleasure session introduced by Ilsham DfE National English Hub Lead, Danni Cooke, and Early Years and Phonics Specialist Leader of Education with the Learning Academy Partnership was always going to be a treat like reading a gripping good book.

In this value-added talk, so, to the takeaway tips and Michael Rosen’s Top Strategies to create a reading culture in schools – all of which are doable and dynamic, so without further ado... 

1. Home School Liaison
Mindful that some parents might not be literate, might have language difficulties, might have their own preconceptions of schools and teachers, there’s value in developing a home school culture.
Set up a Home School Reading Committee to act as “Book Champions.”
Organise bring and buy sales to encourage parents and pupils that sharing books is normal - and reach out to parents!
 
2. Hold Book and Reading Events
Get everyone excited!
Book sales. Book swaps. Second-hand bookshops.
Enact book dramatisations and invite parents to watch and play out a story.

3. Appoint a School Librarian
But what about sharing a School Librarian across a number of schools in a Trust or locally?

4. Share Information on Local Libraries
Yes, we know the story about our national library service…
Keep parents informed. Some might think they have to pay to use the library. Tell them they can borrow the books!

5. Set Up School Book Groups
Let the School Book Group influence others with their reading ideas and discussions.

6. Adopt an Author or Illustrator
Why not?!
A win-win for the school and the author!
 
7. Making Books
Dignify the making of books.
Make the children the authors and celebrate the joy of books and reading.

8. Regular Activities
Nourish activities with books.
Think fiction poetry, music, guides to sites.

9. Show your Emotion about Special Books
As teachers and staff, share books that mean so much to you.
Bring in cherished books, talk about them and say why they are cherished.
​
10. Book Reviews
To get started online, see:
https://booksforkeeps.co.uk/
http://www.lovemybooks.co.uk/
https://www.lovereading.co.uk/
https://www.booksfortopics.com/

Print and pin-up in the classroom book reviews from newspapers and magazines AND of course, get children to write their own

11. Train Colleagues and Children on Children’s Literature
Set up reading for pleasure groups and study children’s literature.
20 minutes after school.

Booklovers always like an insight into a favourite author’s favourite books. You heard it here that Michael’s favourite books are “Emil and the Detectives” by Erich Kastner (for older children) and “Clown” by Quentin Blake (for younger), and in the realm of poetry, Wilfred Owen’s “Dulce and Decorum est” and “Down Behind the Dustbin” by Mr Michael Rosen no less.

We thank Michael for his uplifting talk that makes reading for pleasure palpably so and to Ilsham English Hub for hosting this event. Watch out for the Goldsmiths, University of London “Children’s Literature in Action” free e-book due to be published in September.

Report by Jude Owens, PA to the Executive SWIFT Team 

More RFP CPD from Ilsham English Hub

Ilsham English Hub are providing the following FREE TO ACCESS Reading for Pleasure offer of support for the next academic year:
 
Teachers as Readers Group
A Open University/UKLA evidence informed practice CPD.  Open to all!
​
There will be six informal, friendly and supportive sessions to help develop evidence informed practice, widening our knowledge of children's literature and other texts, enriching or Reading for Pleasure pedagogy and documenting the impact of children as readers. 
 
Session 1 | Wednesday 12 October 2022
Session 2 | Wednesday 23 November 2022
Session 3 | Wednesday 18 January 2023
Session 4 | Wednesday 15 March 2023
Session 5 | Wednesday 24 May 2023
Session 6 | Wednesday 21 June 2023
 
From 1600 to 1730 | Zoom
There is an expectation that attendees try to attend all the sessions.

​Transforming your School Reading Culture (TSRC) Programme
​The TSRC programme is a sustained, research based CPD programme aimed at Primary English Leads. 
During the course of the programme participants will engage deeply with reading for pleasure pedagogy and leadership theory to transform their school’s reading culture.  
 
Participants will attend five sessions and complete gap tasks in between sessions:

Core Session 1 | Wednesday 12 October 2022 | Reading for Pleasure: a whole school culture
Core Session 2 | Wednesday 23 November 2022 | Creating whole school change
Core Session 3 | Wednesday 18 January 2023 | Creating a reading school: structural changes
Core Session 4 | Wednesday 15 March 2023 | Creating a reading school: behavioural changes
Core Session 5 | Wednesday 21 June 2023 | Celebrating impact and sustaining change
 
From 1230 to 1500 | Zoom
There is an expectation that attendees try to attend all the sessions.

The gap tasks will be related to developing participants’ own knowledge of children’s literature, understanding of reading for pleasure pedagogy and developing the reading for pleasure culture in their school. 

Audits
Work is underway for Autumn Term audits where Ilsham English Hub might be able to help your school with further personalised support and access to funding.  
 
For more information contact Ilsham DfE National English Hub Lead, Danni Cooke.

It was exciting to hold our second SWIFT Literacy Conference in-person at the end of last term and to welcome a huge range of delegates at Exeter Racecourse with with as much buzz as in 2019.

David Didau, author and expert talked knowledgeably about the importance of reading and of building a reading culture within our schools.
 
“Reading: there are few things that are likely to make as much of a difference.”
“Reading aloud is gap narrowing.”

Other keynotes including John Tomsett, author and erstwhile Headteacher of Huntingdon School who explored the complexities of the 0 to 19 curriculum - explaining how curriculum development must rest on teacher development.
 
“A child's vocabulary at five predicts how well they'll learn to read, how well they'll do in the school system. We really have to get that right; that's our number one priority.”
Dr Julian Grenier, appointed by the Department for Education to lead on the revision of Development Matters (quoted by John Tomsett).

Helen Prince, author, developer and contributor to Oxford University Press’s Word-up Podcast Series, explored the power of Oracy through prosody and provided delegates with specific takeaways they could use within classrooms.
 
“There’s a causal relationship between oracy and improved behaviour.”
 
Our keynotes also delivered effective breakout sessions, and and other breakouts included the Director of Primary Literacy from OUP; AQA provided an expert on Language in the form of Lance Hanson; Anna Szpakowska from LYFTA contributed towards cultural capital and Bedrock’s Ellie Ashton explained the power of Disciplinary Literacy. WeST’s Executive Director of English, Scott Davies paired with Vicky Thornton to explore the implementation of Forensic Reading.​

If you attended this year’s Literacy Conference and would like to feedback to inform future conferences, we would welcome your feedback by clicking on the link below: